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    Home Β» Main Courses

    Hall Family Roman Holiday Casserole with Lentils

    Published: Jul 16, 2020 by Sherri Hall Β· This post may contain affiliate links.

    pin showing casserole on a white plate

    This hearty pasta and lentil casserole features stewed tomatoes, carrots, celery, onion and a dairy-free cheese sauce. It’s my vegan take on a family recipe for Roman Holiday that has been passed down through the generations.

    Jump to Recipe
    Roman Holiday casserole on a white serving plate with a fork and the casserole dish with the rest behind it

    First of all, let me start by saying that no one in the Hall family lineage is Italian.

    So when I got married and my husband raved about a family pasta dish that was passed down from his English-Scottish grandmother, I was a little bit skeptical, especially with me being part Italian and all.

    When I became aware of what I found to be a strange combination of ingredients, I thought for sure my Italian ancestors would smack me in the back of the head for taking part in recreating any such thing.

    If you search for "Roman Holiday Casserole" online, you will find various listings for casserole recipes, some of which were also passed down from generation to generation.

    It seems the recipe was popular during World War II since it was inexpensive to make.

    Although the ingredients vary from recipe to recipe, most of them appear to include ground beef, onion, canned tomatoes or tomato sauce of some sort and either American or cheddar cheese.

    However, I also noticed that some variations use ingredients like sausage, bell pepper, celery, olives, mushrooms and other types of cheeses.

    I even saw some that use tomato soup.

    Then, I compared these other recipes to Grandma Hall’s version.

    a wooden spoon with some of the casserole on it above the baking dish with the rest

    These were her ingredients: elbow macaroni, cubed ham, cubed cheddar cheese, stewed tomatoes, carrots, celery, onion and shredded cheddar cheese for the top.

    I have to say I found it a bit odd that Grandma Hall’s version called for two ingredients I didn’t see in any of the other recipes...ham and carrots.

    I also found it interesting that she opted for stewed tomatoes which offer a different flavor profile than using just plain canned tomatoes.

    I suppose she just used what she had on hand at the time and voila, her version of Roman Holiday was born.

    So, since Grandma Hall adapted the recipe to suit her needs, I took the liberty of adapting it to suit mine.

    And that meant not only making it vegan, but also gluten-free so her grandson could once again gobble some up. 😉

    overhead of individual portion of casserole on a white serving plate with a fork

    Trying to stay as true as possible to her version of the dish, I opted to use lentils to replace the meat and my vegan cheese sauce to stand in for the dairy-based cheese.

    And since Grandma Hall used elbow macaroni in her version, I decided to also use elbows, just the gluten-free version.

    Of course, if you're not avoiding gluten, you can use traditional elbows if you prefer.

    Ingredients you'll need

    For the vegan cheese sauce

    • Carrots
    • Yellow Potatoes
    • Nutritional Yeast
    • Olive Oil
    • Lemon Juice
    • Water
    • Salt
    • Garlic Powder
    • Onion Powder
    • Turmeric

    For the casserole

    • Gluten-Free Elbow Macaroni - I used Jovial brand brown rice pasta.
    • Vegetable Broth
    • Carrots
    • Celery
    • Yellow Onion
    • Salt & Pepper
    • Canned Lentils (brown or green) - I used this Natural Value brand. I also recommend Westbrae or a precooked bagged version instead such as this kind from Geffen.
    • Stewed Tomatoes  - I used Muir Glen organic stewed tomatoes. You want to use the kind seasoned with bell pepper and celery as well as onion or garlic, not the Italian or Mexican blends.
    • Canned Tomato Sauce - I used Muir Glen.
    front view of baking dish with the finished casserole in it

    How to make this vegan Roman Holiday casserole with lentils

    First make the cheese sauce according to the directions in this vegan cheese sauce post.

    cheese sauce blended in blender

    Keep in the blender until ready to use.

    Next, preheat your oven to 375°F.

    Then, par-cook the pasta in a 5- or 6-qt. pot for 4 minutes less than the package directs.

    For example, if the package's cooking time is 12 minutes, cook the pasta for 8 minutes. If the package gives a range, such as 9-11 minutes, use the average and subtract 4 (so in this case, the pasta would cook for 6 minutes).

    While the pasta is cooking, warm vegetable broth in a 12-inch skillet and add the carrots, celery and onion. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

    carrots, celery and onion in skillet with vegetable broth.

    Saute until tender and most or all of the liquid has dissipated.

    carrots, celery and onion after being sauteed in skillet

    Remove from the heat and stir in the lentils.

    Lentils stirred into the veggie mixture in the skillet

    Set aside until ready to use.

    When the pasta is done, drain in a colander.

    While the pasta is draining, add the stewed tomatoes and tomato sauce to the pot you used to cook the pasta. Stir to combine.

    stewed tomatoes and tomato sauce added to pot

    Use 1 cup of the stewed tomato/tomato sauce mixture to line the bottom of a 9" x 13" casserole dish.

    baking dish lined with sauce mixture

    Add the lentil and veggie mixture to the pot.

    lentil and veggie mixture added to the pot with the sauce mixture

    Stir to combine and add the pasta. Stir to to combine.

    pasta mixed into the pot

    Give the cheese a quick blend again on high for about 15 seconds.

    Reserve Β½ cup of cheese sauce and add the rest to the pasta mixture.

    vegan cheese sauce added to the pot

    Stir to combine.

    vegan cheese sauce stirred into the pasta mixture

    Transfer the pasta mixture to the casserole dish.

    pasta mixture added to the baking dish

    Top with the reserved cheese sauce and spread around.

    vegan cheese sauce spread on top of the pasta mixture in the baking dish

    Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes.

    Remove the foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes.

    casserole after being baked

    Serve alone or enjoy with a side of your favorite bread.

    Storing and reheating leftovers

    Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

    As it sits, the pasta will absorb the cheese sauce and tomato sauce. Therefore, you may need to mix in some additional tomato sauce when reheating leftovers.

    To reheat, microwave individual portions in a covered microwave-safe dish in 30-second intervals.

    You might also enjoy:

    • Vegan Baked Ziti
    • Vegan Shepherd's Pie
    • Vegan Lentil Lasagna
    some of the casserole on a white plate with a fork next to it
    Print Recipe Save RecipeSaved!
    5 from 5 votes

    Hall Family Roman Holiday Casserole with Lentils

    This hearty pasta and lentil casserole features stewed tomatoes, carrots, celery, onion and a dairy-free cheese sauce. It’s my vegan take on a family recipe for Roman Holiday that has been passed down through the generations.
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine American, Gluten-Free, Vegan
    Keyword casserole, dairy-free, gluten free, lentils, pasta, roman holiday, vegan
    Prep Time 30 minutes
    Cook Time 40 minutes
    Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
    Servings 6 -8
    Calories 379kcal
    Author Sherri Hall

    Ingredients

    • 1 batch vegan cheese sauce
    • 12 oz. gluten-free elbow macaroni (I used Jovial brand brown rice elbows; if you are not gluten-free you can use traditional elbow pasta)
    • ΒΎ cup low sodium vegetable broth
    • 3 medium carrots, peeled and diced
    • 3 medium ribs celery, diced
    • 1 small yellow onion, peeled and diced
    • fine sea salt or kosher salt, to taste
    • freshly ground black pepper, to taste
    • 1 (15 oz) can brown or green lentils, drained and rinsed (Alternatively, you can use a 16 oz. bag of plain pre-cooked brown or green lentils, drained and rinsed)
    • 2 (14.5 oz) cans stewed tomatoes (I used Muir Glen; be sure to use the original blend with onion or garlic, celery and bell pepper)
    • 1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce

    Instructions

    • Make the vegan cheese sauce and keep in the blender until ready to use.
    • Preheat oven to 375°F.
    • Par-cook the pasta in a 5- or 6-qt. pot for *4 minutes less than the package directs.
    • While the pasta is cooking, warm vegetable broth in a 12-inch non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the carrots, celery and onion. Season with salt and pepper to taste and saute until tender and most or all of the liquid has dissipated, stirring frequently (approximately 10-12 minutes). Remove from the heat and stir in the lentils. Set aside until ready to use.
    • When the pasta is done, drain in a colander. While the pasta is draining, add the stewed tomatoes and tomato sauce to the pot. Stir to combine.
    • Use 1 cup of the stewed tomato/tomato sauce mixture to line the bottom of a 9" x 13" casserole dish.
    • Add the lentil and veggie mixture to the pot and stir to combine. Then, stir in the pasta.
    • Give the cheese a quick blend again on high for about 15 seconds. Reserve Β½ cup of cheese sauce and add the rest to the pasta mixture. Stir to combine.
    • Transfer the pasta mixture to the casserole dish. Top with the reserved cheese sauce and spread around. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes.

    (Please refer to the post above for instructional photographs and other helpful information for this recipe)

    Suggested Equipment/Tools

    High-Powered Blender

    Notes

    *Regarding cooking the pasta: If the package's cooking time is 12 minutes, cook the pasta for 8 minutes. If the package gives a range, such as 9-11 minutes, use the average and subtract 4 (so in this case, the pasta would cook for 6 minutes).
    Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. As it sits, the pasta will absorb the cheese sauce and tomato sauce. Therefore, you may need to mix in some additional tomato sauce when reheating leftovers. To reheat, microwave individual portions in a covered microwave-safe dish in 30-second intervals.
    The nutrition information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. Accuracy is not guaranteed. Information shown should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 379kcal | Carbohydrates: 75g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 0.3g | Fiber: 11g

    This post originally appeared on Watch Learn Eat on July 25, 2018. It has been republished to reflect both recipe and photo revisions. Changes to the story were also made. 

    ©Watch Learn Eat. All content and images are copyright protected. Recipes and images are not to be used or republished without prior permission. If you adapt this recipe, please re-write the recipe in your own words, and link back to this post for the original recipe.

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    1. Christie

      July 16, 2020 at 5:43 pm

      5 stars
      That looks so good and I love the name of it! I am such a big fan of anything that is a casserole so this would be right up my alley! I also love how it's so healthy with the veggies!

      Reply
      • Sherri Hall

        July 16, 2020 at 9:00 pm

        Thanks so much, Christie! I love casseroles too because they are so hearty and comforting. πŸ™‚

        Reply
    2. Daniela

      July 26, 2018 at 5:49 pm

      I'm always looking for ideas for using up holiday leftovers, and this one definitely looks like a keeper. And it's so easy!

      Reply
      • Sherri Hall

        July 27, 2018 at 9:18 am

        Yes, it definitely helps use up all that ham! Thank you Daniela!

        Reply
    3. Pam Greer

      July 26, 2018 at 4:34 pm

      5 stars
      I have a couple of packets of leftover ham in the freezer right now!! This is perfect!

      Reply
      • Sherri Hall

        July 27, 2018 at 9:18 am

        Thanks Pam! Sounds like me; I'm always freezing leftovers from big meals to use in the future!

        Reply
    4. Sandi

      July 26, 2018 at 4:30 pm

      5 stars
      I am thinking about making this as it has a Gluten Free Option! It looks delicious and I think my kids would enjoy it.

      Reply
      • Sherri Hall

        July 27, 2018 at 9:17 am

        Thanks Sandi! Hope your family enjoys! πŸ™‚

        Reply
    5. Vicky

      July 26, 2018 at 4:22 pm

      5 stars
      I am a big fan of casseroles and this one includes all of my favorite things - ham, pasta and cheese. Would it be very gluttonous if I added some crumbled bacon to the top as well?

      Reply
      • Sherri Hall

        July 27, 2018 at 9:17 am

        No way! Bring on the bacon! Sounds good to me! Thanks Vicky!

        Reply
    6. Lizzie Butterworth

      July 26, 2018 at 4:02 pm

      5 stars
      I love a ham at Christmas, and you can't beat pasta, at least in this house! My heart was already given to bubble and squeak though...

      Reply
      • Sherri Hall

        July 27, 2018 at 9:16 am

        Thanks Lizzie! LOL! I definitely need to try making that; I wonder if my husband can dig up an old family recipe πŸ™‚

        Reply
    7. David @ Spiced

      July 26, 2018 at 7:42 am

      What a fun story! I must admit that I'm not familiar with the Roman holiday casserole. I know the movie, but this is the first I've heard of the casserole...and I love it! I'm all about fun ways to use up leftovers, and this one sounds delicious. I was gonna say the carrots might be a Grandma Hall addition since they're so common in English cuisine. (I just googled that and found that the UK is the 7th largest producer of carrots in the world...now you know!) But more likely the carrots were added since they were just a leftover from the holiday meal. Either way, I love this recipe! Also, 5 months til Christmas. Say what!?

      Reply
      • Sherri Hall

        July 26, 2018 at 2:43 pm

        I know; it's hard to believe...it creeps up fast! I never knew that about the carrots but thanks for sharing; I will have to tell my husband as he will enjoy that fact. Thanks so much for stopping by, David! πŸ™‚ Enjoy the rest of your week!

        Reply

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    About Sherri

    Founder, Author, Recipe Developer, & Photographer

    With a lifelong passion for cooking, I specialize in creating easy meatless meals that are omnivore-approved!

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