This delicious pasta bake is tossed in our homemade pesto sauce and roasted vegetables, topped with cheese then baked in the oven until the cheese is melted and piping hot. Yummy! This is definitely a dish the whole family will enjoy, including your weaning baby.

Pesto is always a great hit in our house and this pasta bake recipe also allows for more vegetables to be added - so definitely add more or whatever you have on hand.

I find that kids are more likely to try new vegetables with their favourite sauce on top. Roasting vegetables also makes them a little sweeter so they are certain to enjoy it.

Cook time: 1 hour 5 minutes
Makes: 6 adult portions

Ingredients
2 large red onions, chopped.
1 large Aubergine, chopped.
2 large courgettes, chopped.
2 red and orange pepper, deseeded and sliced
4 tbsp olive oil
4 tbsp pesto, store-bought or homemade (See recipe here)
250ml crème fraiche
Freshly ground black pepper
500g pasta, cooked (We used wholegrain pasta)
150g-cheddar cheese, grated

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C.

2. Place your chopped vegetables on a roasting tray and drizzle with olive oil. 

3. Roast for about 25 - 30 minutes, until soft and slightly brown on the edges. Turn them over half way through cooking.    

4. Meanwhile, bring a large saucepan of water to the boil. Add the pasta and cook for about 6 minutes. Since you will be cooking the pasta for a second time in the oven, you want to make sure the inside is still hard. 

5. Add the pesto and crème fraiche into a saucepan, season with ground pepper and heat gently.  

6. Mix the pasta and vegetables into the sauce. Spoon the mixture into an ovenproof dish and sprinkle the cheese on top. 

7. Cover the dish in tin foil and bake in the oven for 25 - 30 minutes. Remove the tinfoil for the last 2 - 3 minutes. 

8. Top with some extra cheese and serve. 

Weaning and Storage 9 months+ - Introduce as a finger food for baby to pick up and self feed.

Check our Lunchbox Made Easy Recipe Book for over 100 tasty recipes suitable for all the family. 

At Mummy Cooks, we have a wealth of advice on feeding your family. We cover everything from meal prep and slow cooker recipes to moving baby on to family foods and preparing food safely. So whether you're looking for quick and easy meal ideas or want to learn more about healthy eating, we've got you covered -Feeding the Family Advice page