Description
A comforting and easy dish of baked pasta with zucchini and cherry tomatoes, perfect for weeknight dinners.
Ingredients
Scale
- 8 oz dry pasta (penne, spaghetti, or your preferred shape)
- 2 medium zucchinis, sliced into 1/4-inch rounds
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 bell pepper, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 2 1/4 to 2 1/2 cups water or low-sodium vegetable broth
- Fresh basil for garnish
- Vegan Parmesan or nutritional yeast (optional)
- 1/2 cup cooked lentils or a drained can of chickpeas (optional)
- 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts or chopped walnuts (optional)
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano or Italian seasoning (optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 small red onion, thinly sliced (optional)
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste (optional)
- 1/4 cup unsweetened plant-based cream (optional)
- 1 cup baby spinach or kale stirred in at the end (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and prepare a large baking dish.
- Wash and slice the zucchinis, halve the cherry tomatoes, and chop the bell pepper. Mince the garlic.
- Put the zucchini, tomatoes, bell pepper, and garlic in the baking dish. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat.
- Scatter the uncooked pasta evenly over the vegetables.
- Add 2 1/4 to 2 1/2 cups of water or broth to barely cover the pasta.
- Gently stir to combine the pasta and vegetables.
- Bake uncovered for 25–30 minutes, stirring halfway through.
- When cooked, remove from the oven, adjust seasoning, and if desired, stir in plant-based cream and greens.
- Garnish with fresh basil, vegan Parmesan, and nuts before serving.
Notes
To make it protein-packed, add lentils or chickpeas. For creaminess, stir in plant-based cream at the end.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 400mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 7g
- Protein: 15g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
Keywords: zucchini pasta, baked pasta, vegan recipe, easy dinner, one tray meal