Gluten Free Four Mushroom Penne Pasta Bake | Healthy Family Dinner

Medically reviewed by Abbey Sharp, Registered Dietitian (RD), BASc.

This Gluten Free Four Mushroom Penne Pasta Bake is the perfect healthy family dinner for entertaining casually.

Coming from a British home, Sunday suppers were a weekly tradition. When we were kids, we ate whatever mom gave us (which was usually a proper roast beef and pud), and never even had heard of the word “intolerance”, but today, there are a lot of needs to consider for each meal.

My sister, for example, has found that her belly doesn’t always do so well with a lot of gluten, so whenever we can, we try our best to include a gluten free option for her. Meanwhile, her partner is vegetarian, so we also like to be cognizant of that and make sure he’s not stuck eating veggie sides for dinner. As for me? I will eat anything, as long as it tastes good – making it healthy is an added perk!

How to Make Gluten Free Four Mushroom Penne Pasta Bake

This Gluten Free Four Mushroom Penne Pasta Bake has become an instant family favourite that everyone can enjoy. It’s packed with not one, not two, not three, but FOUR delicious flavourful mushrooms, and my new go-to, Catelli Gluten Free pasta. Made from a combination of white rice, brown rice, corn and quinoa, it’s honestly the best gluten free pasta I’ve ever had. Honestly, even me and my gluten-loving hubby can’t tell. It’s also got 3 grams of fibre and 6 grams of protein per cup, so it’s a great base for loading up on lots of healthy flavours.

I bulk up my cream sauce and cut back on fat by using a few cups of high fibre cauliflower pureed into a luscious cream. I also add tons of texture and flavour with baby kale, sweet caramelized onions, and a few handfuls of flavourful cheese. Go for the good stuff with your cheese in this Gluten Free Four Mushroom Penne Pasta Bake, it makes all the difference in the flavour!

And in my opinion, the best part of any baked pasta is the crispy crumb topping. Instead of traditional breadcrumbs or panko, I keep mine gluten free by pulsing crispy rice cereal into flaky crispy crumbs. Trust me, it’s the best panko-swap you’ll ever try!

This recipe makes a huge portion, but is surprisingly easy to make in advance so it’s perfect for casual family entertaining. Simply bake it off, wrap it up, refrigerate and rewarm. It’s the accommodating dish that doesn’t feel like an accommodation because it’s SO DAMN GOOD. Sorry mom, your roast beef is good, but this is now the new go-to Sunday supper dish.

This year, Catelli is celebrating its 150^th birthday alongside Canada. To say thank you to families for inspiring them for over a century, Catelli has created an amazing 150^th Anniversary Recipe Collection with 12 easy recipes that you can try at your next family reunion or get together! I think anytime is a great time to reunite with family and friends, but with the exciting Canadian milestone, it’s a particularly great excuse!

Now tell me, what dishes do you always make for Sunday supper?

Have you tried making this Gluten Free Four Mushroom Penne Pasta Bake? What did you think?

Leave me a comment below with your thoughts!

Disclaimer: this recipe was developed in paid partnership with Catelli, however, all opinions are genuine.

Gluten Free Four Mushroom Penne Pasta Bake

This Gluten Free Four Mushroom Penne Pasta Bake is the perfect healthy family dinner for entertaining casually.

5 from 2 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: French

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour hour

Total Time: 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Servings: 8 people

Calories: 460kcal

Author: Abbey Sharp

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 box Catelli Gluten Free Penne Rigate
• ▢ 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil divided
• ▢ 1 cup thinly sliced sweet onion (about 1/2 large)
• ▢ 2 oz shitake mushrooms sliced
• ▢ 6 oz Portobello mushrooms sliced
• ▢ 8 oz cremini mushrooms sliced
• ▢ 2 cloves garlic minced
• ▢ 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves minced
• ▢ 2 cups reduced-sodium vegetable stock divided
• ▢ 3 cups diced frozen cauliflower
• ▢ 0.5 oz package dried porcini mushrooms
• ▢ 1 tablespoon butter
• ▢ 2 tablespoons brown rice flour
• ▢ 1 1/4 cup 2% milk
• ▢ 1/4 th teaspoon grated nutmeg
• ▢ 10 oz gruyere finely shredded and divided (about 2 1/2 cups)
• ▢ 1 oz parmigiano reggiano cheese finely grated (about ¼ cup)
• ▢ 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• ▢ 2 cups baby kale finely shredded
• ▢ Sea salt and cracked black pepper to taste

Breadcrumb Topping

• ▢ 3 cloves garlic minced
• ▢ 2 cups crispy rice cereal (like Chex) pulsed in a food processor into crumbs
• ▢ 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed
• ▢ 1 oz parmigiano reggiano cheese finely grated (about ¼ cup)
• ▢ 1 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• ▢ Pinch of fleur de sel
• ▢ Italian parsley minced for garnish

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 375°F and lightly grease a 10.5” by 8” baking dish.
• Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add the Catelli Gluten Free Penne pasta and cook for 2 minutes shy of the box’s recommended cooking time (6 minutes). Drain and set aside.
• Return the pot to the stove and heat the oil over medium low heat. Stir in the onions and caramelize low and slow until sweet and golden brown- about 40 minutes.
• Add in the mushrooms and sauté until browned, about 6 to 8 minutes, then add in the garlic and thyme, and sauté until fragrant, another minute. Add a generous pinch each of salt and pepper. Remove the onions, mushrooms and garlic to a small bowl and set aside.
• Add the cauliflower and 1 ½ cups of vegetable stock. Cook uncovered for 8 minutes, then add in the dried mushrooms, cover the pan continue to cook until the mushrooms are rehydrated and the cauliflower is very soft. Using a slotted spoon, remove the dried mushrooms and add them to the bowl with the mushrooms.
• Transfer the cauliflower plus any residual mushroom poaching stock to a food processor and puree until smooth.
• Add a tablespoon of butter and another tablespoon of olive oil to the pan along with the rice flour and stir to make a roux.
• Add the milk, the cauliflower puree, nutmeg and a generous pinch each of salt and pepper. Stir in the balsamic and all but ½ cup of the shredded gruyere. Gently stir until fully melted, then season with salt and pepper, to taste.
• Add back the onions, mushrooms, pasta, and kale. Transfer half of the mixture the prepared baking dish in a single layer. Top with the reserved 2 ounces (about 1/2 cup) of grated gruyere cheese and then add the remaining pasta and cheese mixture. Set aside.

Panko Breadcrumbs

• Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix together the garlic, crispy rice cereal, flax, parmesan and oil. Sprinkle on top of the pasta dish and then bake uncovered for about 20 to 22 minutes or until it bubbles and you get those amazing golden cheese bits around the edges and the breadcrumbs lightly brown. Finish with a generous sprinkle of fleur de sel and parsley for garnish.

Nutrition

Calories: 460kcal

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Updated on October 23rd, 2020

Abbey Sharp

Abbey Sharp is a Registered Dietitian (RD), regulated by the Ontario College of Dietitians. She is a mom, YouTuber, Blogger, award winning cookbook author, media coach specializing in food and nutrition influencers, and a frequent contributor to national publications like Healthline and on national broadcast TV shows.