White Cheddar, Broccoli and Bacon Pasta Bake

Cheesy pasta bake with bacon and broccoli in a cast iron skillet

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5 from 1 vote

White Cheddar, Broccoli and Bacon Pasta Bake

This White Cheddar, Broccoli and Bacon Pasta Bake is a hearty, satisfying and flavorful meal in one skillet!

Course Dinner

Cuisine American

Keyword baked pasta with cheese, cheesy pasta bake, Pasta Bake, rigatoni pasta bake

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 45

Total Time 1 5

Servings people

Calories 614kcal

Author Blair Lonergan

Ingredients

1 (16 ounce) box mezzi rigatoni, penne, ziti, rigatoni or other similar short pasta
5 slices thick-cut bacon (about 2 ounces), chopped
1 cup fresh broccoli florets
¼ cup (½ stick) salted butter
1 sweet onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme (or about 1 teaspoon dried thyme)
2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary (or about ½ teaspoon dried rosemary)
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups 2% or whole milk
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded white cheddar cheese, divided
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400° F.
Cook pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente, according to package instructions. Drain.
Meanwhile, in a 12-inch cast iron skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp, about 6-8 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate, reserving 1 tablespoon of drippings in the pan.
Add the broccoli to the skillet and cook until bright green and heated through, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from the skillet.
Add the butter to the skillet and melt over medium heat. Stir in onion, garlic, thyme and rosemary; cook until the onion is soft, about 5-7 minutes.
Stir in the flour; cook for 2 minutes. Very gradually whisk in the milk; bring to a simmer. Remove the skillet from the heat. Stir in 1 ½ cups of cheddar, salt, pepper and nutmeg until cheese melts. Add cooked pasta, bacon and broccoli; toss to combine. Sprinkle remaining ½ cup of cheddar on top.
Bake until the sauce is bubbly and the cheese is golden brown on top, about 20-25 minutes. Garnish with additional thyme, if desired.

Notes

Cook the pasta just until al dente, because it will continue to cook while it bakes in the oven. You don't want to end up with overdone, mushy rigatoni in your pasta bake.
Use thick-cut bacon for the best flavor and texture. If you're substituting with regular bacon, increase the total number of slices to equal about 2 ounces total.
This recipe has plenty of sauce to keep the baked pasta from drying out. You'll also cover the top with plenty of shredded cheese to lock in the moisture, and be careful that you don't bake the casserole for too long. Since all of the ingredients are already cooked and your cast iron skillet is already hot, the dish will only need about 20 minutes in the oven.
Bake the pasta uncovered so that the cheese on top turns brown and the edges get crispy.
Fresh herbs really brighten up a warm, cozy casserole. You'll have plenty of rosemary and thyme in the sauce, but you can also garnish the top of the pasta bake with extra parsley, thyme or basil.
If you don't have a 12-inch cast iron skillet, you can transfer the pasta mixture to a 9 x 13-inch casserole dish before baking.
Any short pasta shape will work. Good options include mezzi rigatoni (shown here), medium shells, rotini, penne, classic rigatoni and ziti.
Substitute frozen, thawed broccoli florets for the fresh broccoli. Since frozen florets are typically soft when thawed, you do not need to cook them in the skillet before adding them to the dish. Just make sure that they're thawed and drained really well so that they don't water-down the pasta bake.
Use any cheddar cheese that you prefer. If you don't have white cheddar, use regular sharp cheddar or even a mild cheddar. Pepper Jack, Monterey Jack and Colby will all work, too.
Cooking for a smaller family? Cut the ingredients in half and bake the pasta in an 8-inch square dish.

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