CREAM CHEESE PASTA BAKE

tray of baked spaghetti with tomato sauce, cream cheese and veggies such as broccoli and mushrooms

This Pasta Bake with cream cheese is the ultimate cozy, creamy comfort food your weeknight dinner routine needs. It’s rich, easy to make, and always a crowd-pleaser.

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 40

Total Time 50

Servings Servings

Ingredients

1 (300g) package Pasta of Choice*
1 (225g) block Cream Cheese
1 (325ml) jar Fresh Tomato Sauce* homemade or store-bought
1 head Broccoli chopped into tiny florets
1 (225g) package Mushrooms sliced
1 small White Onion diced
2 tbsp Italian Seasoning
1 Clove Garlic minced
2 tbsp Parmesan Cheese freshly grated
2 tbsp Heavy Cream
2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper to taste

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F.
In a small saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and saute for a few minutes, until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, an additional minute or two. Add the tomato sauce and cook, on low heat, until heated through. Add the heavy cream and stir occassionally on very low heat until ready to use.
Cook pasta according to directions on the package.
At the same time, boil the broccoli florets for 7 minutes. Saute the mushrooms over medium heat using the other tbsp of olive oil until cooked through, about 3 minutes.
Drain the pasta and put back in the pot. Add the cream cheese (leaving aside a few dallops for the top), italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Stir (I carefully used my hands) until the cheese is melted and all the pasta is coated thoroughly. Add the cooked broccoli and mushrooms and mix until combined.
In a rectangular baking dish, lay the spaghetti mixture down. Dallop the remaining cream cheese in the corners and middle of the pasta. Cover with tomato sauce, sprinkle with salt, pepper and parmesan and bake for 30 minutes!

Notes

You can use any pasta you like. I used organic spaghetti.

Not vegetarian? Swap in this all-purpose meat sauce for extra flavour. Sticking with tomato sauce? Try making your own from scratch—it’s easier than you think!

Nutrition