Vegetable Pasta Casserole {Freezer-Friendly}
Are you looking for a summer pasta casserole that’s a great meal to take to others? Look no further. This vegetarian pasta dish recipe quickly comes together, freezes nicely, and is quite versatile. It’s packed with vegetables and creamy, yet not too heavy.
The recipe was found at bucketlisttummy.com and is sponsored by Eggland’s best. My first thought upon reading the ingredient list was that the dish would do just fine without eggs (and milk for that matter). However, eggs serve as a nice binding agent. I used them to bind the stuffing in these gluten free stuffed green peppers. That being said, I followed the Bucket List Tummy’s instructions which call for four eggs (however; they were not Eggland’s best). If you are low on eggs, you could probably get away with using two or three. You could even try an egg substitute.
The veggie pasta dish also calls for a small bit of milk (1/4 cup). I used 1%; use the milk that best suites your audience tastes and what you have on hand.
As far as vegetables go, use what’s in season, what your audience prefers, and those that freeze well and go well with pasta (e.g. broccoli, peas, spinach, etc.). Note that some vegetables may not call for sauteing. If this is the case, such as with broccoli, simply add it to the boiling pasta noodles the last couple of minutes of cooking.
If you’re concerned about veggies making the dish watery, the zucchini and mushrooms cook down nicely when sauteed. The same happens with spinach.
Last but not least, feel free to tweak the spices to your liking. If you can’t find fresh parsley, dried will do just fine. So will garlic powder instead of cloves.
Vegetable Pasta (Freezer Friendly)
Ingredients
- 1 lb penne pasta
- 1 jar marinara sauce
- 1 tbs olive oil
- 1 chopped zucchini
- 1/2 lb chopped mushrooms
- 1 chopped red onion
- 4 eggs or egg substitute equivalent
- 1/4 c milk
- 1 c grated mozzarella or Parmesan cheese
- 2 c shredded mozzarella cheese or Italian blend
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp paprika
- 3 tbsp fresh parsley or basil chopped, plus a little more for a topping
- 2-3 garlic cloves chopped/minced
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
Instructions
- Boil pasta according to package instructions. Do not overcook.
- Rinse and chop veggies and garlic. Add a bit of olive oil to coat a saucepan and sauté veggies with spices.
- Whisk eggs and milk. Set aside.
- Combine pasta with veggies and most of the cheese, leaving a bit of the shredded cheese for a topping. Stir in eggs-milk mixture.
- Line casserole dish with a bit of olive oil or non-stick cooking spray. Add half of the pasta to the dish and top with half of the marinara sauce. Repeat layers.
- Top casserole with remaining shredded cheese and add fresh parsley or basil if desired.
- To freeze: Let dish cool, seal with plastic wrap, cover with lid, and store in freezer. When ready to bake: Thaw in fridge overnight. Remove plastic wrap before baking, cover, and bake at 375°F for 30-35 minutes or until cheese starts to bubble and turn slightly golden. Remove lid during last ten minutes or so of baking. To bake without thawing, increase baking time to about 60 minutes.
- To prepare now: Bake at 375°F for 30-35 minutes, or until cheese begins to bubble and turn slightly golden. Remove lid during last ten minutes or so of baking.