Pesto Pasta Bake

🌿 Quick and easy Pesto Pasta Bake ready in under an hour! This comforting casserole combines fresh pesto, perfectly cooked pasta, and melty cheese for a filling weeknight dinner that's perfect for leftovers.

Course Vegan Meals

Cuisine Mediterranean-Inspired

Keyword recipe, creamy, tomato, basil

Prep Time 25

Cook Time 25

Total Time 50

Servings -10

Calories 212kcal

Author Maria Koutsogiannis

Ingredients

227 g Fusili Pasta
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 large yellow onion minced
5 cloves of garlic pressed or minced
1 tbsp. Umani Spice optional, I use Simply Organic
1 tbsp. basil spice
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp red chili pepper
1 large head of kale washed, de-stemmed and chopped
18 oz crushed tomatoes
1 brick of vegan Violife Feta 1 cup regular feta
1/2 cup pesto could also be storebought
large handfuls of fresh basil

Instructions

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Once boiled, generously salt. Cook pasta as per package instructions. Strain and reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water.
To a large pan, heat olive on medium and cook down onions and garlic till translucent. This may take up to 5-6 minutes. Stir often to avoid burning. To the pan, add the spices and coat everything evenly.
To the pan, add the kale and cook till decreased by half in size. Add the tomatoes and stir to combine. Place the lid on the pan and cook for 10 minutes.
To the pot of strained pasta, add all the kale + tomato sauce and combine. Transfer to a large casserole dish (13″L x 7.75″W x 2.25″) and set aside.
Into a small bowl, add the feta of choice and pesto and stir till combined.
Top
the pasta in the casserole dish with the feta/pesto mixture and evenly distribute the pasta water. Bake at 350F for 25-30 mintues.
Enjoy with fresh basil!

Video

Notes

Pasta: Any type of pasta will work here honestly! Have fun with it!

Feta: If you're not vegan, then use regular feta!

Pesto: If you don't want to make homemade pesto storebought is just fine

Nutrition