Vegan Spinach Feta Pasta Bake
Ingredients
Pasta
- 250g giant pasta shells
Marinara sauce
- 1 x can or box strained tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons tomato sauce or paste
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1/2 teaspoon finely ground sea salt
- Pepper
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves only
- 1 sprig fresh oregano, finely chopped
Spinach filling
- 100g vegan feta, crumbled or vegan Parmesan, grated
- 200-300g spinach (frozen and defrosted or fresh and wilted) or silverbeet (chopped and blanched)
- 1 onion, finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- Pinch sea salt
- 1/2 cup vegan fermented cashew cheese
Preparation
Cook pasta
Cook 250g giant pasta shells as per packet instructions.
Marinara sauce
Heat olive oil in a medium-sized saucepan. Add garlic and sauté for 1-2 minutes until browned.
Add remaining ingredients. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Spinach filling
Heat a frypan over medium flame, then add olive oil. Add onion and salt and cook for 2-4 minutes, or until translucent. Add garlic and sauté for a further 30 seconds. Turn off heat.
In a bowl, mix remaining ingredients. Add cooled onion and garlic, and mix together until uniform.
Assembly
Heat oven to 180 degrees C.
Pour a layer of marinara sauce in the bottom of a deep tray.
Spoon filling into pasta shells, placing onto the marinara base. You can layer the shells a little if you need to. Once you have finished filling, top with extra marinara sauce, sprinkle with vegan cheese if desired and bake covered for approximately 30 minutes.
Tips
Enjoy the dish as is, or serve with a green side salad for added freshness.
