Vegetarian Pasta Bake in Bechamel Sauce

There’s something very homey about a pasta bake. I feel it’s one of those dishes that everyone likes. I love the moment when everyone’s at the table waiting for the dish to come out of the oven to dig in! 

I grew up eating a pasta bake with shredded chicken, vegetables and Bechamel sauce, a common dish in Lebanese households. So I wanted to make a vegetarian version of the dish. I used cauliflower and broccoli because they go really well with white sauce and in bakes. I went through my fridge and freezer to see what other vegetables I could add, and found some peas and leeks, which went well with a white and green theme. 

Serves 6 

Comforting easy dish with healthier adjustments. 

Ingredients:

For the Bechamel:

• 6 tablespoons butter
• 2 cloves garlic, sliced
• 6 tablespoons flour
• 3 cups milk
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon white pepper

For the rest:

• 300g wholewheat pasta – I used spaghetti because it’s what I had but I would recommend penne or fussilli
• 4 cups broccoli and cauliflower
• 2 cups zucchini
• 500g frozen peas – thawed
• 1/2 cup leeks
• Zest of a lemon
• 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
• 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese (I used a mix of mozzarella and cheddar because that’s what I had available)

Method:

Start with the Bechamel. Melt the butter on medium heat in a pot. Add the garlic and saute for few seconds until fragrant. Add the flour and mix with a whisk. Keep cooking for 2 minutes until the raw flour flavor is gone. Start adding the milk slowly while whisking, to make sure there are no lumps. I usually start with small additions until a uniform sauce forms and then dump all the rest of the milk in. After adding all of the milk, keep cooking while whisking until the sauce coats the back of a spoon.

Turn off the heat and add the mustard, nutmeg, pepper and salt. Taste to adjust. 

Boil or steam the broccoli and cauliflower until fork tender, but not falling apart. You can boil the zucchini too, but I chose to saute it with the leeks in a pan. Put all the cooked broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, leeks and defrosted peas in a baking dish and sprinkle with salt. 

Boil the pasta until al dente and add to the baking dish. 

Pour the Bechamel sauce on top and mix well. It should have a creamy consistency. If you see that the sauce is too thick, you can add some pasta water. 

Top the baking dish with the lemon zest, breadcrumbs and cheese. Add a pinch of salt and bake in a 210C oven until the cheese is melted and browned.