Make this easy weeknight dinner tonight – loaded with vegetables, pasta, and cheese, you’ll have a healthy family meal in no time!

Overhead view of casserole dish with cheese and basil on top of pasta.

Thank you Modern Table for sponsoring this post. The mighty plant protein puts the nutritious in delicious — check out Modern Table pasta today!

I couldn’t wait any longer to share this recipe with you!

I was going to post it on the regularly scheduled, beginning of the week recipe share. But you NEED this vegetarian dinner recipe in your life NOW. Especially those of you getting ready to meal prep today. Vegetable-Loaded Baked Pasta is just what your easy weeknight dinner situation needs.

vegetable baked pasta with basil in white casserole dish

Not only that, it’s been freezing here in Minneapolis lately. Like, it’s SNOWING as I’m writing this and it’s OCTOBER 14TH. It also means I just realized that literally 6 months ago was our last blizzard. April 14th. No joke, friends, what is this place I live? So basically fall has disappeared, and all the comforting baked pasta is needed ASAP. ASAP, PEOPLE.

There’s so much about this Vegetable Loaded Baked Pasta that I want to unpack. So let’s get to it!

Veggie Loaded Baked Pasta Ingredients:

vegetable baked pasta ingredients by fork in the kitchen
  • Modern Table Rotini – all the nutrition you need and the pasta texture you love!
  • Mushrooms – umami!
  • Cauliflower – y’all begged for this!
  • Garlic – a must with pasta
  • Cherry tomatoes – freshness!
  • Spinach – greens!
  • Tomato Sauce – use a good one to add flavor!
  • Melty mozzarella – leave it out or use vegan cheese to make this bake completely plant-based!

There you have it – all the ingredients for a comforting, easy weeknight dinner!

vegetable baked pasta overhead with basil in white casserole dish

I want to talk more about Modern Table’s pasta though. You guys are going to love them because all their pastas are lentil-based and contain complete proteins – meaning they have the 9 essential amino acids our bodies need for strong energy, good digestion, and muscle health.

Gotta love it, especially if you vegetarian (or vegan) and get this question all the time: “oh, but where do you get your protein?!” *insert major eye roll here*. New answer: my pasta, thank you very much!

vegetable baked pasta overhead with basil in white casserole dish

And hello…with only three plant-based ingredients, the plain pastas are vegan, non-GMO, and gluten-free. #WINNING!

How easy, you ask…

  1. Boil the pasta for half of the cook time
  2. Saute all the veggies
  3. Toss together pasta, veggies, and sauce
  4. Layer in a baking dish with mozzarella
  5. BAKE
vegetable baked pasta in white casserole dish with scoop being lifted

And then eat, eat, eat! In no time you have a healthy, nutritious dinner on the table for your family (or yourself!). How easy was that? The perfect weeknight dinner full of nutrition and veggies! And pasta and cheese! Yessss!

P.S. Go grab some Modern Table pasta and use the code: 25pastamonth for 25% off your order!

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Get the Recipe Vegetable Loaded Baked Pasta

Make this easy weeknight dinner tonight – loaded with vegetables, pasta, and cheese, you’ll have a healthy family meal in no time!

Ingredients

Instructions
 

  • Pre-heat oven to 375°F. In a large saucepan, bring salt water to a boil, and cook pasta for half of the suggested cooking time (approximately 3-4 minutes). You want it to still be hard in the middle as it will cook again. Drain and set aside.
  • Meanwhile, heat a large skillet with olive oil over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and cauliflower and cook for 3-4 minutes. Add salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes to taste. Add Italian seasoning and garlic, stir to combine. Cook for an additional 3-4 minutes. Add tomatoes and cook for 2 minutes. Add chopped spinach, stir to combine, and remove from heat.
  • Add tomato sauce and pasta to vegetables and stir to combine. Layer half of the pasta into a casserole baking dish. Top with half of the mozzarella. Add the remaining pasta to the baking dish and cover with remaining mozzarella. Bake pasta for 18-20 minutes, until bubbly and cheese is melted and turning golden brown. Garnish with fresh basil and parmesan as desired.

Notes

To make vegan, omit the cheese or use vegan mozzarella.
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I was selected for this opportunity as a member of CLEVER and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.