Baked Penne with Squash and Goat Cheese

goat cheese

🥗Healthier: feta cheese

💰Cheaper: ricotta cheese

Feta provides a similar tangy flavor, while ricotta is often less expensive.

parmesan cheese

🥗Healthier: nutritional yeast

💰Cheaper: grated pecorino

Nutritional yeast offers a cheesy flavor with fewer calories.

Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C).

Cook penne pasta in boiling water for 6 minutes until slightly undercooked.

In a deep skillet, melt 4 tablespoons of butter over high heat.

Add 2 chopped shallots to the skillet and sauté until fragrant.

Stir in 1/4 cup of flour and cook for a few minutes to remove the raw flour taste.

Gradually add 4 cups of whole milk, stirring continuously until incorporated.

Allow the mixture to thicken for a few minutes.

Add 1/4 teaspoon of red pepper flakes (or Aleppo pepper) to the sauce.

Cut the delicata squash into half moons with the skin on and add to the sauce.

Add 8 ounces of goat cheese to the sauce, stirring until melted.

Add 1 cup of mozzarella cheese to the sauce, reserving 1/2 cup for topping later.

Incorporate the cooked penne pasta into the sauce.

Add 1 cup of steamed baby broccoli and wilted spinach to the mixture.

Mix in some fresh grated Parmesan cheese to the noodles before stirring everything together.

Taste the mixture and adjust salt as needed.

Transfer the pasta mixture into a greased baking dish.

Top with reserved mozzarella and panko breadcrumbs mixed with a little olive oil.

Bake in the oven until golden and bubbly.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary

Allergens