Cheesy bacon pasta bake with green beans is a really tasty and easy family recipe. On the dinner table in less than one hour, this is a terrific quick healthy meal!
Cheesy bacon pasta bake with green beans, now that's a delicious combination!
There's nothing quite like good hearty family food, especially when it really hits the spot like this does.
You'll find this such an easy bacon pasta bake to make too.
All you need to accompany this filling dish is a fresh crispy salad.
And maybe a cheeky little glass of the red stuff if it's appropriate. 😉
Judging by the number of shares and views they get you folks love my pasta bake recipes!
That's why we definitely think you'll love this cheese and bacon pasta bake too!
Check out some of the most popular ones in the links further down this post.
I'm always humbled when my recipes are so well liked.
We hope that you find this cheesy bacon pasta bake recipe equally delicious and shareable as the others!
While my other half and I love our pasta, we wouldn't have it every night, for reasons I wrote about in the previous sweet potato salad recipe.
But when we do, it's a tasty pasta bake like this one.
For the 80/20 rule for eating to work it's all about moderation, right? 🙂
Its all basic store cupboard ingredients we're using here to make this cheese and bacon pasta bake recipe too.
Helping, as always to save on the pennies.
I'm using frozen green beans but you can use fresh if you like.
Then there's the salad. Some iceberg lettuce, cucumber, red pepper and spring onions. Delicious fresh tasting and simple!
All in all you'll definitely want to add this to your bacon pasta recipes for dinner list. It makes a great mid-week meal!
Jump to:
🥘 Ingredients
- Penne Pasta
- Olive Oil
- Bacon
- Onion
- Skimmed Milk
- Corn Flour
- Freshly Ground Salt and Black Pepper
- Green Beans
- Grated Cheese
See recipe card for quantities.
🔪 Step By Step Instructions
Detailed instructions are in the recipe card below. But here is a quick step by step guide of how to make this cheese and bacon pasta bake recipe:
- Pre-heat oven to 180C (Fan)
- Cook pasta until al-dente. Drain.
- Whilst pasta is cooking heat the olive oil and cook the bacon then remove it with a slotted spoon and set aside.
- Sauté the onion. Add the milk and cornflour mixture and make a white sauce. Season to taste.
- Add cooked bacon, green beans. Simmer then add the drained pasta and combine everything well.
- Pour into a casserole dish, spread out evenly and sprinkle the cheese over the top.
- Bake until the cheese has browned slightly and is bubbling.
- Serve with a crispy green side salad or some garlic bread.
📖 Substitutions
- Penne Pasta - I use whole wheat penne pasta. You can use ordinary penne pasta or a gluten-free variety to make this a gluten-free cheese bacon pasta bake.
- Bacon - I use turkey bacon. You can use ordinary bacon or lardons.
- Skimmed Milk - use semi-skimmed or full fat if you want but nutrition label will be invalid. You may also need to reduce the amount of corn flour used or the sauce might be too thick.
- Corn Flour - you can use plain flour if you want.
- Green Beans - I just use frozen ones defrosted in the microwave but you can use fresh or canned. Alternatively why not try substituting other vegetables for the green beans? Like broccoli or leaks?
- Grated Cheese - I use low fat cheddar cheese but low fat mozzarella also works.
🍽 Equipment
For This Cheese And Bacon Pasta Bake You May Need….
The following links and any links in the recipe card below are affiliate links.
That means that if you click on it and then buy that product I’ll get a small commission (at no extra cost to you of course).
If you do click through then thanks for being a part of Neil’s Healthy Meals!
This is the basic pasta dish I use.
It's a great low cost but good quality baking and roasting dish.
It's perfect for lasagne, side dishes and desserts. It's dishwasher, freezer and oven safe too.
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💭 FAQ'S
Is This A Healthy Bacon Pasta Bake?
This cheesy bacon pasta bake is relatively healthy. Or as healthy as it can be as I've used lower fat ingredients where I can.
How Many Calories Are In Cheese And Bacon Pasta?
This cheese bacon pasta bake has 541 calories per serving. You could serve 6 with this pasta bake to reduce calories consumed and serve with more salad.
Can I Make It Ahead?
Yes. You can make this ahead. Allow to cool completely before covering with foil and placing in your fridge. Remove from fridge and allow to return to room temperature prior to baking.
How To Store?
Once cooked allow to cool completely and keep your cheese and bacon pasta bake in the fridge, covered with cling film for 2 days. After that it is better to freeze.
Can You Freeze Cheesy Bacon Pasta Bake?
Yes. Portion it into individual air tight containers and freeze.
How To Reheat?
Defrost thoroughly in your fridge overnight. You can easily reheat this in your oven for about 20 minutes at 180C but cover the pasta dish in foil. Alternatively you can reheat it, covered in your microwave 1 minute at a time until it's reached the desired temperature.
🍝 Other Popular Pasta Bake Recipes You Might Also Like
📋 Cheesy Bacon Pasta Bake With Green Beans Recipe
The following links and any links in the recipe card below are affiliate links.
This means that if you click on it and then buy that product I’ll get a small commission (at no extra cost to you of course).
If you do click through then thanks for being a part of Neil’s Healthy Meals!
Equipment
Ingredients
- 200 g whole wheat penne pasta
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 strips bacon* , diced (I use turkey bacon)
- 1 large onion , sliced
- 300 ml skimmed milk
- 15 g corn flour mixed with 2 tablespoon cold water
- Freshly ground salt and pepper
- 100 g green beans (I use frozen ones, defrosted)
- 150 g low fat cheese , grated
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 180C Fan
- Cook pasta according to the packet instructions until al-dente. Then drain.
- Whilst pasta is cooking gently heat the olive oil in a large saucepan and add the bacon. Lightly fry the bacon until it is just beginning to crisp then remove it from the saucepan with a slotted spoon and set aside.
- Sauté the onion in the same oil until softened (add a little water to the pan if oil has evaporated) then add the milk and cornflour mixture. Keep stirring until the sauce has thickened and then season to taste.
- Add back the cooked bacon and stir in the green beans. Allow to simmer for a minute, add the cooked, drained pasta and combine everything well.
- Remove the mixture to a casserole dish, spread out evenly and sprinkle the cheese over the top.
- Bake in the centre of an oven for approximately 15 minutes until the cheese has browned slightly and is bubbling.
- Serve with a crispy salad.
Notes
Nutrition
🧾 Nutrition Label
Nutritional information provided below is calculated using paid for online tools and the exact ingredients and quantities used above.
⭐ Rate The Recipe
If you’ve made this cheese and bacon pasta bake recipe, or any other recipes on Neil's Healthy Meals, then please let me know.
I’d love to hear what you think of my recipe in the comments below and please do rate my recipe 5* if you like it! 🙂
Ashika | Gardening Foodie
This looks so good, I am staring at the pictures and having a very difficult time dragging myself away from my computer. I do not eat bacon though, because I am vegetarian so I will substitute it with something else. LOVE , LOVE , LOVE green beans? so definitely going into the pasta. Pinning, saving and making this for supper tonight. ?
Thanks for a lovely recipe.
neil@neilshealthymeals.com
Thank you so much for your kind comments and for making this recipe Ashika. 🙂
Yes, of course please DO make this recipe your own by removing the bacon so that it's vegetarian.
I love it when people tell me how they will make they recipe their own here in the comments and it helps everyone else who reads through these comments to do the same thing too! 😀
Susie @ Suzlyfe
How good would this be after a long run or a hill walk? Just hitting all the flavor notes, my friend! And a grown up version of the stouffer's pasta and rice bakes that I grew up with.
neil@neilshealthymeals.com
Yes, this would definitely hit the spot after a long run or hill walk Susie.
It's got just the right amount of whole grains and it's really filling so it would be ideal for filling up that empty tummy!
Glad you like it and that it reminds you of that stouffer's pasta and rice bakes you grew up with! 🙂
jeff
What a great idea for a casserole! I could really go for something cheesy today, and I love that you 0ut the green beans in with it.
neil@neilshealthymeals.com
Thanks Jeff. Yep, if you're looking for something really cheesy I think this would hit the spot.
I was actually going to put peas in the recipe originally but I didn't have any so I tried the green beans and decided they went better.
I suppose those hidden green beans are a great way to get kids to eat their green too eh? LOL
Shashi at Savory Spin
Neil - what a comforting bake this is and ooh - not to mention, delicious! I would have a hard time resisting seconds of this cheesy bean bacon pasta bake - I mean - there's bacon in it! BACON!!! 🙂 Also, love that view over the Firth of Clyde to Dunoon - fingers crossed the blue skies and warmth envelopes y'all for days and days to come!
neil@neilshealthymeals.com
Thanks Shashi! 🙂
Yes, I agree this is certainly a really comforting bake. It's difficult to resist the temptation to dive into another slice after the first one, so I have to be quick and put those extra slices into the freezer a quickly as possible!
It is still great weather here and I'm still holding my breath that it continues!
David @ Spiced
That photo of the Firth of Clyde! I absolutely love Scotland, and I definitely need to get back over there soon. Speaking of photos, the photos of this pasta bake look amazing, too. I love pasta in any form, but if you happen to add cheese then I'm totally on board! Love the green beans in there, too. Sounds like a great comfort food meal, my friend!
neil@neilshealthymeals.com
Thanks David. 🙂 That day down by the Firth of Clyde just had to be captured as a photograph. There's so many days where it doesn't quite look as picturesque as that (rain) so it's nice to see it and to appreciate it when it's looking as stunning as it was that day!
Glad you like my pasta photos and recipe. Happy to share this with you guys when you get a chance to head on over to Scotland again! 😀