Creamy Macaroni Spinach Bake Recipes

SPINACH BEEF MACARONI BAKE

Steps:

• Cook macaroni according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large Dutch oven, cook the beef, onions, carrots and celery over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Add the tomatoes, salt, garlic powder, pepper and oregano. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 30 minutes or until vegetables are tender. , Drain macaroni; add macaroni and spinach to beef mixture. Pour into two greased 3-qt. baking dishes. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until heated through.

CREAMY SPINACH AND PEPPERONI BAKED PASTA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until golden, about 2 minutes. Add both cans of the tomatoes and 1 cup of water. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat slightly and simmer rapidly, uncovered, until thickened, 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in the ricotta and season with salt and pepper.
• While the sauce simmers, heat the remaining tablespoon oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the pepperoni and cook, stirring occasionally, until it just starts to crisp, about 4 minutes. Add the spinach and stir, breaking up the clumps, just to warm. Transfer to a large bowl.
• Cook the rigatoni in the salted boiling water until very al dente, about 2 minutes less than the package directions. Drain the pasta and add it to the bowl.
• Add the tomato sauce, half each of the Asiago and pecorino to the bowl and stir well to combine. Transfer the pasta to a 3- to 4-quart baking dish and top with the remaining Asiago and pecorino. Bake, uncovered, until browned, about 15 minutes. Let the pasta rest for about 10 minutes before serving.

CHEESY SPAGHETTI AND SPINACH CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 13x9-inch (3-quart) baking dish with cooking spray.
• Cook spaghetti to al dente as directed on package. Drain spaghetti, and add it back to the hot pan.
• Meanwhile, in 2-quart saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Stir in garlic; cook 1 minute. Stir in flour, pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is smooth and bubbly. Gradually beat in milk with whisk. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly; boil and stir 1 minute. Remove from heat; beat in Parmesan cheese and spinach with whisk, then beat in eggs.
• Toss cheese sauce with hot spaghetti, and add half of the mixture to the baking dish. Spread 1 1/2 cups of the tomato basil pasta sauce over mixture; sprinkle with 1 1/2 cups of the mozzarella cheese. Add remaining half of spaghetti mixture, remaining tomato basil pasta sauce and remaining 1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese.
• Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until heated through and cheese is melted and lightly browned on top. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

CREAMY SPINACH & RIGATONI BAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°. Cook rigatoni according to package directions., Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook pancetta over medium heat until crisp, stirring occasionally. Remove with a slotted spoon; drain on paper towels. Discard drippings; wipe skillet clean., In same pan, heat butter over medium-high heat. Add onion; cook and stir until tender. Stir in flour, salt and pepper until blended; gradually whisk in milk. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly; cook and stir until thickened, 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in cheese blend until melted., Stir in artichokes, spinach and pancetta. Drain rigatoni; add to cheese sauce. Transfer to a greased 13x9-in. baking dish; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese., Bake, uncovered, until golden brown and bubbly, 20-25 minutes.

SPINACH MAC AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with 1 teaspoon butter.
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook elbow macaroni in the boiling water, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 8 minutes.
• Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a saucepan over medium heat while macaroni is cooking. Add flour and whisk until fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Pour in a little milk and continue whisking. Pour in remaining milk and add frozen spinach. Cook, whisking constantly, until spinach softens and sauce thickens, about 5 minutes.
• Remove sauce from heat and stir in 2 cups Cheddar cheese; whisk until melted. Season sauce with salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
• Drain macaroni and spread evenly in the prepared baking dish. Cover with cheese sauce. Mix well. Sprinkle remaining 1 cup Cheddar cheese on top.
• Bake in the preheated oven until cheese is melted, about 30 minutes. Turn on the oven's broiler and broil until a golden crust forms on top, about 3 minutes.

QUICK & CREAMY MACARONI & CHEESE WITH SPINACH

Steps:

• Cook macaroni as directed on package, omitting salt.
• Meanwhile, heat 1 Tbsp. oil in large saucepan on medium heat. Add spinach and garlic; cook and stir 3 min. or until spinach is wilted. Spoon into bowl; set aside.
• Heat remaining oil in same saucepan. Whisk in flour; cook and stir 1 min. Gradually whisk in milk; cook and stir 3 to 5 min. or until thickened. Add cheeses; cook and stir 2 to 3 min. or until shredded cheese is melted.
• Drain macaroni. Add to cheese sauce along with the spinach; cook and stir 3 min. or until heated through.

CREAMY PASTA BAKE WITH CHERRY TOMATOES AND BASIL

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add penne and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 11 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup of cooking water.
• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and cook onion until soft and translucent while penne is cooking, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook an additional 30 seconds. Stir in tomato sauce and tomato paste and cook until slightly reduced, about 5 minutes. Add cream and Parmesan cheese and season with salt, pepper, and sugar.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease a baking dish.
• Stir some pasta cooking water into the sauce and add cooked penne. Remove from heat and stir in cherry tomatoes, 1/2 the mozzarella cheese, and basil. Pour penne mixture into the prepared baking dish and cover with remaining mozzarella cheese.
• Bake in the preheated oven until cheese is melted, about 20 minutes.

CREAMY MACARONI SPINACH BAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease a 13 x 9 casserole dish; set aside.
• Cook macaroni according to package; drain.
• Place hot, drained macaroni in a large bowl and toss with butter and softened cream cheese.
• Add all remaining ingredients to the bowl and gently mix together well.
• Pour into the prepared casserole dish.
• Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes.

CREAMY SPINACH PASTA CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Put a pan of water to boil, when boiled add salt or seasoning and about 2 tbsp oil then pasta. dont over cook. AL DENTE!
• At the same time (1) is on the fire. Put a saucepan on the fire, add about 3 tbsp olive oil, saute onions, garlic for 1 minute, do not brown! Add the dill, spinach, seasoning and mushrooms. Saute for about 4-5 minutes on medium heat. Just enough to cook through and evaporate any excess liquid from the spinach or mushrooms. Make sure it does not 'fry', just lightly cook/saute. Remove from heat and leave to cool.
• Drain pasta and pour into casserole dish, spread out at bottom of dish. The pasta should be about the height of half the dish.
• Top the pasta with the feta, evenly ditribute to make sure that each serving has some cheese. Then top with spinach mixture. Evenly distribute.
• Microwave the milk on the lowest heat for 2 minutes Check to see if its warm. The temperature we want the milk to be is heated but not Boiling.
• Preheat the oven to 165C/ 320°F.
• In a pot, melt the butter, do not burn, on low heat. Add the flour. Stir well, about 1 minute (during this time make sure the milk is heated enough or else blast it on high for 20 seconds). Add the heated milk to the pot, a quarter at a time. Each time mix well till it is as smooth as you can manage before adding more milk. About 30 seconds for each addition of milk - yes that quick. Add the nutmeg, salt, pepper and let it simmer on medium heat for another 2 minute while still stirring. This should leave you with quite a light, slightly watery white sauce (BECHAMEL) - which is what we want.
• Pour the white sauce evenly over the spinach. Use a chopstick or butterknife and just lightly poke through the dish and wiggle about to allow some of the white sauce to get to the bottom layer. About 12 spots around the dish if you need to know. Sprinkle the grated cheese evenly over the top.
• Put the casserole dish into the preheated oven. Middle of the oven or so, not to high, dont want the cheese to start to brown before the time is up. If your oven tends to burn the top move the dish lower. Anyway as each oven is different the top of the dish should start to puff up at about 40 mins into cook time. If its not starting to brown at all at this time just increase temp to 175C/350F for the last 15-20mins. Top should be slightly browned all over.
• 10. Remove and leave to cool. Never serve immediately. Best served about 30-45 mins after removing from oven. Believe me, it will still be more than warm.

SPINACH-MACARONI & CHEESE BAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F.
• Add spinach to large pan of boiling water; cook 1 to 2 min. or just until wilted. Drain in colander. Use same pan to cook macaroni as directed on package, omitting salt. Meanwhile, melt margarine in separate large pan on medium heat. Add garlic and flour; cook and stir 1 min. Whisk in milk; bring to boil, stirring constantly. Add 2-1/4 cups cheese; cook and stir until melted. Stir in pepper.
• Squeeze excess water from spinach; chop finely. Drain macaroni. Add to cheese sauce; stir until evenly coated. Spoon half the macaroni mixture into 13x9-inch baking dish sprayed with cooking spray; cover with spinach. Top with remaining macaroni mixture and shredded cheese.
• Bake 30 min. or until golden brown. Let stand 10 min. before serving.