This fish pasta bake brings together several familiar ingredients in a practical one-dish meal. Tender pasta is coated in a tomato-based sauce with lentils, then combined with flaky fish and finished with crumbled feta.

Baking brings everything together while giving the top a lightly browned finish. The recipe is useful when a satisfying dinner is needed without relying on complicated techniques or a long list of ingredients.

Ingredients

300g dried pasta

400g white fish fillets

1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes

200g cooked green or brown lentils

150g feta cheese

1 small onion

2 garlic cloves

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp dried oregano

½ tsp smoked paprika

1 tbsp tomato paste

100ml vegetable stock

1 lemon

30g fresh parsley

Salt, to taste

Black pepper, to taste

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 30 minutes

Serves: 4

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 200°C, or 180°C for a fan oven. Lightly grease a large baking dish with a little olive oil.

2. Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta for slightly less time than the package instructions recommend, so it remains firm. Drain and set aside.

3. Finely chop the onion and garlic. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for several minutes until softened.

4. Stir in the garlic, tomato paste, oregano, and smoked paprika. Cook for about one minute, stirring constantly, so the ingredients become fragrant without allowing the garlic to burn.

5. Add the chopped tomatoes, vegetable stock, and lentils. Season with black pepper and a small amount of salt, remembering that feta will add additional saltiness. Simmer for about eight minutes until the sauce thickens slightly.

6. Cut the fish into large bite-sized pieces. Pat them dry with kitchen paper and season lightly with black pepper and a little salt.

7. Add the cooked pasta to the tomato and lentil sauce. Stir carefully until the pasta is evenly coated. Add a little more stock if the mixture looks dry because the pasta will continue absorbing moisture during baking.

8. Transfer half of the pasta mixture to the prepared baking dish. Arrange the fish pieces throughout the dish, then cover with the remaining pasta.

9. Crumble the feta over the surface. Bake for approximately 15–18 minutes, until the fish is cooked through and the top has developed lightly browned edges.

10. Remove the dish from the oven and allow it to rest for a few minutes. Finish with finely chopped parsley and a squeeze of lemon juice before serving.

Choosing the Fish

A firm white fish is particularly suitable because it holds together reasonably well during baking while remaining tender. Cod, haddock, or another similar white fish can work, provided it is fresh and properly refrigerated before cooking. The most important point is to avoid cutting the fish into pieces that are too small.

Simple Ways to Adjust It

The lentils can be changed according to what is available. Green and brown varieties are useful because they generally retain their shape after cooking. If the sauce becomes too thick, a splash of vegetable stock can restore a looser consistency. For extra freshness, parsley and lemon work particularly well at the end. Their bright flavors cut through the richness of the baked feta and make the tomato sauce taste more vibrant.

A handful of spinach can also be stirred into the hot sauce before the pasta is added. It wilts quickly and can increase the vegetable content without changing the basic character of the dish.

This fish pasta bake is built around straightforward ingredients and a simple cooking sequence. With the right pasta, a firm fish, and a well-seasoned tomato base, the dish can move from preparation to the oven with relatively little fuss while still delivering a warm and satisfying meal.