Butternut Squash, Sweet Potato and Goats Cheese Pasta Bake

This vegetarian pasta bake makes a good family meal, and as it includes lots of sweet-tasting veggies in bite-sized pieces, it's great for toddlers and young children.

I adapted this recipe from Good to Know, but as I don't use ready-made pasta sauces and rarely use pre-prepared fresh vegetables I reduced the cost of the ingredients considerably. I thought I'd work out the difference in price to show how much money you can save...Good to Know recipe using bought pasta sauce and prepared vegetables: £5.60;  My recipe using home made pasta sauce and peel-them-yourself vegetables £3.40

• 500g combined weight of peeled and diced butternut squash, sweet potatoes, carrots,  red bell pepper
• 250g dried fusilli pasta
• 100g grated firm goats cheese
• 1 tbsp pine nuts (optional) 

Roast the vegetables in 1 tbsp olive oil at 190C/180C fan/Gas 5 for 20-30 minutes, until soft. Meanwhile cook the pasta until slightly underdone (8-10 minutes), drain and make the pasta sauce:

Tomato & chilli pasta sauce

• 1 onion diced finely
• 1 clove of garlic, crushed
• 1 tbsp tomato puree
• 500ml passata
• ½ tsp dried or 1 tsp chopped fresh herbs
• dash of hot chilli sauce or a pinch of cayenne (optional)

Fry the onion in a drop of olive oil for a couple of  minutes, until soft.
Add the tomato puree, herbs and chilli and stir well.
Add the passata, stir and then put the lid on the pan and simmer for 10-15 minutes.   

Combine the pasta, tomato sauce and roasted vegetables and stir well.
Top with grated cheese (and pine nuts, if using) and return to the oven for 10 minutes.

Alternatives: Save even more money by swapping the cheese for budget mozzarella/cheddar or leave it out completely to make a vegan meal.
Omit the chilli if serving to toddlers/young children.

More sweet potato recipes. Pin It