Creamy Italian Pasta Bake (Vegan)
This Italian pasta bake with a cheesy tomato sauce is not only healthy but also quick to make. In 30 minutes the dish is ready and it´s perfect for Meal Prep too. The vegan cheese sauce is primarily made with cashews. The addition of nutritional yeast gives the sauce a delicious cheesy flavor. The tomato cheese sauce makes the pasta bake so creamy. You can make this pasta bake easily gluten-free!
Italian Pasta Bake with Vegetables
I must admit, I love pasta so much. I could eat it every day in all possible variations. But this pasta bake has particularly impressed me. I think everyone will love this pasta bake. The tomato and cheese sauce makes the casserole so creamy and absolutely delicious.
By the way, the sauce can also be used as a simple pasta sauce or as a dip for nachos. With just a few ingredients, the dish is very quick and easy to make. Be sure to give it a try! The recipe is completely free of additives. So it’s a lot healthier than the substitutes in the supermarket.
Don´t forget the vegetables. I added broccoli but you can add anything you like. Legumes for example fit very well in this casserole.
How to make this creamy Pasta Bake
Cut the broccoli into small florets. For the cheese sauce, chop onions and garlic. Cook the pasta according to the package instructions and add the broccoli florets to the cooking water 5 minutes beforehand.
You don’t want to use broccoli? Then you can also add other vegetables of your choice to the pasta bake.
Meanwhile, prepare the vegan cheese sauce. Fry onion and garlic briefly beforehand. Put all the ingredients for the sauce in a blender and puree the mixture to a creamy mass.
Now add the pasta and broccoli to the baking dish. Add chopped tomatoes including spices of your choice. Mix everything together. Pour the cheese sauce over the pasta and mix everything well. Depending on your preference, add some vegan cheese as a topping. Now you can bake the casserole in the oven.
Healthy Italian Pasta Bake
A healthy dairy-free cheese sauce sounds too good to be true?! It is possible! Additionally, this sauce is so quick to make. You can use this creamy cheese sauce not only for pasta bake, but also just for pasta in general. The sauce is a bit thicker, so it’s also great as a spread or as a dip. You can vary the amount of water in the recipe. Either you add a little more water, so the cheese sauce becomes more liquid or you use less water, so you have a thick sauce.
Why is this vegan cheese sauce so healthy? The cheese sauce consists mainly of cashew nuts. The nuts are not only filling due to the healthy fats, but are also full of nutrients. Cashews contain proteins, magnesium and B vitamins. Magnesium has a positive effect on heart function and B vitamins support the performance of the brain.
Whether sweet or savory, you’ll find more plant-based recipes with cashews here:
For the cheesy taste, add nutritional yeast. Nutritional yeast give vegan dishes a delicious cheesy taste and are also very healthy. Nutritional yeast contain a good amount of B vitamins. They are also rich in folic acid and minerals. You can simply add nutritional yeast as an additional flavor to your dishes.
More delicious recipes with nutritional yeast:
How do you like this recipe?
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Italian Pasta Bake
Ingredients
- 250 gr Pasta
- 1 can Diced Tomatoes
- Spices: Salt, Pepper, Coriander, Smoked Paprika, Chili As you like
For the Cheese Sauce:
- 100 gr Cashew Butter Alternative: Soaked Cashew Nuts
- 2 Garlic Cloves
- 1 Onion
- 1 tsp Mustard
- 1 tbsp Vegetable Broth
- 150 ml Water
- 40 gr Nutritional Yeast
- 1 tsp Smoked Paprika OPTIONAL
- 1 tsp Chili OPTIONAL
Instructions
- Cut broccoli into small florets. For the cheese sauce, chop onion and garlic into small pieces.
- Cook pasta according to package instructions and add broccoli florets to the cooking water 5 minutes beforehand.
- Meanwhile prepare the vegan cheese sauce. Heat oil in a pan and fry onion and garlic for 3 minutes.
- Put all the ingredients for the sauce in a blender and puree the mixture to a creamy mass. If the mixture is too thick add a little more water (to taste).
- Once the pasta is cooked, drain the cooking water. Place pasta and broccoli in a baking dish. You can add diced tomatoes directly and season them in the baking dish. Mix everything well.
- Now pour the cheese sauce over the pasta. Mix everything again and if you like spread vegan cheese over the casserole.
- Bake the casserole for about 15 minutes at 180°.
Notes
Nutrition
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