Boyfriend-Approved Buffalo Veggie Pasta Bake (Vegetarian)

Preheat oven to 375 F. Spray a 9×13 inch baking dish.

Cook pasta in a large pot according to package instructions for al dente. Drain and return pasta to pot. Set aside.

Next, saute your vegetables. Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large pan. Add garlic, onion, and carrots into the pan. Season with ground pepper and saute until soft, 9-10 minutes. The carrots will not soften up much in the oven, so you want to get them to your desired softness on the stovetop. Add the mushrooms and saute 3 minutes more, then add the Brussels sprouts and saute another 2 minutes. Pour vegetables into the pot with the pasta and scrape pan clean.

Now prepare the roux. In the same pan, melt the butter. Stir in flour and let bubble 1-2 minutes. Stir in the milk. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until mixture is slightly thickened. This will take 5-7 minutes. Add 1 cup of the grated cheese and stir to melt. Stir in hot sauce. Pour the mixture over the pasta and vegetables and stir to combine. Pour into the prepared baking dish and top with the remaining cup of cheddar cheese.

Bake for 25 minutes, until cheese is melted and bubbling. If cheese starts to burn before 25 minutes, cover the top of the dish with tin foil and continue baking.

Remove from oven and sprinkle with green onions. Serve in scoops, topped with additional hot sauce and blue cheese dressing.