Chickpea and Vegetable Pasta Bake

Green

A vegetarian option for pasta bake.

Ingredients

  • Ingredient
  • Amount
  • Olive oil
  • As needed
  • Garlic, peeled and crushed or finely diced
  • 10 grams (2 cloves)
  • Onion, diced
  • 140 grams
  • Mixed vegetables*, cut into small cubes
  • 400 grams
  • Canned chickpeas, drained
  • 2 x 400 gram tins
  • Margarine^
  • 100 grams
  • White flour
  • 100 grams
  • Reduced fat milk
  • 1 litre
  • Salt reduced vegetable stock powder
  • 10 grams
  • Dijon mustard
  • 25 grams
  • Reduced fat cheddar cheese, grated
  • 100 grams
  • Parsley, finely diced
  • 1 tablespoon
  • Salt and pepper
  • To taste
  • Pasta (dry)
  • 500 grams
  • Breadcrumbs
  • 60 grams
  • Reduced fat cheddar cheese, grated
  • 100 grams

Method

  1. Preheat oven to 180oC.
  2. Put the large saucepan or stock pot over medium heat and add enough oil to lightly coat the bottom of the pan. Add the garlic and onion to the pan. Cook, stirring until the onion starts to look transparent.
  3. Add the margarine to the pan. When the margarine has melted add the flour and cook, stirring for 1 to 2 minutes or until the mixture bubbles and starts to come away from the side of the pan. Remove the pan from the heat
  4. Slowly pour in the milk, stock powder and Dijon mustard whisking constantly, until the mixture is smooth.
  5. Place the saucepan over medium heat and bring to the boil. Reduce heat and stir constantly with a wooden spoon for five minutes or until sauce thickens and coats the back of the spoon.
  6. Remove from heat and stir through mixed vegetables, drained chickpeas, grated cheese and parsley. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  7. Cook the pasta as per the instructions on the packet.
  8. Drain pasta and add to the creamy sauce mixture and stir until well combined.
  9. Spoon the pasta mixture into the large baking tray. Evenly sprinkle the top with breadcrumbs and then grated cheese.
  10. Place the baking tray in the oven and bake for 20 minutes or until the topping is a golden brown and the cheese has melted.

*We encourage you to use what is in season and available to you. Broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, capsicum, carrot and frozen peas and corn all work well. ^Choose a monounsaturated or polyunsaturated margarine spread.

Serves: 10

This recipe has been produced for the School Lunch Program by School Food Matters in partnership with Loaves and Fishes Tasmania and Department of Health Tasmania Dietitians.

Feel free to share with this acknowledgement.