Broccoli Pasta Casserole with Two Sauces

Broccoli Pasta Casserole is an extra comfort food because it has two layers of sauces.  A white sauce with the broccoli and a red sauce with the pasta. Good!

Broccoli Pasta Casserole has a little extra umph in the comfort food department because it has two layers of sauces.  A white sauce with the broccoli and a red sauce with the pasta.

None of it is hard to make, in fact, the red sauce starts with a jarred spaghetti sauce.  Your whole family will love you for it and who can turn down broccoli when it has a cheesey sauce (vegan).

Serve with a salad and garlic bread.  Yes!

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Broccoli Pasta Bake

Broccoli Pasta Casserole is an extra comfort food because it has two layers of sauces. 

Course Main Dish

Recipe Type Pasta

Prep Time 40 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes

Servings 4 Servings

Calories 348 kcal

Author Ginny McMeans

Ingredients

• 2 cups broccoli washed and cut into large florets
• 2 cups rotini pasta uncooked
• 1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil organic
• 1 onion yellow, diced
• 1 cup green bell pepper diced
• 2 cloves garlic finely minced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 2 cups Spaghetti Sauce organic
• 2/3 cup dairy free milk unsweetened
• 6 ounce dairy free cream cheese

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees,

2. Lightly grease (oil) a 9" x 13" casserole or two 6" x 8" casseroles. The two smaller casserole dishes are for if you want to save one for later.
3. Steam broccoli in a steaming basket or a saucepot steamer, until crisp tender - about 6 to 8 minutes.
4. Reserve the liquid.
5. Cook pasta al dente about 8 minutes. Drain the pasta and set aside.
6. Heat 1 Tablespoon oil and 1 Tablespoon water in a large skillet.
7. Add the onion and bell pepper and saute about 10 minutes.
8. Add the garlic and saute for about 2 more minutes.
9. Add the salt and pepper.
10. Pour the spaghetti sauce over the onion, bell pepper, garlic mixture.
11. Stir and heat through. Set aside.

12. To a small saucepan add dairy free milk and dairy free cream cheese. Set on low.

13. Stir until it is well blended and the cream cheese is completed melted. Set aside.
14. Spread out the steamed broccoli in the casserole (or casseroles).
15. Pour the melted cream cheese and milk mixture over the broccoli. Stir a bit to coat all the broccoli.
16. Put the rotini pasta to the skillet that has the onion red sauce mixture. Mix well.
17. Pour the rotini pasta mixture over the broccoli mixture in the casserole (or casseroles).
18. Do not stir these two together. They should stay in separate layers.
19. At this point you an freeze the casserole (see below).
20. To bake and eat now bake at 350 for 30 minutes.
21. Serve with a salad and garlic bread.

Recipe Notes

IF FREEZING:

Freeze before baking only.
Please follow any of the directions defined in my article http://veganinthefreezer.com/preparing-food-for-the-freezer

TO PREPARE AFTER FREEZING:

Take out of freezer and put in the refrigerator at least 6 to 8 hours before baking (or the day before). Bake, covered at 350° for 20 minutes and then uncover and bake for 10 minutes.

 

Nutrition Facts

Broccoli Pasta Bake

Amount Per Serving (1 Serving)

Calories 348 Calories from Fat 153

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 17g 26%

Saturated Fat 4g 20%

Sodium 420mg 18%

Potassium 771mg 22%

Total Carbohydrates 42g 14%

Dietary Fiber 8g 32%

Sugars 11g

Protein 11g 22%

Vitamin A 20.7%

Vitamin C 98.9%

Calcium 13.4%

Iron 15.7%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.