Cheesy Bacon Pasta Bake with Broccoli Crumble

4.30 (17)
⏱ 55 mins 🍽 ['6', '6 servings'] 🌶 american 🏷 Main course

This satisfying American dinner dish combines farfalle pasta with a rich sauce made from crispy bacon, onion, garlic, and melted Gouda cheese. The creamy mixture is baked under a golden topping of panko breadcrumbs and riced broccoli. It's a complete, flavourful meal that comes together in under an hour, ideal for a cosy weeknight supper. The final touch under the broiler gives the crumble a perfect, crispy finish.

Cheesy Bacon Pasta Bake with Broccoli Crumble

Ingredients

  • 1 (12 ounce) package farfalle (bow tie) pasta
  • 7 slices bacon
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 3 tablespoons butter, divided
  • 1 cup shredded Gouda cheese
  • salt and ground black pepper to taste
  • 0.5 cup panko bread crumbs
  • 0.5 cup riced broccoli

Method

  1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Prepare a casserole dish by lightly greasing it.
  2. Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring it to a boil. Add the bow-tie pasta and cook, stirring now and then, for about 12 minutes until it is tender but still firm.
  3. While the pasta cooks, place the bacon slices in a large skillet. Cook them, turning as needed, for about 10 minutes until evenly browned. Transfer the bacon to paper towels to drain, keeping the grease in the pan. Let the bacon cool for about 5 minutes, then crumble it. Drain the cooked pasta and set it aside.
  4. Heat 2 tablespoons of the reserved bacon grease in a medium saucepan. Cook the diced onion and minced garlic in the grease for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the crumbled bacon, heavy cream, and 1 tablespoon of butter. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes until the sauce thickens and becomes creamy. Stir in the shredded Gouda cheese until it melts. Season with salt and pepper. Take the pan off the heat and fold the cooked pasta into the sauce. Transfer this mixture to the greased casserole dish.
  5. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in a microwave-safe bowl in the microwave for 20 seconds. Combine the melted butter with the panko bread crumbs and riced broccoli, mixing thoroughly to coat. Sprinkle this mixture evenly over the pasta in the dish.
  6. Place the dish in the preheated oven and bake for 15 minutes. Then remove it from the oven.
  7. Adjust an oven rack so it is about 6 inches from the heat source and turn on the broiler.
  8. Return the dish to the oven and broil for about 5 minutes more until the crumble topping is nicely browned.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories498 kcal
Fat28 g
Sugars3 g
Protein15 g
Sodium417 mg

Recipe details

CategoryMain course
Cuisineamerican
AuthorDiana71