We’ve all love a good sausage pasta bake, right? How about a meat-free pasta bake?
Well, this is a twist on that yummy classic. This bake is made with meat-free steak strips, which are readily available in the supermarket these days. It’s so delicious, flavoursome and cheesy, I promise you’ll be making it time and time again.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 red onion, chopped
- 1 tsp garlic purée
- 1 tsp dried basil
- salt and pepper
- 1 pack meat-free steak strips
- 2 tins chopped tomatoes
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 500g (1.09 lb) fusili pasta
- 250g (8.81 oz) mozzarella, grated
- 85g (2.99 oz) mature cheddar, grated
- 10g (0.35 oz) hard cheese (such as vegetarian parmesan), grated
- 1 tsp dried oregano
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 200C/400F (180C fan). Warm the olive oil in a large oven proof pan, then add the onion, garlic, basil and a pinch of salt and pepper and fry gently until soft.
Add the meat-free steak strips and continue to fry.
When the strips are cooked through, add the tomatoes and sugar and bring up to a gentle simmer. This is a good time to get your pasta on to cook in a large pan with plenty of boiling, salted water.
When the sauce has reduced to a thick, rich red, it’s ready.
Season to taste, then add the drained, al dente pasta.
Mix well and level off in the pan.
Top with the mozzarella, cheddar, hard cheese and oregano.
Bake for around 10 minutes until melted and just starting to bubble.
Serve to the table, all gooey and stretchy and delicious, with plenty of salad and a generous helping of garlic bread.
If you’d like to make this yummy pasta bake for tonight’s tea, here’s the recipe again in an easily printable format:
30-minute pasta bake with meat-free steak pieces
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 red onion chopped
- 1 tsp garlic purée
- 1 tsp dried basil
- salt and pepper
- 1 meat-free steak strips
- 2 tins chopped tomatoes
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 500 g fusili pasta
- 250 g mozzarella grated
- 85 g mature cheddar grated
- 10 g parmesan grated
- 1 tsp dried oregano
Instructions
- Warm the olive oil in a large oven proof pan, then add the onion, garlic, basil and a pinch of salt and pepper and fry gently until soft.
- Add the meat-free steak pieces and continue to fry.
- When the strips are cooked through, add the tomatoes and sugar and bring up to a gentle simmer. This is a good time to get your pasta on to cook in a large pan with plenty of boiling, salted water.
- When the sauce has reduced to a thick, rich red, it's ready.
- Season to taste, then add the drained, al dente pasta.
- Mix well and level off in the pan.
- Top with the mozzarella, cheddar, hard cheese and oregano.
- Bake at 200C/400F (180C fan) for around 10 minutes until melted and just starting to bubble.
- Serve to the table, all gooey and stretchy and delicious, with plenty of salad and a generous helping of garlic bread.
Enjoy! What’s your favourite type of pasta bake?
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For more great dinner ideas, visit my pasta meals section.
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Charlotte Henshall says
Would this recipe be freezable please?
Emily Leary says
I haven’t tried freezing this one myself, but yes I would think so. Put into a sealed container as soon as it’s cool and straight into the freezer. When reheating, make sure it’s thoroughly piping hot all the way through.
Francesca - From Pennies to Pounds says
This looks delicious, my mouth is watering!!
Emily Leary says
Thanks!!
Jo says
This looks so delicious, I love pasta bake and this looks like a great alternative to tuna!
Kirsty Hijacked By Twins says
Quorn is a great meat substitute and I always keep some in for days when I forget to defrost meat. This recipe looks and sounds delicious x #recipeoftheweek
Emily Leary says
That’s a great idea. I am a real stocker-upper. I actually looked in our freezer this morning and it’s bursting so we’re going to have a ‘freezer week’ which should be rather kind to our bank balance too!
Ian says
Kids will love this! Trying to cut down on meat consumption, I am surprising my kids weekly with one meal that is meat free, and they are finding it more and more difficult to tell! Thankyou for sharing!
Jenny @ thebrickcastle says
I detest cheese, but I really do love to put those steak strips into a creamy sauce, it goes so well – and it’s got to be ideal with the pasta, so I will definitely make this for my family – and I’ll have a cracked black pepper version :P
Eb Gargano says
This looks lovely, Emily. I really like Quorn – it’s so versatile. I’m a huge fan of the mince and chicken pieces but I’ve never had the steak strips. Might have to get some to try out. Love this recipe too – pinned for future reference! Eb x
anne says
Very nice! We often cook with quorn chicken style pieces and i’m going to try the quorn steak strips next.
Vicki Montague - The Free From Fairy says
Oh Emily! This looks so delicious. That cheese….oh to die for. Why is it I can’t eat cheese any more?! It kills me seeing recipes like this…there is just no way to replicate that without the cheese!