My boyfriend loves a pasta bake. Therefore, I created this gluten free pasta bake for our indoor date night one summer’s evening. I wanted to ensure his favourite meal was fresh and summery, as it is summer time. I really could not think of anything more fresh and summery than Caprese salad! I love making any type of gluten free pasta bake as it’s easy, very versatile, CHEAP and you can make a lot so there are always leftovers for a packed lunch.
Yes, this gluten free pasta bake is very easy and inexpensive to make, but it’s full of flavour. My gluten free pasta of choice is buckwheat pasta, it’s the best gluten-free pasta in my opinion. I love the fact it’s only 1 ingredient and it’s easily accessible as you can get it from Sainsbury’s. It is fairly reasonably priced at £2.25 for 500g and is cheaper than other buckwheat pasta on the market. Ironically, buckwheat itself is 100% gluten-free despite having wheat in the name! Above all, in this dish, the key is to undercook the pasta before prepping the pasta bake for the oven otherwise the pasta becomes overcooked and stodgy.
I stirred the meatball sauce into the buckwheat pasta before I topped it with Italian mozzarella, fresh basil and tomato and placed it in the oven. I served the dish with a light and fresh side salad comprising of watercress, rocket and radish, dressed with balsamic vinegar and olive oil.
Gluten Free Pasta Bake Ingredients:
Serves 5
- 12 Meatballs. I purchased some from Aldi (85p!)
- 2 large chillies, one green one red, chopped
- 1 red onion, diced
- 1 pepper, diced (any colour, I used green)
- A tin of chopped tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon of hot paprika (I use Korean chilli pepper powder and it’s delicious!)
- A teaspoon of dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon of dried marjoram
- Half cup of green olives
- 500g Buckwheat pasta
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Fresh basil
- Italian mozzarella, sliced
- 2 vine tomatoes, sliced
- Half cup of cheddar, grated
Method:
- Sauté the red onion and chilli in olive oil in a pan.
- Once the onions are translucent add the meatballs, the chopped green pepper, the tin of chopped tomatoes, a tablespoon of paprika, olives, salt and pepper and 1 tsp each of marjoram and thyme into the pan.
- Leave to simmer for 10 minutes.
- Cook the pasta until only half cooked. Buckwheat pasta takes about 10 minutes to cook so only cook for 5. For instance, if you are using any other type of pasta then only cook for half the recommended cooking time amount.
- Strain pasta and pour into an ovenproof dish.
- Stir the meatballs and sauce through the pasta.
- Top with a little bit of cheddar, Italian mozzarella, fresh tomato and basil.
- Bake for 20 mins on 200 degrees in a fan oven/gas mark 7.
- Make a side salad using watercress, rocket and radish and toss with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
- Take out of the oven, serve and most importantly, ENJOY!
If you think this recipe sounds like a bit of you and want to make it, come find me on Instagram and let me know! @foodfondles
