The BEST Leftover Vegetables Recipe!
If you’re anything like me, you’ve got an entire vegetable garden sat in your fridge which is on the verge of dying a sad and wasted death. It’s a far too common occurrence, but that’s exactly what veggie pasta bakes are for. You can truly go wild with what veg you want to add into the pasta bake, but here’s the offenders most spotted in the back of my fridge:
Best Vegetables for Pasta
Onions Peppers Aubergine/Eggplant Courgette/Zucchini Mushrooms
Carrots, Asparagus, Sweet Corn and Broccoli all work perfectly too! But like I said, go wild with whatever you fancy. As long as it’s not actually grown legs and walking out your fridge, because then it’s food waste time. You can of course buy fresh vegetables for this pasta bake too 😁
How much Veg to put in Pasta Bake?
For this recipe I recommend 1lb/500g, 3.5oz/100g of each. I find this bulks out the pasta perfectly enough to feed 5-6 people.
Easy Vegetable Pasta Bake
The other great thing about a veggie pasta bake besides being an awesome way to use up leftovers, is the fact it’s so freakin’ easy to make. Literally no/little cooking ability needed. Vegetable pasta bakes are supposed to be stress free, and that’s exactly what this one is. With the same token, I have made more pasta bakes than I care to admit, so along the way I have picked up some top tips For the best Pasta Bake:
Tips for the perfect veggie pasta bake
Al dente pasta – You only want to cook the pasta until it’s just about done, so take a few minutes off of the packet instruction. If you fully cook the pasta, it’s going to come out broken and sloppy after it’s baked. Stir fry veg – Same with the veg, you don’t want it too soft and sloppy when it comes out the oven. When frying, make sure you quickly fry over high heat, enough to caramelize the veg, but not get it too soft. Herbs – Always good to take the flavour up a notch! Here I use dried oregano and basil, then fresh parsley to serve. Cheese – Because really, is a pasta bake a pasta bake if it’s not bombarded with cheese!? More on this in just a sec.
How to make Vegetable Pasta Bake (quick summary)
Cheesy Vegetable Pasta Bake
Okay, put quite simply, a pasta bake isn’t a pasta bake unless there’s cheese. Sorry, I don’t make the rules!
Best Cheese for Pasta Bake
In my opinion there’s two you can’t compete with: Cheddar and Mozzarella. I add mozzarella through the middle of the pasta bake, you know, just for that classic cheese pull. Cheddar goes perfectly on top because it goes golden and crispy.
Can you make pasta bake ahead of time?
You can, it’s just more important than usual to undercook the pasta, otherwise it’ll bloat and absorb the sauce as it rests. I also tend to cool the sauce before combining with the pasta for the same reason. Just make as instructed, with those two points in mind, then cover and store in the fridge until ready to bake. Full transparency I do prefer it freshly baked!
Serving Vegetable Pasta Bake
Once it’s out the oven, I let it sit for a few mins, or at least until it stops spitting at me. From there I love a good sprinkling of fresh parsley.
What to serve withVegetable Pasta Bake?
Roasted Garlic Bread Caprese Pull Apart Bread Cheesy Pesto Garlic Bread Feta Bruschetta Garlic Butter Potato Skins Easy Cheesy Garlic Bread
Can I freeze pasta bake leftovers?
Absolutely! Just let the pasta cool then cover and pop in portions in the freezer. I usually defrost in the fridge overnight and reheat in the microwave. And there we have it! An easy cheesy veggie pasta bake is yours for the taking. If you’re looking for more pasta bake recipes then definitely check out my Chicken Pasta Bake, Broccoli Pasta Bake, Taco Pasta Bake and Meatball Pasta Bake! Alrighty, let’s tuck into the full recipe shall we?
How to make a Vegetable Pasta Bake (Full Recipe & Video)
If you loved this Vegetable Pasta Bake then be sure to Pin it for later! Already made it or got a burning question? Give me a shout in the comments below and pick up your free ecookbook along the way!
