One Dish Lazy Italian Pasta Bake with Lentils Everything Cooks Together

mozzarella cheese

🥗Healthier: part-skim mozzarella

💰Cheaper: ricotta cheese

Ricotta is often less expensive and provides creaminess.

parmesan cheese

🥗Healthier: nutritional yeast

💰Cheaper: grated pecorino

Nutritional yeast is a low-calorie alternative with a cheesy flavor.

Preheat the oven to 180°C (356°F).

Drain the juice from the whole plum tomatoes into a bowl and chop the tomatoes using scissors.

Add a couple of tablespoons of tomato puri to the bowl with the tomato juice.

Season with pepper, and add sugar and stock cubes instead of salt.

Mix the tomato juice, tomato puri, and seasonings together until smooth.

Add olive oil to the mixture and stir.

Add oregano, Italian seasoning, chili flakes, garlic, onion, and rinsed red lentils to the bowl and mix everything together.

Add the small pasta to the mixture and stir well.

Transfer the mixture to a baking dish that is about 3 inches deep, ensuring the pasta is fully submerged.

Cover the dish with foil and bake in the oven for 40 minutes.

After 20 minutes, stir the mixture to prevent sticking and return it to the oven.

After a total of 40-45 minutes, remove the foil and add mozzarella and cheddar cheese on top.

Bake uncovered for an additional 15 minutes until the cheese is bubbly.

Let the dish sit for 5-10 minutes before serving to allow the juices to absorb back into the pasta and lentils.

Garnish with chopped parsley before serving.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary

Allergens