My husband has always loved baked red sauce pasta dishes. Me, on the other hand, not a huge fan. That is…until I made this baked pasta dish. This tomato-based sauce is made up of some of my favorite vegetables. The flavors of tomato, lots of garlic, sauteed grated zucchini, and roasted red bell peppers are all pureed together and seasoned with herbs to make this fabulous sauce. Ever since making my roasted red pepper hummus, I’ve always roasted my own red peppers. It’s so easy and tastes much better than the store-bought jars, so why not! This recipe was adapted from Fuss Free Cooking. I not only roasted my own peppers, but added much more zucchini and red bell peppers. I’ve also made this dish topped with some vegan Daiya Mozzarella cheese and/or a mixture of breadcrumbs, garlic powder, salt, and olive oil for a vegan alternative when I’m simply not in the mood for cheese and it turned out delicious. I actually prefer the vegan version over the non-vegan version.

I topped it off with some fresh parsley from our garden, and my entire family loved it, not to mention it’s a great way to get those veggies in if you have picky toddlers. If you have a toddler who is not a fan of larger pasta shapes, try using orzo pasta or small tiny star-shaped pasta instead and omit the spice. For a gluten-free option, simply use your favorite gluten-free pasta such as quinoa pasta or brown rice pasta. This dish would also taste great with some cooked spaghetti squash for another gluten-free or healthier alternative.

5 from 1 vote

Baked Pasta with Roasted Red Peppers & Zucchini

Zucchini, roasted red peppers, and tomatoes come together in this delicious family-friendly baked pasta dish!

Prep Time15

Cook Time30

Total Time45

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian, Vegan

Keyword: easy vegan pasta recipe, vegan baked pasta dish, vegan pasta recipe, zucchini pasta recipe

Servings: servings

Calories: 346kcal

Author: Anjali Lalani

INGREDIENTS

2 large zucchini , coarsely grated (not to fine such that the water comes out)
3 red bell peppers
1 medium white onion , diced
1 small head of garlic , peeled and finely chopped
14 oz. can crushed tomatoes , or canned whole tomatoes
2 1/2 cup medium shell or penne pasta , Gluten-free option: use your favorite gluten free pasta or cooked spaghetti squash
1 tbsp dried Italian herbs
1/2 cup vegan cheese , mix of vegan Mozzarella and Parmesan
1 cup seasoned breadcrumbs (optional) make your own (see notes below)
freshly ground black pepper
red crushed pepper (optional)
salt
fresh parsley , chopped

US Customary - Metric

INSTRUCTIONS

To Prepare the Roasted Red Peppers:

Preheat oven to broil on HI.
Cut the bell pepper in half lengthwise. Discard the seeds and membranes.
Place pepper halves, skin side up, on a foil-lined baking sheet. Flatted the pepper halves with your hand.
Broil for 10 minutes or until blackened. Instantly place bell pepper in a zip-log plastic bag and seal, or place in a bowl and cover with kitchen towel until cooled. Let it sit for 10 minutes. Remove and peel the skin off.

To Prepare the Dish:

Set the pasta to boil in a pot of water with salt and oil (enough salt such that it tastes like salty water, and just a small amount of oil to keep the pasta from sticking). Stop cooking the pasta 1 minute before al dente.
Blend the tomatoes and roasted red peppers until they are silky smooth. Set aside.
Heat some olive oil in a non-stick pot at medium heat. Add the onions and saute until translucent. Add the garlic and herbs and saute for 1-2 minutes. If using, add red crushed peppers and combine.
Add the zucchini and saute until it is wilted. Add the tomato red pepper puree and let it simmer for 15-20 minutes, covered. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Add the pasta to the sauce and combine. Heat the pasta mixture until the pasta is al dente (another minute or two).
Transfer the pasta to a baking dish. Sprinkle the vegan shredded cheese over the top (or omit). Top with the breadcrumb mixture if using (note: add just enough olive oil to coat the breadcrumbs so that they toast well in the oven). Broil on LO until the cheese is melted and/or breadcrumbs are golden brown.
Garnish with freshly chopped parsley and some freshly ground black pepper Serve immediately!

NOTES

To Make Seasoned Breadcrumbs - combine plain bread crumbs with salt, garlic powder, paprika, and Italian dried seasoning. Combine with a drizzle of olive oil.

For vegan cheese

parmesan - Violife or Follow Your Heart brand
mozzarella - Miyoko or Daiya Cutting Board shreds

NUTRITION

Did you Make this Recipe ?Mention @VegetarianGastronomy or tag #vegetariangastronomy!

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Comments

Reema

June 22, 2013 at 5:29 am

This was a great and easy dish to make…

- anjali
  
  June 24, 2013 at 4:22 am
  
  Glad you enjoyed the dish.
  
Kajal

July 28, 2013 at 6:05 am

I have made this dish several times and we just love it. Easy to make. Roasted peppers really change the taste.

- anjali
  
  August 01, 2013 at 4:35 am
  
  My thoughts exactly…the roasted peppers and hidden zucchini in the dish give it that perfect flavor! Before I made this dish I never realized how easy it was to roast peppers! Glad you enjoyed it!
  
Swetha

September 15, 2013 at 2:19 am

My husband loved this dish and the taste of the roasted red peppers made the sauce really unique!!!

- anjali
  
  September 16, 2013 at 4:16 am
  
  We just made this dish again at home as well! Yes the flavor of the roasted red peppers taste great…and I love how you can’t even tell there’s so much zucchini in there! Glad you guys enjoyed it!
  
Kavita Rao

August 11, 2014 at 9:19 pm

Made this today for dinner! Love the roasted pepper taste..I ended up baking it instead of broiling. Yum!!

- anjali
  
  August 11, 2014 at 10:13 pm
  
  Isn’t it delicious!?! My favorite part of this recipe is the sauce. Glad you enjoyed the recipe!
  
Ankita

December 12, 2014 at 4:15 am

Great dish!!! I also added basil!

- anjali
  
  December 12, 2014 at 5:41 pm
  
  Thanks! So glad you enjoyed it…basil sounds like a great addition. Thanks for letting me know!
  
Joshua Coulton

June 15, 2020 at 11:34 pm

Great – will definitely be making again. I too, loved the peppers whizzed with tomatoes. I also made breadcrumbs from an old bit of sourdough I had, which produced an extra crispy topping! Thanks.

- anjali
  
  June 23, 2020 at 12:10 am
  
  Glad you loved it! Thanks for the review!

Baked Pasta w/Roasted Red Peppers & Zucchini (gluten-free option, vegan option)

Baked Pasta with Roasted Red Peppers & Zucchini

INGREDIENTS

INSTRUCTIONS

To Prepare the Roasted Red Peppers:

To Prepare the Dish:

NOTES

NUTRITION

My favorite products

Baked Pasta with Roasted Red Peppers & Zucchini

INGREDIENTS

INSTRUCTIONS

To Prepare the Roasted Red Peppers:

To Prepare the Dish:

NOTES

NUTRITION

My favorite products

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