one pan cheesy broccoli pesto pasta bake
This ‘un is a good ‘un. I quite deplaned the pasta jet for a time, but I think this guy kicked up my liking for the shapely glutenous fiend. Lots of cheese, homemade broccoli pesto – a surprising addition that I really cannot recommend enough! – and a creamy simple bechamel sauce to bring it together.
Appearances deceive. This pasta looks complex on its cheesy exterior, but only the béchamel (fancy word for cream sauce) and the pesto need attention and you can replace the broccoli pesto with a storebought jar if you wish. I really encourage you to try the homemade route, however. You sneak in more vegetables this way and have more control over flavor profiles, two parts beneficial if picky eaters or veggie haters – read, children – live in your household. After that, you merely later in a few additional components and top it off with cubes of soft mozzarella before covering and baking for awhile.
This dish stands alone just fine, but a simple salad with tomatoes and carrots is a dandy right hand man. Multiple servings arise from this fixture so you can easily feed a small crowd or have leftovers to munch on at the desk during the week. Quite frankly, as I type I’m running off four hours of sleep, and this is the type of supper I’d whip up with only half or less of a functional brain.
Tried this guy out? Leave a comment and let me know what you think! I’m always hanging around Instagram for comments and hellos, so find me, tag me, and say hi if you pass by.
Ingredients
cheesy broccoli pesto pasta bake
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp all purpose flour
- 1 1/4 cup oat milk (or heavy cream or whole milk)
- 2 cups shredded asiago or parmesan cheese
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- kosher salt and pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup broccoli sage pesto (recipe below!)
- 10 ounces frozen spinach, thawed and drained of excess water
- 2 tbsp fresh oregano, chopped
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- 8 ounces rigatoni pasta (ziti also works!)
- 1 cup vegetable broth or water
- 6-8 ounces fresh mozzarella, cubed
broccoli sage pesto
- 2 cups broccoli florets
- 1/2 cup cashews
- 1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/3 cup fresh sage
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- kosher salt and pepper
- water, to thin, as needed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Make broccoli pesto. Simply combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor and pulse until a smooth blend forms. Taste for salt and pepper as needed. Pour into a covered jar or food storage container and set aside.
- Heat butter over medium in a small saucepan. Whisk flour into butter until no chunks remain, then slowly pour in milk, whisking constantly. Bring to a gentle boil and whisk until the sauce thickens, then add cheese and garlic powder. Mix until cheese melts, and add salt and pepper as desired. Remove from heat.
- To a large casserole dish, add broccoli pesto, oregano, spinach, water, and bechamel sauce. Swirl with a spoon until combined, then pour in pasta and spread evenly across the casserole dish. Press pasta into liquid to submerge. Dot top of the pasta with mozzarella cheese.
- Cover dish tightly with foil and bake in preheated oven for 40 minutes – pasta will be slightly firmer than al dente at this point. Remove foil and bake an additional 10 minutes or until pasta is tender to your liking. You might need an additional 2-5 minutes if you prefer a softer texture. Turn on broiler for 2-3 minutes until mozzarella browns slightly. Remove from oven and let cool 5 minutes. Serve and enjoy!
