Vegan Chicken Pasta Bake
This recipe takes Pasta to another level! Loaded with meaty mushrooms, beautiful bell peppers, and gluten-free noodles, your whole family will fall in love with this vegan Chicken Pasta Bake.
PREP TIME: 15 Minutes
COOK TIME: 20 Minutes
SERVINGS: 5-8 Servings
NUTRITIONAL FACTS: (Per 2 Cups)
Calories 429
Protein 23 g
Dietary Fiber 18 g
COURSE: Main Course, Entree, Dinner, Lunch
CUISINE: American, Italian, Pasta, Soul Food
KEYWORDS: vegan chicken, pasta, vegan mozzarella, pasta bake, vegan recipe, homemade pasta bake, holiday meal
WHY YOU WILL LOVE THIS CHICKEN PASTA BAKE:
Well, I said it! Lasagna is SO 2021…This year it’s all about that Pasta Bake for dinner! Recently I got to work with my buddies at www.followyourheart.com to make this decadent and delicious vegan dinner that everybody in the family will LOVE. Loaded with layers of colorful peppers, chicken seasoning, meaty mushrooms, numerous gluten-free noodles, and of course magical vegan mozzarella, this dish is not only fabulously flavorful but it is also so dang easy to make. Dig right into this feast my loves!
ABOUT THE RECIPE:
My Vegan Chicken Pasta Bake is flavorful, simple to make, and loaded with layers of healthy, hearty ingredients. Instead of using chicken you can season Oyster Mushrooms with www.mccormick.com poultry seasoning, and the pasta has an extra amount of protein in it since it is made from gluten-free/chickpea-based Fusilli. Make this recipe for your huge family dinner or save it for a marvelous meal prep, either way this Vegan Chicken Pasta Bake is so satisfying!
ABOUT THE INGREDIENTS:
No matter what, the mushrooms are the major hit this marvelous meal! Not only do they add the perfect taste and texture similar to chicken, but they are packed with essential nutrients like iron and antioxidants too. Don’t like mushrooms? No worries! Feel free to replace the shrooms with jackfruit, chickpeas, cauliflower or create this Vegan Pasta Bake recipe with colorful bell peppers, white onions, pasta, and vegan cheese that are baked together for deliciousness!
Vegan Butter - When you use vegan butter to sauté you are going to get the best flavor sinking deep into your oyster mushrooms. If you do not have vegan butter feel free to use vegetable broth or cooking oil. My favorite vegan butter to use is meltorganic.com
Diced Peppers - Red and green bell pepper are best but you can really use whatever color you have available. Make sure to chop the bell peppers into small, vitamin-sized squares to make them easy to bite.
Poultry Seasoning - I like to use www.mccormick.com poultry seasoning but you can also mix your own with dried: sage, thyme, ground marjoram, pepper, nutmeg, and rosemary.
Marinara Sauce - Any time I buy a premade marinara sauce I’ll make sure to check the ingredients and I do not purchase any sauce that has soy or sugar in them. I also like to buy organic tomato sauce if it is available. You can also make a delish homemade sauce by baking cherry tomatoes, oil, salt, minced garlic, white onion, and Italian seasoning until soft + roasted and blend them until smooth and creamy.
Mushrooms - The best mushrooms to use for this recipe are Oyster Mushrooms but large portobello mushrooms are great as well. Just make sure to chop them into thick, long slices that will be juicy to bite into. Want more meaty flavor? Soak the chopped mushrooms in vegetable broth, a splash of apple cider vinegar, and poultry seasoning for 1-3 hours before making this recipe.
Maple Syrup - The maple syrup adds in the perfect bit of sweetness! To balance out the acidity that comes from the tomato sauce and to highlight the poultry taste in the mushrooms, make sure to add in agave nectar, coconut sugar, or maple syrup to make this recipe really sing.
Vegan Cheese - Mozzarella or Parmesan cheese goes best with this recipe but you can use whatever white vegan cheese you have available for the creamy, ooey-gooey element of this meal. My favorite vegan cheese brands are: https://followyourheart.com https://miyokos.com https://goodplanetfoods.com or you can make an thick cashew cream sauce with soaked raw cashews, nutritional yeast, salt and pepper, little bit of cumin, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar and coconut cream.
Gluten-Free Pasta - My favorite brands to use are: www.eatbanza.com bionaturae.jovialfoods.com and www.barilla.com for their gluten-free options. Make sure to boil your pasta al dente/a little bit firm so that it cooks perfectly when baked. Save a splash of pasta water and if you do not require gluten-free pasta you can use regular, whole wheat or boiled cauliflower instead!
QUESTIONS AND TIPS:
Is the texture super meaty and filling?
Yes! The texture of the mushroom is very filling and the chickpea pasta makes the recipe extra hearty. If you would like to make this recipe more filling, add cooked chickpeas, chopped kale, or cooked lentils to this pasta bake. Serve with a side salad and vegan garlic bread to make it a full feast!
Can I substitute the vegan butter?
Of course! You can use the pasta water, vegetable broth, oil, or aquafaba to sauté the vegetables in a large pan instead.
How long can this recipe last?
This recipe will last 4-6 days in the refrigerator and 2-3 weeks in the freezer. Be sure to secure the food in an airtight container.
What else can I serve with this Pasta Bake?
You can serve this Vegan Pasta Bake as the main dish or make it a full feast by pairing it with a side salad (kale, lettuce, or spring mix is great) and vegan garlic bread (gluten-free bread, oil, fresh minced garlic, and minced parsley) to make it a full feast! Roasted rainbow vegetables and my Crispy Mushroom Steak would make this meal fit for royalty!
Will non-vegans like this?
Everyone will love this recipe! Want to know why? This Vegan Chicken Pasta Bake has all the elements of soul food that you crave. The meaty, fatty texture from the mushrooms, the zesty seasoning deep down in every bite, the carbs from the pasta, and the ooey, gooey vegan cheese that bakes to perfection. Serve this recipe for anyone you love and don’t tell them it’s vegan!
Recipe
PREP TIME: 15 Minutes
COOK TIME: 20 Minutes
SERVINGS: 5-8 Servings
COURSE: Main Course, Entree, Dinner, Lunch
CUISINE: American, Italian, Pasta, Soul Food
KEYWORDS: vegan chicken, pasta, vegan mozzarella, pasta bake, vegan recipe, homemade pasta bake, holiday meal
INGREDIENTS:
Vegan Butter or Vegetable Broth (3 Tbs)
Diced White Onion (1 Cup)
Minced Garlic (3 Tbs)
Diced Red Bell Pepper (1 Pepper)
Diced Green Bell Pepper (1 Pepper)
Chopped Oyster Mushrooms (2-3 Cups)
Poultry Seasoning (3 Tbs)
Salt and Pepper to Taste
Smoked Paprika (2 Tbs)
Marinara Sauce (2 Cups)
Maple Syrup (2 Tbs)
Plant Based Milk (1 Cup)
Lemon Juice (1.5 Tbs)
Italian Seasoning (2 Tbs)
Follow Your Heart Mozzarella Cheese (3-4 Cup)
Gluten-Free Fusilli or Pasta of Choice (Al Dente) (4-6 Cups)
Follow Your Heart Parmesan Cheese (1-2 Cups)
Minced Parsley (¼ Cup)
INSTRUCTIONS:
Boil a large pot of water and set your oven to 420F to prepare to bake your pasta.
In a large pan, melt down vegan butter and sauté down diced white onion and minced garlic on high heat until the onion is translucent and clear.
Season the garlic and onions with a splash of salt and pepper and then add in your diced bell peppers. Sauté them with the onion and garlic until they are softer.
Boil your gluten-free noodles until they are al dente or slightly still undercooked.
Next add in the oyster mushrooms, poultry seasoning, smoked paprika, and salt and pepper to taste. Combine everything together well and sauté the mushrooms until they are softened.
Add marinara sauce, plant-based milk, maple syrup, lemon juice, and Italian seasoning into the pan of sautéed vegetables. Mixed together until everything is well incorporated. Taste the sauce to make sure it has all of the salt, pepper, and smokiness that you like!
Add follow your heart mozzarella cheese to the mixture of sauce and vegetables. Melt down and mix the cheese into the sauce.
Add your al dente cooked pasta to the mixture of cheese sauce and combine the noodles gently.
Transfer your mixture of pasta to a baking dish and flatten the top to make an even surface. Sprinkle more follow your heart mozzarella cheese and Parmesan onto the top of your pasta. Bake the pasta for 10 to 15 minutes or until the cheese is bubbling on top and around the sides.
When you are ready to serve, top the baked pasta with minced parsley on top and more follow your heart Parmesan.
Sing your song. Do your dance. Speak your truth and dig into the perfectly baked pasta!
