About the Recipe
If there is one thing we love to have regularly - it is PASTA (with some fresh bread, of course)!
And, who doesn't love pasta? How about baked pasta with creamy cheese? Let's dive in.
Ingredients
12 oz pasta cooked according to package (use a tube or spiral pasta for this dish)
1 can of lentils, drained and rinsed
1 medium yellow onion diced
5 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups of mushrooms, diced
1 zucchini, sliced thin into half-moons
1 tbsp Italian seasoning blend
Pinch of crushed red pepper
3/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
4 cups baby spinach
1/3 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
1 can fire roasted diced tomatoes
25 oz of marinara sauce of choice (I use Rao's)
3/4 cup vegan parmesan cheese (like Follow Your Heart), divided
1 cup of vegan mozzarella cheese shreds
Vegan mozzarella for the top (like Miyoko's pourable mozzarella - this is a MUST for this bake!)
Preparation
Preheat oven to 375
Cook your pasta
Heat 2 tbsp of EVOO in a large sauté pan over medium heat and add the onion. Sauté for 5-7 minutes. Next, add garlic, mushrooms, and zucchini and cook down for 5 minutes, stirring often.
Add the herbs, crushed pepper, salt, and pepper to the sauté pan and stir to combine. Add the spinach, parsley, tomatoes, lentils, marinara, 2 tbsp vegan parmesan and 1/2 cup vegan mozzarella shreds. Stir well to combine and cook for a few more minutes.
Add the cooked pasta to the sauté pan and stir to combine. Pour into a 9x11 baking dish.
Top with the remaining cheese, and pour over the liquid mozzarella
Cover with foil and bake for 15-20 minutes
Once done, remove from oven, and enjoy!