If you follow a plant-based diet and thought your cheesy pasta bake days were over, you don’t need to worry. There are a huge number of vegan pasta bake recipes that don’t need any dairy to make them delicious, as this Romy London dish proves.

Leek is the star of the show in this pasta bake. A versatile – and very underrated – vegetable, leek brings a sweet and slightly earthy flavor that intensifies during cooking. The baking process caramelizes its natural sugars, giving it a mellow and buttery taste with a hint of nuttiness.

You can use a vegan cheese of your choice for this recipe, but make sure to get one that melts well. Many of the ingredients, like garlic, vegetable stock, and Italian seasoning, may already be in your cupboard, meaning this pasta bake makes for a convenient weeknight meal.

Read more: Vegan Nduja Penne

Smoky leek pasta bake

Brighten up your midweek meals with this smoky leek and tomato bow tie pasta bake! It's pure comfort in baking dish and made with just a handful of ingredients, including grilled peppers and tangy balsamic vinegar. Topped with a crunch and cheesy breadcrumb mix, it's a perfectly satisfying dish to enjoy any night of the week.

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Cook Time55

Prep Time10

Servings

Ingredients

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for greasing
1 large white onion, peeled and finely chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tsp Italian seasoning
1 leek, cleaned and thinly sliced (white and light green parts only)
80 g grilled re peppers, sliced
1 tin chopped tomatoes
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp smoked paprika
400 g bow tie pasta
300 ml vegetable stock
Salt and pepper to taste

For the crunch topping

40 g golden breadcrumbs
30 g vegan cheese, finely grated
2 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
1 tsp olive oil

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 200C and grease a 20cm x 30cm deep baking dish with olive oil.
In the greased baking dish, toss the chopped onion, minced garlic, and Italian seasoning with 2 tbsp of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Place the preheated oven for 15 minutes until the onions start to soften.
While the onions are cooking, boil water in a large pot and cook the bow tie pasta for 5 minutes. Drain and set aside.
Once the onions are softened, add the sliced leeks, grilled red peppers, chopped tomatoes, balsamic vinegar, and smoked paprika to the baking dish. Stir to combine., then add in the pasta and stir until evenly coated. Pour in the vegetable stock, ensuring thw liquid covers the pasta mixture.
Cover the baking dish tightly with foil and return it to the oven for 45 minutes.
In the meantime, mix together the breadcrumbs, vegan cheese, and chopped parsley with a spoonful of olive oil in a small bowl.
After the pasta has baked for 45 minutes, remove the foil and sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture evenly over the top. Return the dish to the oven and bake for an additional 10-12 minutes until the topping is golden and crisp.
Allow the pasta bake to rest out of the oven for at least 10 minutes before serving. This will help the sauce to thicken. Serve warm and enjoy!

This recipe was republished with permission from Romy London.

Read more: 3 Vegan Pasta Bake Ideas