Meal prep isn’t very hard if you plan ahead – and it can also be super-healthy and varied. I gave a recipe for meatball and spinach pasta bake a try, adding extra spinach and subbing vegan meatballs. It was delicious and made a ton. This is great for a group or family of 4. You might want to halve the recipe if dining for two (you’ll still have leftovers).
Vegetarian Meatball and Spinach Pasta Bake
Inspiration here
- 1 lb penne pasta
- 1 T olive oil, plus more for coating the baking dish
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 t red pepper flakes
- 2 (28 oz) cans diced fire-roasted tomatoes
- 1 t kosher salt
- 1/2 t freshly ground black pepper
- 5 oz baby spinach
- 16 oz bag frozen vegan “meat”balls, thawed
- 8 oz shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided
Lightly coat 9×13-inch baking dish with olive oil; set aside. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook pasta for 8 minutes, or until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water, then drain and set aside. Heat olive oil in a large pasta pot over medium heat until shimmering. Add garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Increase heat to medium-high, add tomatoes and their juices, salt, pepper, and 1/2 cup reserved pasta water. Stir to combine, then add spinach and cook until just wilted, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the meatballs and drained pasta. Pour half of the pasta mixture in the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with half of the mozzarella. Top with the remaining pasta mixture and sprinkle with the remaining cheeses. Cover with foil and freeze. When ready to bake, pull from freezer and thaw. Heat oven to 400F. Remove foil and bake until the top is lightly golden and the cheese is bubbling, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool for about 10 minutes before serving.