Creamy and indulgent, this blue cheese pasta bake is perfect comfort food. Pasta, spinach and mushrooms are smothered in a creamy blue cheese sauce and topped with crunchy panko breadcrumbs.
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A while back I made a delicious blue cheese pasta sauce which is one of my most popular recipes on the blog. I thought it was about time I adapted this delicious recipe into a comforting pasta bake that the whole family will love!
Made with Danish blue cheese, the cream based sauce is made from scratch with just a few ingredients. It's rich, without being overpowering, and is perfectly silky smooth. Packed with sautéed mushrooms and spinach for some veggie goodness, it's finished off with a crunchy garlic breadcrumb topping.
This blue cheese pasta bake was an instant hit with my family, and I know you are going to love it just as much!
Be sure to try my Tortellini Pasta Bake and Beef and Tomato Pasta Bake too!
Why you will love this recipe!
- Family friendly: Everyone tucked into this dish like it was going out of fashion, my 18 month old loved it!
- Made from scratch: This is a delicious home cooked dinner and you know exactly what is going into it.
- Simple ingredients: This recipe doesn't require a long list of ingredients to make, and they are all everyday items that you can get at any grocery store.
- Make ahead: This is a great dish to make once and enjoy the leftovers the next day!
- Dietary info: This recipe is vegetarian.
Ingredients
- Veggies: Mushrooms, spinach, onion and garlic.
- Butter: Use salted butter in this recipe.
- Cream: Use a 35% fat cream for a thick and creamy sauce.
- Blue Cheese: I used Danish Blue for this recipe, it's not super strong, but gives a wonderful flavor. Opt for stilton for a sharper taste, or use gorgonzola for a milder taste.
- Pasta: I used fusilli pasta for this recipe, the twirls hold the pasta sauce wonderfully. Small shells would also work great.
- Panko breadcrumbs: For the topping. These are mixed with some garlic butter and add a great crunchy texture.
- Salt, pepper and oil for cooking.
How to make a blue cheese pasta bake
Be sure to scroll down for the full recipe!
- Saute the spinach and mushrooms and set to one side (photo 1).
- Soften the garlic and onion (photo 2).
- Add in the cream and blue cheese (photo 3).
- Simmer til smooth and thickened (photo 4).
- Mix garlic and melted butter with panko breadcrumbs (photo 5).
- Mix together cooked pasta, mushrooms, spinach and blue cheese sauce. Top with breadcrumbs (photo 6).
- Bake til the top is golden brown and the sauce is bubbling (photo 7).
Recipe Variations
Honestly, this blue cheese pasta bake recipe is so yummy, there's not much I would change! I will say it is heavy on the garlic, so if you prefer a milder taste you can reduce the amount. The blue cheese taste is mild, so if you want to intensify that, you can definitely add in more to the sauce.
I love the mushrooms and spinach in this recipe, but you can easily add other veggies like bell peppers or peas. This dish is vegetarian, but some shredded chicken would make a great addition.
To make it more cheesy, you can add some parmesan to the breadcrumbs, or sprinkle the top with shredded cheese, or more blue cheese, before baking. Topping with crispy bacon would also work great!
Serving Suggestions
You can easily have a big bowl of this by itself, or make it go further by adding a simple side salad, cooked veggies or garlic bread. Any of these recipes will work great:
Make Ahead, Storage and Reheating
You can make up the pasta bake, then keep it covered in the fridge up to 2 days before you cook it.
Once cooked, leftovers will keep well in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat it in the oven at 360F / 180c for 20 to 30 minutes to warm it through to serve.
Frequently Asked Questions
I like to use fusilli pasta for this recipe as the twists capture and hold the sauce really well. Shells and bowtie pasta will work great too.
Yes! This works great with gluten-free pasta alternatives. Cook the pasta as per the box directions.
I don't recommend freezing this blue cheese pasta bake as it contains cream and it can alter the texture.
This creamy blue cheese pasta bake is a real treat! Wonderfully rich and flavorful it's the most perfect comfort food to enjoy with your family!
Recipe Notes and Tips
- Cook the pasta al dente. It will continue to cook in the oven when baked.
- Buy sliced mushrooms to cut down on prep time.
- For stronger blue cheese taste, you can use stilton, or add in extra blue cheese.
- This recipe is very garlic forward. You can use less garlic in the sauce if you prefer.
- Allow the sauce to slowly simmer for around 20 minutes. It doesn't need to be super thick, but it will allow some of the liquid to evaporate.
More Delicious Pasta Recipes
Blue Cheese Pasta Bake
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound dried fusili pasta (454g)
- 1 tablespoon oil (for cooking
- 1 pound white mushrooms sliced
- 9 ounces baby spinach (250g)
- salt and black pepper
For the blue cheese sauce
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 2 Spanish onions finely diced
- 4 garlic cloves finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon salt
- black pepper
- 2 cups 35% cream (473ml)
- 4½ ounces Danish blue cheese (125g)
For the garlic panko breadcrumbs
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs (30g)
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 2 garlic cloves minced
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain and set to one side.1 pound dried fusili pasta
- While the pasta is cooking, you can move on with the rest of the recipe.
- Heat the oil on a medium high heat on the stovetop. Once hot, add the mushrooms, and a little salt and pepper, and cook til browned.1 tablespoon oil, 1 pound white mushrooms, salt and black pepper
- Once browned, add in the spinach a handful at a time and stir to wilt it. Set to one side.9 ounces baby spinach
- Preheat the oven to 360F / 180c.
- To make the blue cheese sauce, heat the butter and oil in a skillet on a medium heat. Once melted, add in the onions, garlic, salt and black pepper. Cook to soften the onions, there is no need to color them.2 tablespoons butter, 1 tablespoon oil, 2 Spanish onions, 4 garlic cloves, ½ teaspoon salt, black pepper
- Add in the cream and blue cheese. Bring to a low simmer, and let cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.2 cups 35% cream, 4½ ounces Danish blue cheese
- Meanwhile, place the breadcrumbs in a bowl.½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- Put the butter, oil and garlic in a small pot on a low heat and let the butter melt.2 tablespoons butter, 1 tablespoon oil, 2 garlic cloves
- Pour the garlic butter over the breadcrumbs and mix well to coat.
- Place the cooked pasta into a casserole dish. Add the cooked spinach and mushrooms and pour over the sauce. Mix together so that everything is well combined. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs on top.
- Place in the preheated oven and bake for 30 to 40 minutes til the breadcrumbs are golden brown and the sauce is bubbling.
Notes
- Cook the pasta al dente. It will continue to cook in the oven when baked.
- Buy sliced mushrooms to cut down on prep time.
- For stronger blue cheese taste, you can use stilton, or add in extra blue cheese.
- This recipe is very garlic forward. You can use less garlic in the sauce if you prefer.
- Allow the sauce to slowly simmer for around 20 minutes. It doesn't need to be super thick, but it will allow some of the liquid to evaporate.
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