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A white bowl with a pasta casserole and silver fork.

Vegan Mexican Pasta & Chorizo Casserole

An easy casserole with veggies and vegan chorizo and cheese. A delicious dairy-free and meatless dinner idea.
5 from 3 votes
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Course: Entree, Main Course
Cuisine: American, Mexican, Vegan
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 431kcal
Author: Linda & Alex

Equipment

  • stove
  • Oven

Ingredients

  • 1 lb orzo pasta
  • 1 large onion finely chopped
  • 1 red bell pepper seeded and finely chopped
  • 1 zucchini finely chopped
  • 1 jalapeno pepper finely chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • 12 ounce vegan chorizo crumbled
  • 2 teaspoon chili powder
  • 2 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 26 ounce chopped tomatoes
  • 1 cup vegetable broth
  • 16 ounce chunky salsa you decide if you want mild, medium, or hot.
  • 8 ounce shredded cheddar jack vegan cheese reserve ⅓ cup , we use So Delicious brand

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350F (176C)
  • Boil the orzo pasta for 2 minutes less than instructed on the box. Drain.
  • Sauté the onion, red bell pepper, jalapeno pepper, and zucchini until the onion is translucent, approximately 5 to 7 minutes.
  • Add the crumbled chorizo, 2 teaspoon chili powder, 2 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, and salt and pepper to taste, and garlic, stir into the veggies for 3 minutes.
  • Add the chopped tomatoes and stir until combined.
  • Add the drained pasta to the veggies, add the vegan cheese (except for the reserved ⅓ cup) and stir until combined.
  • Pour the orzo and veggies into a 9 x 11-inch rectangular pan or a 10 to 12-inch round baking dish and spread out evenly.
  • Evenly pour the vegetable broth over the mixture, then evenly spread the salsa on top of the orzo and veggies. Don’t mix it in.
  • Evenly sprinkle the reserved vegan cheese on top and bake for approximately 20 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.

Notes

NUTRITION DISCLAIMER 
TIPS FOR MAKING THE BEST SPICY PASTA CASSEROLE
  • Cook the pasta for 2 minutes less than the instructions on the package. This will ensure that the pasta stays firm and doesn’t get mushy.
  • The vegan chorizo will be spicy, so use a mild salsa if you’re not a fan of a lot of heat. If you like it hot, use a medium or spicy salsa.
  • We recommend using So Delicious Shredded Cheddar Jack cheese. It melts beautifully and tastes great. 
HOW TO STORE A PASTA CASSEROLE
  • The flavor just gets better in this vegan pasta recipe, so feel free to make it a day or two ahead of time and reheat it when needed.
  • You can also freeze it for up to 2 months.
  • To reheat it from the refrigerator, cover it and bake it in a 300˚F(149˚C) oven until heated through. You can also microwave it.
  • If it’s frozen, cover it and warm it in a 350˚F (176˚C) for approximately 20 minutes, or until heated through.

Nutrition

Serving: 1.5cup | Calories: 431kcal | Carbohydrates: 64g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 1232mg | Potassium: 653mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 1254IU | Vitamin C: 36mg | Calcium: 93mg | Iron: 12mg
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