Green Goodness Pasta Bake
In those moments when you want to eat healthy and all them greens but you are also extremely hungry and ready for a little treat meal, what do you do? Here’s a perfect mix of your daily greens and a meal that will keep those hungries at bay. Maybe it also provides you with some left overs that requires little to no effort but grants you with a whole other meal.
It’s called my green goodness pasta bake. It involves the creamiest vegan green sauce - homemade but is way easier than you think - that grasps onto pasta swirls and is coated in a cheesy crunch layer. Amongst all of that, you will find sautéed Brussel sprouts that add that extra Autumn green power boost. If you are really not a fan of the beloved Brussel sprout, exchange them for kale, spinach, broccoli or any other green veggie. This dish is great for the kiddos but also doubles up for the adults. Simply exchange the grated mozzarella cheese to something a little more mature like a Swiss, Foutina, Provolone or a rich gouda. You can also add in a cheese that has been smoked to get a slightly more charred flavour. If you can find smoked, aged mozzarella or smoked gouda, these two would really add an extra flavour component and thus, slightly more suited to the adult palate. If you don’t want to cook one and one (one for the kiddos and one for the adults), try doing half and half with the cheese so it is still in one baking tray (less washing up of course) but the adults don’t feel like toddlers again. One tip - make sure you remember which side is which…
Storing
Left overs? No problem. This dish is perfect for left overs or for meal prep because it requires no more than placing the remaining pasta in an air tight container to freezer or refrigerate. I will often make a big batch and divide up between 3 or 4 containers to eat for lunches or dinners when time is short or I have been on a job all day and cooking (more) is just too much. This whole recipe makes for 3-4 people and on average, costs 4-5€ (depending on the quality of ingredients). If you are tired and get take away, this will cost far more for only two people. Okay, you can argue the convenience in someone else cooking it for you but every penny counts these days so doing a little prep when you can never hurt.
Heating the left overs is as simple as placing them in the microwave for a few minutes. If you prefer to use the stove top, place in a small sauce pan or better yet, back into the over for a heat up (I would place it into a preheated oven at 180℃). These second two do take longer and sometimes the heating is a little uneven for my liking (the surface heats and then burns before the bottom or middle has even begun to warm). You can also eat this pasta dish as a cold salad as all the ingredients are vegan and thus, keeps much better. Eating cold is therefore perfectly ok for you. This option is great for a summer alternative if you do not feel like a hot meal.
Alternatives
Ok, let’s talk alternatives because people always ask me… “but what happens if I don’t like coriander” or “is there a way to add a little more protein as I get hungry and I am not vegan”?
This recipe is great because it can be adapted so easily to your personal preferences and to the seasonal changes. Here are some seasonal options you can mix and match depending on what you have available in your local stores or farmers markets';
Summer - zucchini, zucchini flowers, peas, beans
Autumn - avocado, broccoli, broad beans, green cauliflower, spinach, kale
Winter - cabbage, capsicum, sugar snap peas, Brussel sprouts, purple kale, Swiss chard
Spring - asparagus, bok choy, broad beans, broccolini
Sometimes things are also available in different seasons based on the amount of sun and day light there is during the cooler months so don’t be surprised if you can get more of the summery vegetables during winter months, especially if you live places like LA, Sydney or Mexico.
You can also add poached chicken or left over roasted white meat. I do say white meat as I don’t think steak works so well with the green sauce. You can also sautéed chicken coated in a few tablespoons of cornstarch before the onion/greens, remove from the pan and then add back when adding the sauce. The corn starch helps to protect the chicken from drying out and over cooking. It also provides a slightly crunchy layer which is great against the tender chicken. You can also add in slices of boiled egg or pre-scramble eggs. My favourite, and vegan, is frying tofu in a coating of cornstarch and adding this in. Tofu is a great one or extra protein and it also laps up any flavours it is bathed in.
The pasta
This recipe doesn’t work so well with fresh pasta, although I am a big advocate of fresh pasta usage. The amount of pasta you need and that it then gets churned in a creamy sauce to then get baked, fresh pasta would just crumble and turn into a big miss. Best to stick to dried pasta with this one.
Please though, use good quality dried pasta. Yes, this does exist. Dried pasta comes in a variety of different shapes but better yet quality. The quality is based on one main factor; the drying temperature. Inexpensive dried pasta is low in cost because the companies use high temperatures to dry the pasta. This is because it dries faster which means they can dry in large batches and thus, churn out more product. Slow dried pasta leans itself to achieving the ‘al-dente’ bite and is actually better in absorbing sauces. When I say absorbing, I really mean clinging to or nesting into as the sauce literally has something to grip onto. This becomes clear when I say look out for dried pasta that has a chalky, grainy, uneven surface rather than one which is glossy. This means it is more likely to be slow dried and these are the textured surfaces that is optimal for maximum f sauce latching.
The other way is to look at the price. Simple but straight to it. The slow drying temperatures simply means it’s more expensive to produce and less product can be dried at once. The more expensive dried pasta is often more tentatively made - controlled salt levels, no sugar, quality sourced flour and bio products often used. At the end of the day, it’s all of personal choice. Cheaper pasta is of course edible and can do the trick but for optimal quality and dish excellence, slightly more expensive brands is what is needed.
Ok, I seem to sometimes, actually quite often, ramble about dishes. Not a bad thing necessarily but you maybe like “just get me to the recipe”. So here we go, I hope you like it.
Enjoy.
xx
Green Goodness Pasta Bake
Inspired by Delicious Australia
Ingredients
250 grams bio spiral pasta, you can also use penne or half moons
2 tbsp vegetable oil
10-15 Brussel sprouts, bottom removed and cut into quarters
1 medium onion, diced
2 garlic gloves, diced
Salt and pepper
100 grams mozzarella, shredded
Breadcrumbs to top
Vegan béchamel
2 tbsp vegan butter
2 tbsp all purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup plant based milk (I used Oat)
1 cup water
For the coriander puree
3 cups coriander
1 cup olive oil
1 tsp salt
1 garlic clove
1/4 cup water
Method
Cook pasta in salted boiling water for the length of time according to the packet. Drain and set aside.
In a food processor, pulse together all ingredients under the coriander puree unit smooth and no large pieces are left. Set aside.
In a small saucepan, melt the butter along with the salt. Add the flour once melted and mix the four until it is coated by the butter. Immediately add half the milk, mix until thick. Add half the water and mix until thick. Repeat until the milk and water has been used. The end result should be smooth and creamy (pourable but not not to liquid). Add the coriander puree and mix to incorporate. Set aside.
In a large pan, cook the onion with the vegetable oil on high heat for 2-3 minutes until translucent. Add the Brussel sprouts and garlic along with the salt. Cook for 4-5 minutes. Add the pasta and the coriander puree and mix together until evenly coated.
Pour into an oven proof skillet pan and top with the mozzarella and a sprinkle of breadcrumbs. Bake at 200℃ on a middle rung for 10-15 minutes or until golden on the top. Serve hot wth a fresh green salad on the side.
