Best Awesome Penne Spinach Bake Recipes

BAKED PENNE WITH SPINACH, RICOTTA & FONTINA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450°F and set an oven rack in the middle position. Lightly oil a 9 x 13-inch ceramic baking dish.
• Cook the penne in boiling salted water until al dente, about 9 minutes. (It will cook more in the oven so you don't want it completely cooked.) Drain, then place the cooked penne back in the pan and set aside.
• In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade, combine the spinach, basil, ricotta, cream cheese, half-and-half, 1 cup of the fontina, 3 tablespoons of the Parmigiano Reggiano, garlic, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Process until puréed.
• Add the spinach mixture to the pasta and stir to combine. Transfer to the prepared baking dish. Top with the remaining fontina and Parmigiano Reggiano. Bake until the pasta is bubbling and the top is golden in spots, about 20 minutes. Let cool for a few minutes, then serve.

PENNE AND SPINACH BAKE

Steps:

• Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
• Saute onion and garlic in 1 T butter until tender.
• Add flour and stir to coat onions.
• Add milk and cook over medium low until bubbly and slightly thickened.
• Remove from heat; add 1/4 c cheese and seasonings.
• Combine pasta, sauce, 1 c cheese, tomatoes and spinach in large bowl.
• Spoon into greased 13x9 baking dish.
• Combine bread crumbs, 2 T cheese and 1 T butter.
• Sprinkle over pasta.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

SPINACH ALFREDO PASTA BAKE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook the pasta in the boiling water, draining it about 2 minutes before the time on the package. It should still be a bit firm. Rinse it in cold water to stop the cooking process and set aside.
• Mix the ricotta with the parsley and lemon zest in a small bowl and set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with 1 tablespoon of the butter.
• In a large deep skillet over medium-high heat, melt 2 tablespoons of butter. Add the mushrooms and season with salt and pepper. Cook until the mushrooms have given up their liquid, 5 to 6 minutes. Add the spinach and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until the spinach has wilted. Remove the vegetables and set aside, leaving any liquid in the skillet.
• Add 2 tablespoons of butter to the skillet. Pour in the wine and let it bubble up and reduce for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Add the half-and-half and cream, season with salt and pepper and cook, whisking, until it's all combined. If it gets too thick as it cooks, you can thin it with a little vegetable broth. When the sauce looks good, remove it from the heat and stir in 3/4 cup of the Parmesan.
• Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a small pan. Remove from the heat and stir in the breadcrumbs and remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan.
• In the buttered baking dish, stir together the pasta, vegetables and sauce. (Add a splash of broth if needed). Add spoonfuls of the ricotta mixture, pushing them a bit into the pasta. Sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture over the top of the pasta. Cover and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and cook until the top is brown and the mixture is bubbling, about 20 minutes more.

BAKED PENNE WITH MUSHROOMS, BACON AND SPINACH

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish with cooking spray.
• Cook pasta as directed on package. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta cooking water. Drain pasta; return to stockpot. Add cream; toss. Set aside.
• Spray 12-inch sauté pan or skillet with cooking spray; heat over medium heat. Add bacon; cook until crisp. With slotted spoon, remove bacon from pan to plate; set aside.
• Add onions, salt and pepper to bacon drippings in pan; cook and stir 4 to 7 minutes or until translucent. Add mushrooms; cook 6 to 10 minutes longer or until browned and liquid evaporates. Add spinach and reserved pasta cooking water; cook and stir 1 minute.
• Pour mushroom mixture over pasta; toss to coat. Pour into baking dish. Top evenly with both cheeses. Cover dish tightly with foil.
• Bake 20 minutes. Remove foil; top with reserved bacon. Bake uncovered 5 minutes longer.