This Creamy Mushroom Pasta Bake features crispy bacon, spicy Thai chilies, earthy cremini mushrooms, baby kale, tender rigatoni, all enveloped in a luscious cream sauce. Topped with a layer of mozzarella and parmesan cheese, then broiled until the cheese is gooey and the edges are browned and crispy.
Easy to prepare in under 30 minutes and perfect for a cozy night in.
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Ingredients
- Kosher salt
- Bacon
- Butter
- Thai chilies
- Cremini mushrooms,
- Olive oil
- Dry white wine (or chicken broth)
- Garlic cloves
- 35% cream
- Fresh parsley
- fresh thyme
- Baby kale, chopped
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Rigatoni pasta
- Mozzarella
- Parmesan cheese
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Fill an 8-quart stock pot ⅔ full with water, add the tablespoon of salt and bring to a boil. Add the pasta to a pasta strainer and cook as per the package directions.
TIP: I like to cook the pasta, so the timing allows it to be drained directly into the mushroom sauce. My 11-minute pasta was added to the boiling water while the mushrooms cooked before the wine was added to the pan.
Add the bacon to a large sauté pan or small rondeau, then cook over medium heat until crispy. 4 to 5 minutes. Then using a slotted spoon, transfer to a paper towel lined plate. Set aside to soak up the drippings.
Add the butter to the pan, then the chilies, and the mushrooms. Drizzle with the oil and stir thoroughly to coat. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until the mushrooms are nicely browned.
Pour in the wine and deglaze the pan, scraping up any of the bacon remnants. Continue to cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
With a rack in the bottom half of the oven, preheat the broiler.
Add the garlic to the pan, stir, and cook for 2 minutes. Pour in the cream, then add the parsley and thyme. Reduce heat to low.
Add the chopped kale, stir to combine, then simmer until the mushrooms are tender and sauce has slightly thickened. 4 to 5 minutes. Taste, then season with salt and pepper if required.
Add the drained pasta, and bacon into the pan and stir until the pasta is well coated. Sprinkle the mozzarella and parmesan cheese evenly over the pasta and mushroom mixture.
Broil until cheese is melted, bubbling and slightly browned. 3-5 minutes.
Serve immediately and enjoy.
Watch how this easy mushroom pasta bake was made here.
Equipment used
This mushroom and bacon pasta bake was made in the Hestan Culinary Thomas Keller 6QT Rondeau, the Probond 8QT Stockpot and the Provisions Pasta Insert. Proud Hestan Ambassador. Opinions in this post are my own.
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If you get the chance to try this Creamy Mushroom Pasta Bake recipe please drop back and leave us a comment and rating here. We would love to know what you think! Thanks Elaine & James 🙂
📖 Recipe
Creamy Mushroom Pasta Bake
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 6 ounces 170 g bacon, diced
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 3 Thai chilies left on the stem, split lengthwise, seeds removed. Optional
- 12 ounces 340 g cremini mushrooms, washed and dried well. Leave small mushroom whole and cut large mushrooms in half or quarters
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ cup dry white wine or chicken broth
- 4 cloves garlic diced
- 1 ½ cups 400 ml 35% cream
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley
- 1 teaspoon fresh chopped thyme
- 5 oz baby kale chopped
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 12 ounces 340 g rigatoni pasta
- ½ cup fresh grated mozzarella
- ¼ cup fresh grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Fill an 8-quart stock pot ⅔ full with water, add the tablespoon of salt and bring to a boil. Add the pasta to a pasta strainer and cook as per the package directions.
- TIP: I like to cook the pasta, so the timing allows it to be drained directly into the mushroom sauce. My 11-minute pasta was added to the boiling water while the mushrooms cooked before the wine was added to the pan.
- Add the bacon to a large sauté pan or small rondeau, then cook over medium heat until crispy. 4 to 5 minutes. Then using a slotted spoon, transfer to a paper towel lined plate. Set aside to soak up the drippings.
- Add the butter to the pan, then the chilies, and the mushrooms. Drizzle with the oil and stir thoroughly to coat. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until the mushrooms are nicely browned.
- Pour in the wine and deglaze the pan, scraping up any of the bacon remnants. Continue to cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. With a rack in the bottom half of the oven, preheat the broiler.
- Add the garlic to the pan, stir, and cook for 2 minutes. Pour in the cream, then add the parsley and thyme. Reduce heat to low.
- Add the chopped kale, stir to combine, then simmer until the mushrooms are tender and sauce has slightly thickened. 4 to 5 minutes. Taste, then season with salt and pepper if required.
- Add the drained pasta, and bacon into the pan and stir until the pasta is well coated. Sprinkle the mozzarella and parmesan cheese evenly over the pasta and mushroom mixture.
- Broil until cheese is melted, bubbling and slightly browned. 3-5 minutes.
- Serve immediately and enjoy.
- Please take a moment to rate this recipe below. We would greatly appreciate it!
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