Of course, there isn’t just one type of vegan pasta bake, but we’ve come up with this recipe as it’s a representation of a classic pasta and tomato sauce with a bit of a twist. To replicate the creamy béchamel sauce for the topping we’ve gone with dairy free products, but other methods of adding creaminess to a vegan dish include soaking raw cashews and blending them in a processor, or trying an avocado based sauce.
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300g Penne Pasta
1tbsp Olive Oil
1 Large Onion Finely Chopped
2 Garlic Cloves Crushed
1 Red Chilli Deseeded and Finely Chopped
2 400g Tins of Chopped Tomatoes
1tbsp Tomato Puree
20g Fresh Basil Leaves Roughly Chopped or Torn
115g Breadcrumbs
Salt and Pepper
50g Dairy-Free Spread (You can Buy ones that are Soy, Sunflower or Olive Oil Based)
1tbsp Plain Flour
500ml Soy Milk
Salt and Pepper
1/2tsp Freshly Ground Nutmeg
1. Heat your oven to 180C/Gas Mark 5.
2. Put the penne in a large pan of salted boiling water and cook according to packet instructions (this should take approximately 12 minutes). Drain and leave to one side.
3. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan and fry the onion, garlic and chilli with a little salt until soft.
4. Add the chopped tomatoes and bring to the boil. Stir in the tomato puree and leave on a high simmer until the sauce becomes thick and pulpy. Stir occasionally to make sure it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan.
5. When nearly done, season to taste and stir through the basil leaves. Combine with the penne until all the pasta is coated.
6. To make the béchamel sauce, heat the dairy free spread in a large saucepan until it is melted and bubbling. Whisk in the flour and cook for a couple of minutes, whisking or stirring continuously so it doesn’t stick.
7. Gradually pour in the soy milk and whisk – the sauce should thicken as it heats. Once you’ve used all the milk, season with the salt, pepper and nutmeg.
8. To assemble the pasta bake, cover the base of a baking dish with a layer of pasta, then drizzle some of the béchamel sauce over the pasta. Continue until you finish with the pasta and about a third – half of your béchamel sauce remaining. Pour the rest of this over the top, making sure all the pasta is cover. Cover with the breadcrumbs and some black pepper then bake in the oven for about 20 minutes or until the surface is golden.
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