Healthy Baked Pasta Recipe

Shanika, a home caterer and a mom, shares how to make a yummy, veggie-packed pasta dish for your little ones.

By Shanika Jay

My 18-month-old daughter is a fussy eater, and this recipe is the best for kids who are hesitant to eat vegetables. The creamy sauce is packed with flavor and is a cheat’s way of getting some vegetables in your kids´ diet. The recipe is extremely versatile; you could add grilled chicken, sausage, bacon, or even sautéed prawns for additional protein.

Ingredients

• 2 medium-sized butternut squash 
• 100 grams cheddar cheese
• 100 grams mozzarella cheese 
• 250 grams organic fusilli 
• 8 cloves of garlic
• 1 large onion
• 2 teaspoons of brown sugar
• 4 sprigs of thyme
• Half a cup of chicken or veggie stock
• Salt, pepper and chili powder to taste
• Olive oil or 3 tablespoons of unsalted butter
• 2 teaspoons of lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons of sour cream

Method

Preheat your oven to 200℃.

Start by adding cubed butternut squash and 4 cloves of garlic into a baking pan with a coating of olive oil, and a sprinkling of salt and pepper. Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and soft to the touch.

In a large deep pan, cook the fusilli in boiling salted water for 9-10 minutes.

Next, finely chop an onion, thyme, and the rest of the garlic, and sauté them in a pan with a splash of olive oil or butter.

Add the baked butternut squash, garlic, and sautéed onion mixture to a blender or food processor.

Add the sour cream, stock, 1 tbsp of the pasta water, 50g of cheddar, 50g of mozzarella, lemon juice, brown sugar, salt, pepper, and chili powder to taste. Blend them together until it’s a creamy sauce. You can adjust the thickness of the sauce to your liking by adding more or less of the stock.

Add the strained pasta to a baking dish with the creamy sauce and mix well. Finally, add the remaining cheese and bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown.

Photo from Canva.

About the Author

Shanika is a home baker based in Bangkok. Her love for baking and experimenting with her grandmother’s traditional Sri Lankan recipes has led her to develop Platters Bangkok, a home catering service offering carefully curated and customizable sharing platters.  

You can find Platters Bangkok on Instagram and Facebook: @platters_bangkok

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