Name: Bean Pasta Bake with Tomatoes
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 240 g pasta (raw, fusilli or penne (3 cups)); 170 g soya beans or any white bean variety (either canned or soaked overnight then cooked, 0.9 cup); 60 g cheddar cheese (coarsely grated); 1 onion (finely chopped); 2 garlic cloves (finely chopped); 3 large ripe vine tomatoes (chopped); 1 red bell pepper (medium, roughly chopped); 2 tbsp tomato puree; 2 tbsp olive oil (plus a little more for drizzling); 3 tbsp white wine; 2 tbsp parsley (finely chopped); 1 tsp smoked paprika (plus 1/2 tsp sweet paprika); 1/2 tsp fine sea salt (plus pepper to taste)

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This simple, low fat bean pasta bake with tomatoes is a super easy to make and delicious healthy vegetarian weeknight dinner idea.

With a little bit of preparation this simple bean pasta bake with tomatoes can be put together in as little as 35 minutes. It's a minimalist recipe that's bursting with flavour and goodness!

What beans to use in bean pasta bake

I chose soya beans but any white bean variety would work in this vegetarian pasta bake.

Soya beans are sweet and nutty and delicious and so good for you too. They are not often available in cans so in this recipe I used dry soya beans.

Simply soak the soya beans overnight and then cook them according to package instructions. Once cooled they can be kept in the fridge (for up to 3 days) until you are ready to use them.

What I really love about soya beans, apart from their lovely nutty flavour, is their texture. They retain a bit of crunch even after cooking so they won't disintegrate and become mushy. They complement the soft texture of pasta really nicely.

Having said that it's absolutely fine to use a canned bean variety of your choice.

Equipment you'll need

Kitchen scale/measuring cup
Chopping board and knife
Hand blender
2 pots, large spoon and grater
Medium size casserole dish

How to make healthy pasta bake with beans and tomatoes

Boil the pasta in salted water for about 4 minutes (al dente). In the meantime start making the sauce.

1.Preheat the oven to 375 F/ 190 C/ gas mark 5. In a pot heat up 2 tablespoons of oil, briefly fry the onion and garlic, then add the tomatoes, tomato puree, red pepper, parsley and wine and continue cooking for a few minutes stirring occasionally. Cover and simmer for 5-6 minutes stirring once in a while.

2. Remove from the heat, add the spices, salt and briefly blitz the mixture just to break up the larger pieces.

3. Combine the pasta with the beans in the casserole dish.

4. Pour over the sauce, scatter the cheese and drizzle a little oil. Bake in the centre of the oven for 20 minutes.

Top tips

The beans: I used soya beans but you can use any beans. If using canned beans rinse them before adding into the dish.
The pasta: Either fusilli pr penne would be good options. It is important to cook the pasta al dente (about 4 minutes) before adding into the casserole so it doesn't come out of the oven too soft and mushy. To save time start preparing the sauce while the pasta is cooking.
The tomato sauce: I only blitzed it briefly in order to break up the larger veggie pieces rather than puree it completely so my sauce was semi chunky. But you can puree it until smooth if you prefer that consistency.
Best served immediately. Leftovers can be refrigerated, covered, for up to 3 days. You may want to add a drop of water to loosen the mixture when reheating it.

More vegetarian pasta bake recipes

See also this collection of over 12 healthy vegetarian pasta meals.

Keep in touch

If you make this pasta bake with beans I'd love to know how it turned out for you. Let me know in the comments below, thanks:)

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