Cheesy Green Pasta Bake is a bright, springy twist on classic macaroni and cheese. Spicy Italian sausage, melty white cheddar and ALL. THE. GREENS. come together to make a delightfully fresh weeknight dinner.
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Greens + Pasta + All. The. Cheese? It's happening.
WAIT.. don't leave. Just stick with me on this one.
The best of spring greens mixed with a homemade melty cheddar sauce and tossed with whole wheat penne and Italian sausage. Excuse me for yelling but I LOVED THIS ONE.
I was concerned about my kids gagging, crying and in general acting less than appreciative of my newest and greenest kitchen creation, but dinner went surprisingly smooth (I videoed the evidence over on my Instagram Stories). ⅔ enjoyed it. Campbell (6) cried a little (which is not abnormal), but was able to clean his plate so that he could partake in dessert. I claim it as a #WIN.
This recipe is adapted from the Pioneer Woman's Mean Green Pasta. I LOVED her original version, but it didn't contain any meat (which my family won't stand for, lol) and was really expensive to make because of the fancy cheeses and assortment of greens required in the recipe. I simplified her version, added some sausage and came up with this Green Pasta Bake.
Let's do this.
How To Make Green Pasta Bake: Step by Step Instructions
Step 1: Prepare the Greens. Add the greens, seasoning and garlic to the bowl of a food processor. With processor running, drizzle in olive oil.
Step 2: Make the Cheese Sauce. Melt butter in a large pot. Add flour and mustard powder while whisking. Continue whisking and add milk. Stir until thick and bubbly. Add half-and-half, salt, pepper and cheddar cheese. Stir until cheese is melted.
Step 3: Add cooked penne and sausage to the cheese sauce. Mix until noodles and sausage are completely coated by cheese sauce.
Step 4: Add pureed greens. Fold greens into pasta mixture. DO NOT over mix.
Step 5: Assemble. Add the pasta, sausage and greens mixture to a prepared baking dish. Make a quick topping by mixing 3 Tbs. melted butter, panko breadcrumbs and fresh parsley. Sprinkle over casserole evenly. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until casserole is golden brown and bubbly.
FAQS: GREEN PASTA BAKE
Is Green Pasta Bake Freezer Friendly?
It is! To freeze, follow recipe directions but DO NOT bake. Top the assembled casserole with aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. To serve, allow it to thaw overnight in the fridge and bake the following day. Set oven to 350 degrees F and cook until golden brown and cooked through, about 1 hour covered and an additional 15 minutes uncovered.
Can Green Pasta Bake be prepared in advance?
Yes. Follow recipe directions but don't bake. Instead cover Green Pasta Bake with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for 1-2 days. To serve, bake at 350 F for about 1 hour covered and an additional 15 minutes uncovered.
I don't have a food processor, can I still make this recipe?
You can. You are just going to have to do some serious chopping. Use a knife to mince the greens and garlic and then whisk in the olive oil. The texture may change a bit, but the overall dish will still be delicious.
Can you skip the "green" in Green Pasta Bake?
If your family doesn't like green bits to show in their food, you can still make this recipe a winner (it's basically mac and cheese with sausage). Just skip any step related to pureed greens and follow recipe instructions.
Can I use a different style of noodle when making Green Pasta Bake?
Yes, you can use what ever type of noodle that you have on hand or prefer. Just make sure it is cooked to al dente as the noodles will continue to soften when baked in the oven.
Print📖 Recipe
Green Pasta Bake
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
Description
Cheesy Green Pasta Bake is a bright, springy twist on classic macaroni and cheese. Spicy Italian sausage, melty white cheddar and ALL. THE. GREENS. come together to make a delightfully fresh weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
Pasta:
- 1 Tbs. olive oil
- 1 pound whole wheat penne pasta
Sausage:
- ½ Tbs. olive oil
- 1 lb. Italian sausage
Greens:
- 6 cups baby spinach
- ½ cup fresh basil leaves
- ¼ cup fresh parsley leaves
- 1 tsp. red pepper flakes
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. pepper
- 4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
- ¼ cup olive oil
Cheese Sauce:
- 4 Tbs. butter
- 2 Tbs. flour
- 1 tsp. mustard powder
- 2 cups whole milk
- ¼ cup half-and-half
- 1 tsp. salt
- ½ tsp. pepper
- 4 ½ cups white cheddar cheese, shredded
Assembly:
- 3 Tbs. melted butter
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Pasta: Bring a large pot of water and 1 Tbs olive oil to a boil. Add the penne and cook until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- Sausage: While pasta boils, brown sausage in a large skillet over medium heat. Set aside.
- Greens: Add spinach, basil, parsley, red pepper flakes, salt, pepper and garlic to the bowl of a food processor. With the processor running, drizzle in ¼ cup of olive oil. Pulse until greens and oil are fully incorporated. The greens should retain some texture, do not pulse until smooth.
- Cheese Sauce: Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add flour and mustard powder, while whisking constantly. After 1 minute, add the milk, continue whisking constantly. Cook until the sauce thickens and begins to bubble, about 3-5 minutes. Whisk in the half-and-half, salt and pepper. Add the cheddar cheese and stir until cheese melts. Remove sauce from heat.
- Topping: In a small bowl, combine 3 Tbs. melted butter, panko breadcrumbs and parsley. Mix. Set aside.
- Assembly: Add the cooked penne and sausage to the cheese sauce. Stir. Next, add the pureed greens. Stir until barely incorporated. Pour the mixture into a 9"x13" or (2) 9"x9" baking dish(es). Top evenly with panko breadcrumb mixture.
- Bake: Bake until bubbly and golden brown, 20-25 minutes.
Notes
FREEZER PREP INSTRUCTIONS: To freeze, follow recipe directions but DO NOT bake. Top the assembled casserole with aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. To serve, allow it to thaw overnight in the fridge and bake the following day at 350 degrees F until golden brown and cooked through, about 1 hour covered and an additional 15 minutes uncovered.
- Prep Time: 35 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Main Meals
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: Casserole
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/12
- Calories: 428
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 392.6 mg
- Fat: 29.9 g
- Carbohydrates: 24.2 g
- Protein: 16.2 g
- Cholesterol: 71.1 mg
RECIPES LIKE GREEN PASTA BAKE:
- Easy Instant Pot Chicken Enchiladas
- Chicken Sausage Flatbread Pizza
- Monterey Chicken Sandwiches with Potato Wedges
- Chipotle Chicken Sheet Pan Quesadillas
- 20 Minute Bacon Honey Mustard Bowls
Let’s Be Friends:
You can find Simply Sissom on Instagram where I share even more recipes (some that aren’t on the blog), behind the scenes pics and videos AND tips and tricks to make healthy eating realistic for your busy family.
Did you make this recipe? If you tried the recipe, I would love to see it and have you share! Tag me @simplysissom using the hashtag #simplysissom.
Gianni Chilorio
Found exactly what I was looking for . Italian cuisine is on my mind during this lockdown and I am definitely trying this out. Thank you for sharing such a wonderful recipe.