Best Baked Penne And Cheese With Spinach Recipes

BAKED PENNE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
• Cook pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water just until al dente, about 9 minutes. Drain and return to pot. Stir in marinara sauce and toss to coat.
• In a medium bowl, stir together ricotta, eggs and Parmesan cheese. Add basil, salt, garlic powder and pepper; stir to combine.
• Layer half of the pasta mixture in the prepared baking dish. Spread the ricotta mixture evenly over the pasta. Spoon the remaining pasta over the ricotta. Sprinkle mozzarella on top.
• Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes (or until hot and bubbly).

BAKED PENNE WITH THREE CHEESES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Prepare the penne rigate according to the package directions, minus 1 or 2 minutes of cooking time (see Cook's Note). Drain, then pour the pasta into a 9-by-13-inch glass baking pan.
• In a 4-quart saucepan, melt the butter on medium-low heat. Whisk in the flour until it's dissolved. Add the cream to the saucepan. Add the nutmeg, seasoned salt, and black pepper and whisk the mixture until it's warmed through.
• Reduce the heat to low, and add the mozzarella, Cheddar, and Parmigiano-Reggiano. Stir until you have a smooth cheese sauce.
• Pour the sauce over the pasta and top with the breadcrumbs.
• Bake for about 40 minutes, until the top turns a golden brown.

AWESOME PENNE SPINACH BAKE

Steps:

• Set oven to 350 degrees.
• Grease a 13" x 9" baking pan.
• Cook the pasta only to firm-tender (don't overcook, as the pasta will cook more when baked in the oven) according to package directions (omit the salt in the water); drain, set aside.
• In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, melt the butter over med-high heat.
• Add in the chopped onion (if using) and the garlic; saute for 5 minutes.
• Whisk in the flour, thyme, nutmeg and black pepper; cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
• Gradually whisk in the half and half; cook for 4 minutes, until thick and bubbly.
• Add in the grated Swiss cheese, and the Parmesan cheese; mix well over low heat, until the cheese has melted, and the sauce is hot and bubbly; remove the saucepan from the heat.
• In a large bowl, combine the cream/cheese sauce, 1/2 cup of the remaining Swiss cheese (it is not necessery to add the remaining 1/2 cup cheese, you may omit if desired), chopped tomato, and the spinach; stir well.
• Spoon the mixture into a prepared greased baking pan.
• In a small bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, melted butter and the Parmesan cheese.
• Sprinkle the mixture over the casserole in the baking pan.
• Bake for 30 minutes, or until hot and bubbly.
• Note: this recipes calls for NO salt, as the grated Parmesan cheese produces enough salty taste, but if you do choose to add salt, add just a small amount (to taste with the cream sauce) at a time, otherwise it tends to get too salty.

BAKED PENNE AND CHEESE WITH SPINACH

Steps:

• Cook the pasta in salted boiling water until it is very al dente.
• (You want it slightly undercooked.) Drain well and toss with a drizzle of oil to prevent it sticking.
• Melt butter in a large saute pan over medium heat; add onion and mushrooms, and saute for about 5 minutes.
• Sprinkle evenly with flour and stir until the flour is incorporated.
• Slowly stir in milk and cook, stirring constantly, for five to seven minutes.
• Add 1 1/2 cup of the cheese, salt to taste, cream, pepper, and nutmeg.
• Cook and stir until the cheese melts.
• In a large bowl, mix together the pasta and uncooked spinach leaves.
• Pour the hot sauce over and mix well.
• Spoon into a buttered casserole large enough to hold or into a buttered 9x13 baking pan.
• Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup cheddar, cover with lid or foil.
• Bake at 375 for 40 minutes, removing the lid/foil for the last 10 minutes.

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.

CHICKEN, SPINACH, AND CHEESE PASTA BAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil; add penne and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 11 minutes. Drain.
• Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Saute onion in hot oil until tender, 5 to 7 minutes.
• Mix penne pasta, onion, chicken, diced tomatoes, spinach, and cream cheese together in a baking dish until the cream cheese melts and coats everything. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese over the pasta mixture. Cover baking dish with aluminum foil.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking until heated through and beginning to brown along the edges, about 15 minutes more.