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This easy, comforting, yet healthy dish freezes well and makes incredible meal prep. I boosted up the veggies in it a lot so it’s full of flavor and fiber, too. Author: Ginger Hultin

Ingredients

• 12-ounce package of dry whole wheat, bean or lentil penne pasta
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1/2 large onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 bell pepper (color of your choice!)
• 1 medium zucchini, chopped
• 8 oz package white mushrooms, chopped
• 32 oz jar tomato/pasta sauce
• 1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese feel free to use whole fat if you want
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 /2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese or Italian cheese blend divided

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F
2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat.
3. Prepare an 8×8 pan by pouring 1/2 cup of tomato sauce in the bottom and spreading it evenly
4. Cook the pasta for 6-8 minutes or per the instructions on the box so it’s al dente (a little firm). Drain the pasta and set it aside if it finishes before your sauce.

Sauce

1. While the pasta is cooking, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat then add the onion, cooking it for 1-2 minutes or until it starts to slightly soften.
2. Add the garlic and cook it with the onion, stirring occasionally for another minute.
3. Add the bell pepper and zucchini and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3-4 minutes until the vegetables have softened and the onion is translucent.
4. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, for another2-3 minutes until they have softened.
5. Set aside 3/4 cup of the jarred sauce and pour the remainder of it into the vegetable mixture, blending the vegetables into it completely.
6. Pour your drained pasta into the sauce and fold to coat the pasta completely.
7. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, blend the ricotta cheese, egg, oregano, basil and parsley and 1/2 the shredded cheese together.

Assembly

1. Pour 1/2 the pasta mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. Then spread the ricotta mixture evenly on top of it in 1 layer.
2. Top the ricotta mixture with the remaining pasta mixture then top that evenly with your remaining tomato sauce and sprinkle it evenly with the remaining shredded cheese.
3. Bake the dish in the oven for 20-30 minutes until the cheese on top has started to slightly brown and the sauce bubbles on the sides.