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Home Budget recipe: Pasta casserole with broccoli

Budget recipe: Pasta casserole with broccoli

Name: Budget recipe: Pasta casserole with broccoli
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Italian-inspired
Ingredients: 400 g penne; 500 g broccoli; 40 g butter; 40 g flour; 600 ml whole milk; 150 g grated mature cheese; 0.5 tsp nutmeg; 1 tsp salt; 0.5 tsp black pepper

Budget Vegetarian Weeknight Family Pasta Casserole

This pasta casserole proves that good food doesn’t have to be expensive. Broccoli, pasta, cheese and a simple cream sauce come together in a dish that makes the whole table happy. You make it in one casserole dish, which also saves on washing up. The golden-brown cheese crust on top finishes it off. Ideal for families, but also great if you want to meal-prep for the week.

x_ckl_recipe_markerBudget recipe: Pasta casserole with broccoli A creamy pasta casserole with broccoli that costs little but delivers big flavour. Perfect for weeknights when you want to get everyone to the table without fuss. How do you make a pasta casserole with broccoli? Main course Italian-inspired 4 servings 20 min 25 min 5 min 50 min

Preheat the oven to 200°C (conventional heat). That way the oven is ready as soon as the dish goes in.
Cook the penne in plenty of salted water 2 minutes less than the package indicates. The pasta will finish cooking in the oven, so intentionally undercooking prevents it from becoming too soft.
Break the broccoli into small florets. Add them to the boiling pasta water for the last 3 minutes, then drain everything and set aside.
Make the sauce: melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the flour and cook this mixture for 1 minute, stirring, so the sauce won’t taste floury. Gradually pour in the milk while stirring. Let the sauce thicken over low heat for 3 to 4 minutes until it reaches the consistency of thin yogurt. It can seem a bit thinner than you expect, because it will thicken further in the oven.
Remove the pan from the heat. Stir half of the grated cheese into the warm sauce and season with salt, pepper and nutmeg.
Spoon the drained pasta and broccoli into the casserole dish. Pour the cheese sauce over and fold everything gently so the sauce is evenly distributed and every penne is coated.
Scatter the remaining grated cheese evenly over the top. A generous layer of cheese gives that crisp, golden crust a casserole is all about.
Place the casserole in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until the cheese is bubbling and golden. Not browned enough after 20 minutes? Switch the grill on for the last 2 to 3 minutes for an extra-crispy top.
Let the dish rest out of the oven for 5 minutes before serving. The sauce will settle slightly, so the portions hold together better and you won’t burn your tongue.

Budget Vegetarian Weeknight Family Pasta Casserole 400 g penne 500 g broccoli 40 g butter 40 g flour 600 ml whole milk 150 g grated mature cheese 0.5 tsp nutmeg 1 tsp salt 0.5 tsp black pepper Casserole dish Large cooking pot Saucepan Colander Wooden spoon or whisk Sauce pan saucepan Colander colander Cooking Pot cooking-pot Cosy & Trendy Oven dish - Black - 24 x 15 x 5 cm Cosy & Trendy ["Ovenschaal"] Cosy & Trendy Small Baking Dish / Serving Dish Stoneware Fontestic Green Heron - 16 x 10 x 3.5 cm / 350 ml Cosy & Trendy Ovenschaal Emile Henry Oven dish - Argile - 22 x 14 cm / 700 ml Emile Henry ["Ovenschaal"] Cosy & Trendy Oven Dish Stoneware Fontestic Green Heron - 34 x 21 x 5.5 cm / 2.3 Liter Cosy & Trendy Ovenschaal Greek minced meat casserole with feta and tomato foodies-greek-minced-meat-casserole-with-feta-and-tomato Budget recipe: Loaded nachos from the oven foodies-budget-recipe-loaded-nachos-from-the-oven Gratin Dauphinois with smoked salmon and spinach foodies-gratin-dauphinois-with-smoked-salmon-and-spinach Greek spanakopita with spinach and feta foodies-greek-spanakopita-with-spinach-and-feta

Recipe

Budget recipe: Pasta casserole with broccoli

A creamy pasta casserole with broccoli that costs little but delivers big flavour. Perfect for weeknights when you want to get everyone to the table without fuss.

Course	Main course
Kitchen	Italian-inspired
Servings	4 servings

Preparation time

Preparation time	20 min
Time in oven	25 min
Stiffen up min.	5 min
Total	50 min

Equipment

Casserole dish
Large cooking pot
Saucepan
Colander
Wooden spoon or whisk

Ingredients

400 g penne
500 g broccoli
40 g butter
40 g flour
600 ml whole milk
150 g grated mature cheese
0.5 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp salt
0.5 tsp black pepper

How do you make a pasta casserole with broccoli?

Preheat the oven to 200°C (conventional heat). That way the oven is ready as soon as the dish goes in.
Cook the penne in plenty of salted water 2 minutes less than the package indicates. The pasta will finish cooking in the oven, so intentionally undercooking prevents it from becoming too soft.
Break the broccoli into small florets. Add them to the boiling pasta water for the last 3 minutes, then drain everything and set aside.
Make the sauce: melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the flour and cook this mixture for 1 minute, stirring, so the sauce won’t taste floury. Gradually pour in the milk while stirring. Let the sauce thicken over low heat for 3 to 4 minutes until it reaches the consistency of thin yogurt. It can seem a bit thinner than you expect, because it will thicken further in the oven.
Remove the pan from the heat. Stir half of the grated cheese into the warm sauce and season with salt, pepper and nutmeg.
Spoon the drained pasta and broccoli into the casserole dish. Pour the cheese sauce over and fold everything gently so the sauce is evenly distributed and every penne is coated.
Scatter the remaining grated cheese evenly over the top. A generous layer of cheese gives that crisp, golden crust a casserole is all about.
Place the casserole in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until the cheese is bubbling and golden. Not browned enough after 20 minutes? Switch the grill on for the last 2 to 3 minutes for an extra-crispy top.
Let the dish rest out of the oven for 5 minutes before serving. The sauce will settle slightly, so the portions hold together better and you won’t burn your tongue.

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Overcooking the pasta is the most common mistake with casseroles. Keep it al dente, even a little firmer than usual, because it will continue to cook in the sauce in the oven. The sauce may look thinner than you expect after cooking on the stove: once the dish is in the oven for 20 minutes it will thicken nicely. Using a deep dish? You may need an extra 5 minutes baking time. Is the cheese browning too fast? Cover the dish with aluminium foil for the first 15 minutes and remove it afterwards.

Want to vary it? Add cubes of smoked chicken or ham to the filling for a heartier version. Cauliflower works excellently as a substitute for broccoli, or use a mix of both. For a sharper flavour stir a teaspoon of mustard into the sauce before pouring it over the pasta. Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to two days. Reheat best in the oven at 180°C for 15 minutes to keep the crust crispy. You can use the microwave too, but the cheese topping will become a bit softer in texture.

Related products

Cosy & Trendy Oven dish - Black - 24 x 15 x 5 cm

Cosy & Trendy Small Baking Dish / Serving Dish Stoneware Fontestic Green Heron - 16 x 10 x 3.5 cm / 350 ml

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~~€19,99~~ €13,99

-30%

Emile Henry Oven dish - Argile - 22 x 14 cm / 700 ml

In stock

€28,90

Cosy & Trendy Oven Dish Stoneware Fontestic Green Heron - 34 x 21 x 5.5 cm / 2.3 Liter

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Sauce pan

Colander

Cooking Pot

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