Spiced Veggie Pasta Skillet - Both Non-Vegan and Vegan Alternative Included!

If you're looking for something a bit healthier than regular pasta, then this spicy meatless veggie dish is just for you! It’s one of my go to favorites because not only is it delicious, but it is also simple and easy enough to make for a weeknight dinner, it only takes about 30 minutes to make and yields about 6 servings.

• Ingredients you’ll need

1. 3 Cups of uncooked pasta
2. 1 medium yellow summer squash
3. 1 small zucchini
4. 1 medium sweet red pepper
5. 1 medium green pepper
6. 1 tablespoon of olive oil
7. 1 small red onion, halved and sliced
8. 1 cup of fresh sliced mushrooms
9. 1/2 a teaspoon of salt
10. 1/4 a teaspoon pepper
11. 1/4 a teaspoon red pepper flakes
12. 1 Jar of spicy marinara sauce (Whatever your favorite brand is!)
13. 8 ounces of mozzarella cheese pearls

• Cooking Instructions:

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees, cook pasta according to directions on box; drain.

Cut squash, zucchini, and peppers into ¼ inch strips; in a 12 inch cast iron skillet heat olive oil over a medium to high heat. Add the onion, mushrooms and other veggies into the skillet and cook 5 to 7 minutes or until crisp outside and tender inside, stirring occasionally. Stir in seasonings before adding marinara and pasta, toss to combine and top with cheese pearls.

Transfer the skillet into the oven; bake, uncovered 10 to 15 minutes or until cheese is melted. If desired, sprinkle with parmesan cheese and basil before serving.

• Vegan Alternative:

To make this recipe vegan-friendly, just use a non-diary mozzarella like Go Veggie! Cheese alternatives! Feel free to leave the cheese part completely out if you can't find vegan cheeses at your local market, the dish is just as good without it!

And that’s all to it! It’s really that simple to make and is absolutely delicious. Let me know in the comments if you decide to make this spicy meatless pasta bake and if you do, what you like most about it.