Butternut squash and jackfruit pasta bake
Squash and jackfruit in a smoky tomato sauce with rigatoni pasta and a cheesy garlic topping. A plant based dinner perfect for a large family get together.
Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 400 g tinned jackfruit
- 1 small butternut squash
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 200 g rigatoni
For the tomato sauce
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon tomato puree
- 400 g tinned plum tomatoes chopped up using scissors
- 125 mls water
- 2.5 teaspoons sugar
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1.5 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
- 1.5 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Black pepper to season
For the cheese topping
- 100 g vegan cheddar cheese grated
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic granules
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- Vegan bbq sauce
Instructions
- Drain and rinse the jackfruit. Remove the hard core and using your fingers, shred the jackfruit into thin strips. To thoroughly dry the jackfruit, turn out onto a tea towel and press well. Heat a frying pan over a high heat, add a drizzle of olive oil, 1/2 a teaspoon of smoked paprika and the jackfruit. Cook for 3 minutes, tossing the jackfruit regularly to allow it to sear and firm up. Turn off the heat and set the jackfruit to one side.
- Wash and peel the butternut squash. Chop into large cubes and place in a steamer for 10 minutes until soft. Then lightly mash being careful to leave some smaller chunks.
- Place the rigatoni into a pan of salted boiling water. Cook until al dente, approximately 12 minutes.
- Pre heat the oven to 200°C / 180°C fan / gas 6.
- While the pasta and squash are cooking make a start on the sauce. Add the oil to a large saucepan over a low heat. Add the garlic and fry for a couple of minutes. Add all the remaining ingredients. Bring to a light boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
- Gently fold the jackfruit, squash and pasta into the tomato sauce and then pour into a roasting tin. Sprinkle over the vegan cheese, nutritional yeast and garlic powder. Drizzle over the olive oil and place the tin in the oven for 10 minutes.
- Once the cheese has melted, remove from the oven and lightly pour over some vegan bbq sauce. Serve with a crisp, dressed salad and garlic bread.