Italian Veggie Casserole

This is the second time I’ve made this recipe, taken from VegWeb. The first time I made it, I followed the recipe pretty closely and I think it was better than this time. This time I added carrots, used less cheese, and used whole wheat pasta. I didn’t use the breadcrumbs either time, and I also used real cheese instead of the soy stuff.

Overall, it’s an easy week-night meal that tastes good re-heated. It makes quite a bit and is very filling for a veggie dish. It also has nice flavors using fresh veggies and fresh tomatoes instead of canned ones. Here’s my altered version

Italian Veggie Casserole
1 medium zucchini, sliced into coins
1 medium onion, chopped
2 carrots, sliced thinly
3-6 tomatoes, quartered
2 cloves minced garlic
basil
parsley
1 package fusilli pasta
Cheddar or mozzarella cheese (grated)
salt and pepper to taste (if desired)

Boil water and add pasta. Cook until done.

Saute herbs, zucchini, onion, carrots, and garlic in olive oil in a large saute pan. Cook until zucchini is slightly browned and onions are translucent if you like softer veggies; cook less time if you want them slightly crisp.

Drain pasta in a colander, and place in a 9" x 13" baking dish. Pour veggies and diced tomatoes on top. Mix well.

Preheat oven to broil or to 350 degrees. Sprinkle cheese over pasta/veggie mixture. Broil 10 to 15 minutes or until cheese is melted, or bake about 10 minutes until the same thing happens.