Easy Cheesy Bacon Mushroom Pasta Bake

heavy cream

🥗Healthier: Greek yogurt

💰Cheaper: milk + cornstarch

Greek yogurt reduces calories while maintaining creaminess

cheddar cheese

🥗Healthier: reduced-fat cheese

💰Cheaper: monterey jack cheese

Monterey jack is often less expensive and melts well.

Chop 250 g of fresh mushrooms into small pieces.

Cook 16 oz of bacon in a skillet over medium heat for about 4-5 minutes until crispy, rendering out the fat.

Separate the excess fat from the cooked bacon, leaving the crispy bacon pieces in the skillet.

In a medium-sized pan, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over low heat, adding a little olive oil to prevent burning.

Add 1/2 cup of diced onion and 2 teaspoons of minced garlic to the pan; season with 1 teaspoon each of salt and black pepper, and 1 teaspoon of dried thyme. Cook for about 4 minutes until softened.

Add the chopped mushrooms to the pan and cook for another 4-5 minutes until they release moisture and soften.

Stir in 2 tablespoons of flour, cooking for about 4 minutes while stirring constantly to avoid a raw flour taste.

Gradually add 4 cups of full fat milk, starting with 2 cups and stirring until thickened, then adding more milk cup by cup until reaching desired consistency.

Once the sauce is thickened, blend it until smooth to create a creamy mushroom sauce.

Add 1 cup of cheddar cheese to the sauce along with the crispy bacon, stirring over low heat for 2-3 minutes until melted and combined.

Preheat the oven to the highest setting.

In a baking dish, combine the cooked penne pasta with the creamy mushroom sauce, mixing gently.

Top the pasta mixture with additional cheddar cheese, using as much as desired.

Bake in the preheated oven for 8-10 minutes until the cheese is browned and bubbly.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Allergens