Pasta and Cheese Bake With Spinach Recipe

Name: Pasta and Cheese Bake With Spinach
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 55 min
Ingredients: 8 ounces pasta (twists, mini penne, etc.); 8 to 10 ounces fresh baby spinach leaves; 3 tablespoons butter; 3 tablespoons flour; 1 1/2 cups low-fat milk; 1/4 teaspoon dried leaf basil; 1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste); Dash pepper (or to taste); 2 cups mozzarella cheese (shredded); 1 cup soft bread crumbs; 2 tablespoons butter (melted)

Prep: 20 mins

Cook: 35 mins

Total: 55 mins

Servings: 6 servings

Yield: 1 casserole

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Pasta and cheese bakes are not only the epitome of comfort food, they are also very easy to make. It’s no wonder they are favorite dishes to bring to a potluck, for large gatherings when you have to feed a crowd, or for a holiday when preparing some dishes ahead of time is the only way to get everything done on time.

This vegetarian pasta and cheese bake surely checks all those boxes. It uses baby spinach leaves which are so tender that they don’t require trimming or chopping or additional cooking and you can add them whole right to the sauce where they wilt in no time.

For a vegetarian dinner, serve this pasta casserole with a simple green salad. Or serve it as a special side dish along with grilled or baked chicken, shrimp, or chops. For a non-vegetarian variation, add 1 to 2 cups of diced cooked ham or chicken.

Instead of plain breadcrumbs, Italian-style seasoned breadcrumbs go well with the spinach and pasta combination.

To make this casserole ahead, prepare the sauce and assemble the ingredients but don’t add the bread crumb topping. Cover the dish tightly with foil and refrigerate it for one to two days. Preheat the oven and take the dish out of the fridge at the same time to let it warm up at room temperature. Remove the foil, scatter the bread crumb mixture on top and bake as described in the recipe.

You can store leftovers in the fridge for two to three days in an airtight container. Reheat them in the microwave or in the oven.

8 ounces pasta, such as twists, mini penne, etc.
8 to 10 ounces fresh baby spinach leaves
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups low-fat milk
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
Dash freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup soft breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Heat oven to 350 F. Lightly grease an 8-inch-square baking dish, or spray with cooking spray.
Cook pasta in boiling salted water following package directions; drain, and rinse with hot water.
Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, heat butter over medium-low heat. Stir in flour until smooth and bubbly. Add the milk, and continue cooking, stirring, until thickened.
Add the basil and the salt and pepper to taste.
Stir in the spinach leaves until wilted; stir in the hot drained pasta.
Stir in the mozzarella cheese until well blended. Spoon the pasta mixture into the prepared baking dish.
In a bowl, toss breadcrumbs with the melted butter; sprinkle over the pasta mixture.
Bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until nicely browned and hot.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
435	Calories
18g	Fat
51g	Carbs
18g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories	435
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 18g	22%
Saturated Fat 10g	50%
Cholesterol 47mg	16%
Sodium 496mg	22%
Total Carbohydrate 51g	19%
Dietary Fiber 3g	12%
Total Sugars 6g
Protein 18g
Vitamin C 5mg	23%
Calcium 390mg	30%
Iron 4mg	23%
Potassium 477mg	10%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.