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Creamy Spinach and Mushroom Pasta Bake

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This creamy mushroom pasta bake is a cozy vegetarian comforting casserole, just perfect for a cozy weeknight dinner.
  • Author: Delphine Fortin
  • Prep Time: 45 mins
  • Cook Time: 25 mins
  • Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
  • Yield: 6 servings 1x
  • Category: Savory
  • Diet: Vegetarian

This creamy mushroom pasta bake is a cozy vegetarian comforting casserole, just perfect for a cozy weeknight dinner. It’s a great make-ahead recipe that also freezes very well.

Ingredients

Scale

For the filling:

  • 10.5 ounces (300g) pasta shells or other similar pasta*
  • 1 Tablespoon butter + 1 Tablespoon olive oil
  • 4 shallots, thinly sliced
  • 14.1 ounces (400g) white or brown button mushrooms, sliced
  • 5.3 ounces (150g) baby spinach
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 4-5 Tablespoons ricotta cheese
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper

For the parmesan bechamel sauce:

  • 2 Tablespoons butter
  • ¼ cup (30g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 ¾ cup (42 cl) milk
  • ½ cup (60g) parmesan cheese, grated
  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • Freshly ground pepper

Breadcrumb topping:

  • ½ cup (50g) breadcrumbs
  • 1 Tablespoon butter

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
  2. Boil the noodles until al dente, according to the package instructions. Drain and set aside.
  3. Heat butter and olive oil in a large frying pan. Once hot, add the shallots and sauté on medium-high heat until shallots are golden, about 4-5 minutes, stirring regularly. Add mushrooms and sauté for 3 more minutes, stirring often. Add garlic, and sauté one more minute, until fragrant. Season with salt and pepper, and stir well.
  4. Melt butter in a large sauté pan placed over medium heat. Whisk a little bit of flour, then slowly add in milk, a little bit at a time, alternating with the flour, and whisking constantly to avoid any lumps. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and stir every so often, until the sauce thickens up. Turn off the heat, and stir in parmesan cheese, nutmeg, salt and freshly ground pepper.
  5. Stir in the spinach, until wilted. Add cooked pasta, the sautéed veggies, and adjust seasoning of salt and pepper.
  6. Leave in the sautéed pan if ovenproof, or transfer the mixture to a baking dish in an even layer. Add spoonfuls of ricotta cheese on top.
  7. In a small bowl, mix breadcrumbs with melted butter. Sprinkle breadcrumb mixture on top of casserole and bake for 25 minutes or until breadcrumbs are golden brown. Enjoy!**

Notes

* Other short pasta can work for pasta bake (think ziti, penne, or rigatoni for instance). Avoid however long, thin noodles that can quickly overcook.

** I like to top this mushroom pasta bake with fresh parsley or basil, roughly chopped.

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https://www.delscookingtwist.com/creamy-spinach-and-mushroom-pasta-bake/