Today we’re talking about light baked pasta, seasoned with vegetable ragù and without béchamel. 😊
Easter has passed, and as usual, our weekly Light and Tasty column dedicates the first post after the holiday break to zero-waste and recycling recipes. At our house, the two-day holiday was all about baked pasta, 😊 on Easter Sunday we had lasagna for lunch (classic, like this) and on Easter Monday, we had our personalized picnic on the home terrace with a classic baked pasta with ragù and béchamel. Couldn’t have done better to please these kids with traditional culinary tastes! 😀
But after the holidays, I immediately returned to vegetarian habits with this light baked pasta.
Officially, I cooked it for Light and Tasty, but the truth is that it’s a baked pasta that pleases everyone because it’s light, without fats, without béchamel, with a zero-waste veggie ragù made from stems and vegetable scraps, it also pleases these kids who are relentless baked pasta eaters who stuff themselves despite the vegetable ragù and despite the lack of béchamel! 😄
Yes, even just with a light mozzarella and a sprinkle of parmesan, the gratin turns out just fine, my word.
The gratinated pasta with the vegetable ragù is the baked pasta I prepare most often. It was and still is one of my trump cards in the long and fought battle to get my kids to eat vegetables when they were little (and continuously 😅).
But vegetable ragùs have always been zero-waste recipes for me; they’re a clever way to not waste scraps that we pay for as good parts when bought, like vegetable stems (in this case, asparagus and fennel) or leftover vegetable pieces from other preparations, like the ends of eggplants, unsuitable for grilling.
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If you’re curious to see other types of vegetarian baked pasta, here are some links to my other recipes: 😉👇
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Cheap
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: 4
- Cooking methods: Stove, Oven
- Cuisine: Vegetarian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients
- 14 oz short pasta
- 14 oz tomato sauce
- to taste mixed vegetables (zucchini, pieces of bell pepper and eggplant, some cherry tomatoes, carrot, onion)
- asparagus stems
- fennel stems
- aromatic herbs (parsley, marjoram, thyme, oregano)
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- pepper (or chili pepper, if preferred)
- 1 light mozzarella
- grated parmesan (to taste)
Tools
- Chopper
- Pan
- Baking Tray
Steps to Prepare Light Baked Pasta with Vegetable Ragù
First, prepare the vegetable ragù.
As always, I used the vegetables I had available in the fridge, with a particular preference for leftovers. In this case, I used asparagus stems (left over after using the asparagus for a side dish), fennel stems, a small zucchini, a carrot, a small onion, and pieces of bell pepper and eggplant (left over after grilling the vegetables).
☝ I practically recreated, very similarly, the sauce with asparagus stems, an archive recipe that I’ve now updated with new photos, adding the step-by-step process. For more details, you can take a look at the recipe by clicking the link.
Chop the vegetables in the chopper, cook them with a little oil in a pan for a few minutes, then add the tomato sauce and finish cooking for about 30 minutes.
While the vegetable ragù cooks, bring the water to a boil and cook the pasta.
👉 This time I used mezze penne. Of course, classic penne or rigatoni, or even mezze maniche are also fine. For those who prefer larger pasta shapes, in this recipe (with vegetable ragù made with soy granules) I used paccheri.
Drain the pasta al dente.
Layer the pasta in a baking dish, alternating it with the vegetable ragù.
Add, to taste, a sprinkle of grated parmesan on each layer.
Finish with the mozzarella cut into small pieces and grated parmesan.
Bake at 392°F and gratin for 20-25 minutes, until you get a nice crispy crust. 😋
Salt-Free Tips
That I cook without salt you already know, right? 😉 I remind you that in my group I have included some Guides where you can find articles and links dedicated to the use of salt, to scientific and medical studies, and in general to healthy eating. Join us!
If you’re interested in reducing or eliminating salt, always remember to:
▫ Reduce salt gradually, the palate needs to get used to it slowly and should not notice the progressive reduction.
▫ Use spices. Chili pepper, pepper, curry, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, cumin…
▫ Use aromatic herbs. Basil, parsley, oregano, thyme, sage, marjoram, rosemary, mint…
▫ Use seeds. Sesame, pine nuts, almonds, walnuts…
▫ Use spicy vegetables or fruit. Garlic, onion, lemon, orange…
▫ Use my salt-free vegetable granule and gomasio.
▫ Prefer fresh foods.
▫ Avoid cooking in water, prefer cooking methods that do not disperse flavors (grill, foil, steam, microwave)
▫ Avoid bringing the salt shaker to the table!
▫ Occasionally allow yourself a cheat. It’s good for the mood and helps to persevere.
If you don’t want, or can’t, give up salt:
▫ You can still try my recipes, salting according to your habits.
Follow me!
On the WhatsApp channel and on Instagram, on the Facebook page, on Pinterest, in my two groups: Catia’s group, in the kitchen and beyond and Just what I was looking for! and if you like… subscribe to my Newsletter
On the WhatsApp channel and on Instagram, on the Facebook page, on Pinterest, in my two groups: Catia’s group, in the kitchen and beyond and Just what I was looking for! and if you like… subscribe to my Newsletter
Other Light and Tasty Recipes:
I’ll leave you with the delicious zero-waste recipes from my colleagues, Light and Tasty! 👇
Carla Emilia: Lemon Meatballs
Claudia: Banana and Chocolate with Nuts
Daniela: Ricotta Cream with Red Fruits and Cornflakes
Elena: Avocado Cheese Toast
Milena: Rice (leftover) Puff Pastry, Spring Onions, and Pumpkin Seeds
