The perfect side dish or snack, this baked pasta with cream cheese sauce will tick all the boxes. Creamy, cheesy and easy to make.
Why you’ll love this Baked Pasta with Cream Cheese Sauce Recipe
There are so many reasons why you are going to love this delicious recipe. Easy to prepare ahead, bake when you are ready, stores well, freezes well, reheats well. Makes for a perfect ‘leftovers’ lunch. A great side dish for your main meal or BBQ. Easy to transport for a bring ‘n share dinner. Eat alone for an easy snack. Goes well with meat, vegetables or fish meals. And super simple to convert to Gluten Free by swapping out the pasta for a gluten free alternative.
Ingredients needed for Pasta with Cream Cheese Sauce
- Butter – 100 grams + another 5-10 grams
- Cornflour – 3-4 Tablespoons
- Milk – 2 Cups (approx.)
- Salt and Pepper
- Grated Cheese – 1 Cup, Colby or Tasty are good
- Cream Cheese – 3-4 Tablespoons
- Parmesan Cheese – 4 Tablespoons, grated or powdered
- Penne Pasta – 500 grams
- Boiling Water
Tools you will need to make this recipe
A medium size pot, a large pot, measuring cups and spoons, whisk, cheese grater, colander for straining the pasta, baking dish or square cake tin, spatula or wooden spoon. Preheated oven to 180°C/350°F when ready to bake or reheat.
How to make Pasta with Cream Cheese Sauce
Part One Make the Sauce
The Cream Cheese Sauce used for this recipe can be found in full here (with tips, photos and step by step instructions). Below are the condensed instructions for making the sauce. Please note: the ingredients listed above make a double mix required for this recipe.
- In a medium size pot over a low heat melt the butter completely
- Sprinkle the cornflour into the melted butter and gently stir with the whisk until combined.
- Quickly add half the milk and stir well with the whisk. Continue stirring until the sauce starts to look fuller/thicker. Add the remaining milk, again continue to stir until the sauce thickens and is smooth.
- Add ground black pepper to the sauce, we like quite a lot. Whisk/stir.
- If you are confident the milk isn’t going to curdle – add the salt. I use about 1/2 teaspoon. Whisk/stir.
- Add the cream cheese, stir until completely melted into the sauce.
- Also add the grated cheese, stir again until completely melted into the sauce.
- Finally, add the parmesan cheese and stir again until completely combined.
- Taste the sauce, add more salt and pepper if necessary.
Part Two – Cook the Pasta
Follow the instructions on the packet to cook the pasta or follow these basic steps:
- In a large pot add; enough boiling water to cover the pasta well, 5-10 grams of butter (or olive oil) and 1/2 teaspoon of salt.
- On a high heat, get the water boiling then add the pasta. Return to a boil then lower the heat.
- Simmer the pasta until just cooked, stirring occasionally. (Approx. 8-12 minutes)
- Strain all the water off
- Grease an ovenproof dish with melted butter then spread the cooked pasta into it evenly
Part Three – Assemble and Bake
- Pour the cheese sauce over the pasta and mix together well. Sprinkle a little more grated cheese on top for a golden ‘crust’ (if freezing, use a freezable container and pop into the freezer once cool. Transfer to oven dish when defrosted and bake as below.)
- Bake at 180°C/350°F until piping hot and golden on top – bake time will vary depending on how hot your ingredients are, if still warm approx. 10 minutes. If defrosted or reheating approx. 20 minutes.
- Serve hot
Pasta with Cream Cheese Sauce
The perfect side dish or snack, this baked pasta with cream cheese sauce will tick all the boxes. Creamy, cheesy and easy to make.
Ingredients
- Butter - 100 grams + another 5-10 grams
- Cornflour - 3-4 Tablespoons
- Milk - 2 Cups (approx.)
- Salt and Pepper
- Grated Cheese - 1 Cup, Colby or Tasty
- Cream Cheese - 3-4 Tablespoons
- Parmesan Cheese - 4 Tablespoons, grated
- Penne Pasta - 500 grams
- Boiling Water
Instructions
- Part one - Make the Sauce In a medium size pot over a low heat melt the butter completely
- Sprinkle the cornflour into the melted butter and gently stir with the whisk until combined.
- Quickly add half the milk and stir well with the whisk. Continue stirring until the sauce starts to look fuller/thicker. Add the remaining milk, again continue to stir until the sauce thickens and is smooth.
- Add ground black pepper to the sauce, we like quite a lot. Whisk/stir.
- If you are confident the milk isn't going to curdle - add the salt. I use about 1/2 teaspoon. Whisk/stir.
- Add the cream cheese, stir until completely melted into the sauce.
- Also add the grated cheese, stir again until completely melted into the sauce.
- Finally, add the parmesan cheese and stir again until completely combined.
- Taste the sauce, add more salt and pepper if necessary.
- Part Two - Cook the Pasta In a large pot add; enough boiling water to cover the pasta well, 5-10 grams of butter (or olive oil) and 1/2 teaspoon of salt.
- On a high heat, get the water boiling then add the pasta. Return to a boil then lower the heat.
- Simmer the pasta until just cooked, stirring occasionally. (Approx. 8-12 minutes)
- Strain all the water off
- Grease an ovenproof dish with melted butter then spread the cooked pasta into it evenly
- Part Three - Assemble and Bake Pour the cheese sauce over the pasta and mix together well. Sprinkle a little more grated cheese on top for a golden 'crust'
- Bake at 180°C/350°F until piping hot and golden on top
- Serve hot
Notes
Bake time will vary depending on how hot your ingredients are, if still warm approx. 10 minutes. If defrosted or reheating approx. 20 minutes.
