Gluten-free pasta bake
A crowd-pleasing, cheesy gluten-free pasta bake with a rich tomato-vegetable sauce and golden breadcrumb topping.
This gluten-free pasta bake is the sort of comfort food that makes non-GF eaters jealous. It pairs a bright tomato and vegetable sauce with a creamy cornflour-thickened white sauce and a crunchy breadcrumb topping — all safely gluten-free.
Make it for midweek family dinners or for feeding friends; it slices neatly after a short rest and reheats brilliantly, too.
Ingredients
- 400 g gluten-free dried pasta penne or fusilli
- 30 ml olive oil
- 1 brown onion — finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves — crushed
- 1 red pepper — diced
- 150 g chestnut mushrooms — sliced
- 1 courgette — diced
- 400 g tinned chopped tomatoes
- 30 ml tomato purée
- 5 ml dried oregano
- 5 ml dried basil
- 5 ml caster sugar
- salt — to taste; for pasta water and seasoning
- black pepper — to taste
- 30 ml cornflour
- 150 ml milk
- 150 ml double cream
- 150 g vegetarian mature cheddar — grated, divide into two portions
- 50 g gluten-free breadcrumbs
- 10 g fresh basil leaves — to garnish
Equipment
- ovenproof baking dish (approx 23 x 30 cm)
- large saucepan
- frying pan
- small saucepan
- whisk
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 200°C fan/220°C conventional. Grease an ovenproof baking dish (about 23 x 30 cm) with a little olive oil.
Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil, add a generous pinch of salt, then add the gluten-free dried pasta penne or fusilli and cook for 8 minutes until just under al dente. Drain and set aside.
While the pasta cooks, heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the brown onion and garlic cloves and sauté for 5 minutes until soft and translucent.
Add the red pepper, chestnut mushrooms and courgette to the pan and cook for 8 minutes until the vegetables are softened and any mushroom liquid has evaporated.
Stir in the tinned chopped tomatoes, tomato purée, dried oregano, dried basil and caster sugar. Season with salt and black pepper, bring to a gentle simmer and cook uncovered for 12 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly.
Make a quick cream sauce: whisk the cornflour with 2 tbsp of the milk to form a smooth slurry. Put the remaining milk and the double cream into a small saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer, then whisk in the cornflour slurry and simmer for 1–2 minutes until slightly thickened. Remove from the heat and stir in half the vegetarian mature cheddar so it melts through.
Return the drained pasta to its saucepan or a large mixing bowl. Pour over the tomato-vegetable sauce and the cream sauce, stir thoroughly to combine and check seasoning. Fold in half the remaining vegetarian mature cheddar.
Tip the combined mixture into the prepared ovenproof baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining vegetarian mature cheddar over the top. Mix the gluten-free breadcrumbs with a little olive oil and scatter evenly over the cheese.
Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes until the top is golden and the sauce is bubbling.
Remove from the oven and leave to rest for 10 minutes. Scatter with fresh basil leaves before serving.
Tips
- Cook the pasta 1–2 minutes less than packet instructions; gluten-free pasta continues to cook in the oven.
- Mix cornflour into cold milk first to avoid lumps, then whisk into hot liquid off the heat before a final short simmer.
- If you prefer a lighter bake, replace half the double cream with extra milk — the texture will be slightly less rich but still excellent.
- Make ahead: assemble, chill for up to 24 hours, then bake for 25–30 minutes from cold (add a few minutes to the bake time).
- Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days; reheat in the oven at 160°C fan/180°C conventional until piping hot.
Substitutions
gluten-free dried pasta penne or fusilli → gluten-free macaroni or short rigatoni, same quantity
Stays closedouble cream → half-fat double cream or extra milk (total liquid same), the bake will be less rich
Noticeably differentgluten-free breadcrumbs → crushed gluten-free crispbread or toasted gluten-free oats, same quantity
Stays closevegetarian mature cheddar → grated mozzarella or a mix of mozzarella and vegetarian parmesan alternative, same quantity
Noticeably different
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 880
- Calories
- 28 g
- Protein
- 100 g
- Carbs
- 41 g
- Fat
- 7 g
- Fibre
- 10 g
- Sugar
- 800 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I make this dairy-free as well as gluten-free?
Yes — replace the double cream and milk with a creamy plant alternative (oat or soya), use dairy-free cheese and dairy-free spread for the breadcrumb mix. The texture will be slightly different but still tasty.
How do I prevent the top from burning while the middle finishes cooking?
If the top colours too quickly, cover loosely with foil for the remainder of the bake time and remove for the last 5 minutes to crisp the topping.
Can I freeze this pasta bake?
Assemble and freeze before baking for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen at 180°C fan/200°C conventional for 35–45 minutes, covered for the first part, until piping hot throughout.
Is it safe to use regular breadcrumbs?
No — for a gluten-free dish use labelled gluten-free breadcrumbs or a gluten-free substitute; regular breadcrumbs contain gluten.
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