Easy Peasy Pasta Bake

Easy Peasy Pasta Bake

This is one of those recipes we keep coming back to when we want something proper comforting but don't want to spend hours in the kitchen. A big, bubbling pasta bake loaded with beef tomatoes, fresh basil, and melty plant-based cheese on top is the kind of thing that makes everyone at the table happy. The tomatoes go beautifully jammy in the oven and the cheese gets that golden, slightly crispy top that you'll want to dig straight into. Honestly, if you need a crowd-pleaser on a weeknight, this is it.

Cook: 50 min
Serves 4

Before You Start

  • Preheat oven to 200°C
  • Large baking dish
  • Large mixing bowl

Ingredients

  • 4 garlic cloves
  • large bunch of basil
  • 3 beef tomatoes
  • 4 tbsp oregano
  • 1 tbsp salt
  • 1 tbsp pepper
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 4 tbsp tomato purée optional
  • 480ml tomato passata
  • 2 x 400g can of chopped tomatoes
  • 120ml water
  • 80ml olive oil
  • 40g capers
  • 60g pitted olives
  • 4 portions of dried fusilli pasta - or other pasta of choice
  • 120g grated plant-based cheese - pizza cheese is good
  • basil leaves

Method

1

Prepare the veg

  • Slice the garlic
  • Cut the beef tomatoes into thick slices
  • Roughly chop the basil (leaves and stems) and reserve some leaves for garnish
2

Assemble the pasta bake

  • Add all the pasta bake ingredients (apart from the plant-based cheese and sliced beef tomatoes) to the mixing bowl and mix well 
  • Pour the mix into the baking dish
  • Sprinkle the grated plant-based cheese evenly over the top and layer on the sliced tomatoes
3

Bake and serve

  • Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes
  • Remove the foil, turn down the heat to 160C, and bake for a further 15 minutes (this will get rid of any excess moisture)
  • Let the baking tray for 5-10 minutes, then portion into slices and serve with a garnish of reserved basil leaves

Tips & Variations

  • Go heavy on the basil: We use the stems as well as the leaves here and it really adds depth. Don't throw those stems away, they're full of flavour.
  • Make it your own: This works brilliantly with a handful of olives, some sliced courgette, or even a spoonful of chilli flakes stirred through if you want a bit of heat.
  • Get the cheese right: Use a plant-based cheese that melts well; a grated mozzarella-style one gives you that brilliant gooey top. Some block-style cheeses don't melt as nicely, so it's worth checking the packet.

Why This Works

The trick here is layering those thick slices of beef tomato right on top before it goes in the oven. They roast down and concentrate all that sweet, rich tomato flavour while keeping everything underneath saucy and gorgeous. Mixing the pasta with everything before it goes in the dish means every single piece is coated and nothing dries out. Trust us on this one; it makes a real difference.