Caramelized Onion and Mushroom Pasta Bake with White Cheddar and Crispy Parmesan Panko

Indulge in a comforting pasta bake that combines the sweetness of caramelized onions with the earthy flavor of cremini mushrooms, all enveloped in a creamy white cheddar sauce. The crowning glory is a crunchy panko and Parmesan topping that adds a delightful contrast in texture.

This dish is perfect for a quick weeknight meal or a cozy dinner party. Serve it straight from the baking dish for a rustic, family-style presentation.

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Ingredients

1 unit OnionView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

6 ounce Cavatappi PastaView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 cup White Cheddar CheeseView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 tablespoon Cream CheeseView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

10 ounce Ground BeefView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

4 ounce Cream Sauce BaseView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

6 tablespoon Parmesan CheeseView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

4 ounce Cremini MushroomsView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Mushroom Stock ConcentrateView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.25 cup Panko BreadcrumbsView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 unit ScallionsView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

teaspoon (tsp) SaltView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 teaspoon (tsp) SugarView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 teaspoon (tsp) Olive OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon (tbsp) Cooking OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 tablespoon (tbsp) ButterView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

teaspoon (tsp) Black PepperView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Instructions

1. Adjust rack to top position and preheat oven to 450°F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Wash and dry produce. Trim and thinly slice mushrooms (skip if pre-sliced). Halve, peel and thinly slice onion. Trim and thinly slice scallions, separating whites from greens. In a small bowl, combine panko, half the Parmesan, a drizzle of olive oil, salt and pepper. Set aside.
2. Heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms; cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and slightly crispy, 5-7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Turn off heat; transfer to a plate. Wash out pan and set aside to cool slightly.
3. Once water is boiling, add cavatappi to pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, 9-11 minutes. Reserve ½ cup pasta cooking water, then drain.
4. Heat a large drizzle of oil in the pan used for mushrooms over medium-low heat. Add onion and scallion whites; cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and softened, 8-10 minutes. Reduce heat to low. Add 1 tsp sugar and a splash of water. Cook, adding additional splashes of water as necessary, until onion is caramelized and jammy, 1-2 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper.
5. To the pan with onion mixture, add mushrooms, cream sauce base and stock concentrate. Cook, stirring, until simmering, 1-2 minutes. Stir in cream cheese, cheddar, remaining Parmesan and 2 TBSP butter until melted and combined. If sauce seems too thick, stir in reserved pasta cooking water a splash at a time until desired consistency. Season with pepper to taste.
6. Stir drained cavatappi into pan with sauce. Transfer pasta and sauce to an 8-by-8-inch baking dish. Evenly sprinkle with panko mixture. Bake on top rack until panko is golden brown, 2-4 minutes.
7. Garnish pasta bake with scallion greens. Serve directly from baking dish.

Recipe Tips

FAQ

Can I use a different type of pasta?

Yes, any short pasta like penne, rigatoni or fusilli works well.

Can I make this dish ahead of time?

You can assemble the pasta bake without the panko topping and refrigerate. Add the topping just before baking and increase baking time slightly.

Can I substitute the ground beef?

Ground turkey, chicken or a plant-based crumble can be used instead.