Vegan Pasta and Lentil Casserole

This dish was inspired by a lot of ingredients and combinations in my head and this is how it played out. I am very happy with the result and can't wait to enjoy this during lunches at work!

• Preparation Time: 30 mins
• Cooking Time: 35 mins
• Total Time: 1 hr 5 mins
• Calories: 475 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 onion, diced
• ¼ cup soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 cup red lentils
• ¼ cup rice vinegar
• 1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 (8 ounce) package sliced mushrooms
• 1 pinch ground black pepper to taste
• 6 cups vegetable stock
• 1 cup nutritional yeast
• 1 head garlic, sliced
• 1 Japanese eggplant, halved and sliced
• 6 cups diced buttercup squash
• 4 cups small pasta shells
• 1 (.75 ounce) package basil leaves, cut into thin strips
• ½ teaspoon hot paprika (Optional)

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Combine oil, onion, and garlic in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Cook and stir until onion softens, 3 to 5 minutes. Add mushrooms, Japanese eggplant, and buttercup squash sequentially, stirring well after each addition.

Step 2

Stir tomatoes into the Dutch oven. Stir in red lentils; add pasta shells. Pour in stock; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, until pasta is almost fully cooked, about 30 minutes. Stir occasionally to ensure pasta doesn't stick to the bottom of the Dutch oven.

Step 3

Mix rice vinegar, soy sauce, and tomato paste together in a small bowl. Pour into the Dutch oven; stir to combine. Stir in nutritional yeast. Add basil, paprika, and black pepper; stir once more.