Penne Pasta Casserole

Penne Pasta Casserole

This Mediterranean penne pasta casserole is the kind of one-dish dinner that makes a Tuesday feel like a long lunch somewhere on the Amalfi Coast. We built the Mediterranean penne pasta casserole around a punchy tomato base, roasted aubergine, and a fresh basil and spinach sauce that ties everything together beautifully. Oregano, thyme, and a hit of red chilli give it real depth, while a squeeze of lemon lifts the whole thing at the end. It's ready in 45 minutes and tastes like it took all afternoon. Make this on a weeknight and you'll be making it every week.

Cook: 45 min
Serves 4

Before You Start

  • Preheat oven to 180°C
  • Large baking tray
  • Large frying pan
  • Large baking pan
  • Food processor
  • Large mixing bowl
  • Foil
  • Soak cashews in hot water for 15 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp dried basil
  • 1 tsp thyme
  • 1 aubergine chopped
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1 red onion finely chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 red chilli sliced
  • 1 x 400g can of chopped tomatoes
  • 1 tsp salt
  • Pinch of pepper
  • 360g baby spinach
  • 120g fresh basil leaves
  • 120ml water
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 1 tsp red wine vinegar
  • 250g penne pasta
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 2 tbsp Nooch
  • 120ml water
  • 120g cashews
  • ½ tsp garlic powder
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp fresh oregano optional
  • 60g pine nuts - crushed
  • 1 Juice of 1 lemon - zested

Method

1

Cook the pasta

  • Cook the penne for 5-7 minutes. It still needs to be relatively firm as it will be baked later on
2

Roast the aubergine

  • Spread the diced aubergine out on a baking tray and drizzle the 1 tbsp olive oil over
  • Sprinkle with salt and bake in the oven for 15-20 mins
3

Make the sauce

  • Add the 1 tbsp olive oil to a large frying pan on a medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook for 5-8 mins
  • Add the crushed garlic and chilli and cook for a further 3 minutes
  • Pour in the chopped tomatoes, water, red wine vinegar, oregano, basil, thyme, salt and pepper. Simmer gently for 10 minutes
  • Put all the ingredients for the cashew cream in a food processor and blend until smooth
4

Combine and bake

  • In a large bowl mix the tomato sauce into the pasta. Add the spinach and fresh basil and stir until it combines
  • Spread into a large baking pan and dollop the cashew cheese at random places on top
  • Using a knife spread it around to create a marble effect
  • Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes at 180°C
  • Remove the foil and bake for a further 10 minutes
5

Time to serve

  • Garnish with crushed pine nuts, chopped oregano and lemon rind
  • Serve with rocket or a green salad

Tips & Variations

  • Salt your pasta water properly: it should taste like the sea. This is the single biggest thing you can do for the flavour of the finished dish.
  • Don't rush the aubergine: give it time in the pan to soften fully before adding the tomatoes. Undercooked aubergine is spongy and bitter. Properly cooked aubergine is silky and rich.
  • Blend the greens fresh: the basil and spinach sauce is best made just before you toss it through the pasta. It keeps its colour and brightness that way.

Why This Works

Blending the spinach and fresh basil with water and lemon creates a vivid green sauce that coats every piece of pasta instead of just sitting on top. The aubergine soaks up all that tomato and herb flavour as it cooks down, so you get these soft, almost silky pieces running through the dish. Red wine vinegar at the end is the secret move, it sharpens everything up and stops it tasting flat.