Creamy Broccoli, Pea and Edamame Pasta Bake
This cosy and comforting dinner is one the whole family will love. It’s full of vibrant green vegetables and topped off with a creamy béchamel sauce -...This cosy and comforting dinner is one the whole family will love. It’s full of vibrant green vegetables and topped off with a creamy béchamel sauce - all the goodness of mac and cheese with more nourishment! Read more This cosy and comforting dinner is one the whole family will love. It’s full of vibrant green vegetables and topped off with a creamy béchamel sauce - all the goodness of mac and cheese with more nourishment! This cosy and comforting dinner is one the whole family will love. It’s full of vibrant green vegetables and topped off with a creamy béchamel sauce - all the goodness of mac and cheese with more nourishment!
Plantpoints
protein
fibre
spices
Plantpoints
protein
fibre
spices
TRY MORE RECIPES for healthy pasta bakes
NUTRITION PER SERVING (Read more)
Notes
Freezing Instructions: The pasta bake can be frozen in its entirety for up to 3 months. Assemble up until the end of step 8. Allow to defrost overnight in the refrigerator and then let it sit out on the counter for 30-45 minutes to lose its fridge chill before baking as usual.
If you can’t find pre-toasted pine nuts you can toast them in the oven as you prep. Bake at 200°C/180°C fan for 4-5 minutes. Watch carefully as they can easily burn.
Time-saving hacks:
If you like, you can use shop-bought pesto instead of making your own.
You can also - technically- skip step 4, and instead of using oat milk infused with aromatics use plain oat milk, slightly warmed. The finished dish will not have the same depth of flavour, but will taste nice regardless.
Plantpoints
protein
fibre
spices
Ingredients
Method
Gather and prepare your ingredients. Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan.
Bring a pot of water to the boil and add a generous pinch of salt. Add the broccoli and cook for 2-3 minutes, until tender and bright green. Remove, using a slotted spoon, and cool down immediately by either placing into an ice bath or running under a cold tap and placing into the fridge. Once cool, chop into smaller florets. Cooling down the broccoli as soon as possible helps to preserve its bright green colour and prevents over cooking.
Once the broccoli is done, bring the water back to the boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain. Refer to package instructions for timing which will vary based on the shape you have chosen.
To make the bechamel sauce, place the oat milk into a saucepan with the onion, peppercorns, bay leaf and pinch of nutmeg. Heat for 4-5 minutes, until it reaches the shiver stage (how it gently moves before it begins to simmer). Pour into a jug and set aside to infuse while you make the roux.
Place the pan back over the heat. Add the olive oil and plain flour. Whisk for 2-3 minutes, until thickened. Then strain the oat milk back into the saucepan in 3-4 additions, whisking constantly to avoid lumps. The mixture should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Add the nutritional yeast and mustard and stir to combine. Adjust seasoning to taste.
To make the pesto, place all ingredients into a blender and process until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add a splash of water to help it blend if needed.
Place the cooked broccoli into a bowl with the peas, edamame and cooked pasta. Pour over the pesto and toss to coat. There’s no need to pre-cook the peas or edamame.
Pour the vegetables and pasta into a 20x18x5cm baking dish. Pour over the bechamel sauce. Toss the breadcrumbs with the olive oil and sprinkle on top.
Place into the preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes until golden and bubbling. Allow to cool slightly before serving.
Notes
Freezing Instructions: The pasta bake can be frozen in its entirety for up to 3 months. Assemble up until the end of step 8. Allow to defrost overnight in the refrigerator and then let it sit out on the counter for 30-45 minutes to lose its fridge chill before baking as usual.
If you can’t find pre-toasted pine nuts you can toast them in the oven as you prep. Bake at 200°C/180°C fan for 4-5 minutes. Watch carefully as they can easily burn.
Time-saving hacks:
If you like, you can use shop-bought pesto instead of making your own.
You can also - technically- skip step 4, and instead of using oat milk infused with aromatics use plain oat milk, slightly warmed. The finished dish will not have the same depth of flavour, but will taste nice regardless.
User comments (9)
Very tasty. I cooked this for 2 people and I felt that I needed more sauce or maybe just more milk in the sauce as it was quite thick
Didn’t spot the panko until the end. I also didn’t have basil but used rocket. I made a mess of bechamel sauce but all in all it was good
Made 1.5x bechamel which was about the right amount
This took me much longer than the projected 30 mins prep but was tasty and made a good quantity for several meals of leftovers. I agree with the other comments that the sauce needs to be doubled to make for a saucier dish. We enjoyed the taste combinations this dish offered.
More effort to make but worth it! Delicious plant-based recipe. Thoroughly enjoyed.
This was okay, a lot of work for what you get. We needed to season a lot to get it tasty
Gorgeous, creamy, wholesome pasta bake.
Definitely need to double up the bechamel quantities otherwise it would have been too dry
Tasty but needs twice as much sauce as it was very dry
The overall taste just wasn’t for me, although hubby liked it. I am not a fan of green pasta dishes, I prefer tomato based. At least I tried it though.