Creamy Mushroom Pasta Bake

5 from 17 votes

Ultra creamy baked combination of rigatoni, roasted mushrooms, baby spinach, thyme, Fontina, and ricotta.

Prep Time15

Cook Time45

Total Time1

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Servings:

Preheat oven to 450f and set one rack to the second-lowest position and the other to the middle of the oven. Toss mushrooms with olive oil, thyme, salt, and pepper. Spread out mushrooms on a baking sheet and roast on the lower rack for 15-20 minutes or until well browned. Don't overcrowd the mushrooms. Use two sheets if necessary.
Meanwhile, bring a pot of salted water (2 tablespoons kosher salt) to boil and cook the rigatoni until very al dente. About 2 minutes less than package instructions.
Cook spinach for 30 seconds in boiling water and drain. Once able to handle, squeeze the water out then chop. In a large bowl mix together the spinach, nutmeg, heavy cream, ricotta, Fontina cheese, 1/4 cup Parmigiano Reggiano, garlic, and the roasted mushrooms.
Add the pasta to the bowl and mix once more. Taste test and adjust salt and pepper to taste. Place contents of the bowl in a 9 by 13 baking dish. Top with the remaining Parmigiano and bake for 15 minutes covered. Covering with parchment paper then foil will prevent sticking.
After 15 minutes remove covering and bake for 5 minutes more until golden. For even more color broil for the last 1-2 minutes but watch very carefully.
Wait 15 minutes before serving so that the cheese settles. Enjoy!

The recipe makes 4 very large or 6 normal size servings.
Undercook the pasta by about 2-3 minutes, since it will cook longer in the oven.
Mozzarella, soft provolone, or swiss can all be substituted for Fontina cheese.
Make sure to drain the spinach by squeezing the water out. This will prevent the baked pasta from becoming too liquidy.
Placing parchment paper then foil over the pasta will ensure no sticking.
Leftovers can be saved for up to 3 days and can be reheated in the microwave.