Healthy Pasta Bake

5 from 1 vote

This Healthy Pasta Bake swaps out heavy cream for a creamy, nutritious sauce made with corn! Just blend it up, pour over uncooked pasta, and let the oven do the rest!

Prep Time15

Cook Time35

Total Time50

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American, Healthy

Keyword: Healthy Pasta Bake

Servings: servings

Author: Chelsea Lords

Cost: $8.86

Equipment

Ingredients

Blend Together

1 (15-ounce) can sweet yellow corn undrained, see note 1
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
Salt and pepper
1-1/2 cups milk I use plant based, but any milk works
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/4 cup all-purpose flour

In Pan

2-1/2 cups penne pasta 8 ounces, see note 2
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
12 ounces frozen corn see note 3
2 cups frozen broccoli florets coarsely chopped
9 ounces smoked chicken sausage pre-cooked, cut into half moons, see note 4
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese see note 5
1/2 cup fresh basil or fresh basil pesto, optional, see note 6

US - Metric

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400°F. Generously grease a 9x13-inch baking pan with cooking spray.
Add all the ingredients under “blend together” (corn, seasonings, milk, garlic and flour) to a powerful blender or food processor. Season to taste with salt and pepper (I add 1 tsp salt and 3/4 tsp pepper). Blend until completely smooth, 1–2 minutes.
Add uncooked pasta in an even layer to the prepared pan. Pour everything from the blender on top and toss with pasta. Press the pasta below the sauce. Add butter (cut into 2 pieces) on top. Cover pan with foil and bake for 20 minutes.
Remove foil and stir everything together well. Add frozen corn, frozen broccoli, and chicken sausage. Stir through. Return the pan to the oven, uncovered, and bake another 15 minutes or until pasta is tender and sauce is thickened. (Don’t overbake or the sauce will bake out.) Remove from oven and gently stir for a minute. Add Parmesan, several tablespoons at a time, while stirring constantly. (Don’t add all at once or it will clump.) Mix in basil if using (rip into small pieces or cut into ribbons) or top individual plates with a scoop of pesto if desired. Serve immediately!

Video

Notes

Note 1: Add the entire can (don’t drain or rinse). For a fun flavor variation that I love, use a can of southwestern corn and add 1 teaspoon paprika to the blender—delish!

Note 2: This recipe works best with penne or rotini pasta, which are both great at soaking everything up and baking through perfectly in the time. Ensure whatever pasta is being used has a similar boil time to penne/rotini (9–11 minutes).

Note 3: It’s important to use both frozen corn and broccoli instead of fresh—this recipe relies on the liquid from both.

Note 4: Any smoked sausage works. I like smoked chicken sausage best (Aidell’s® Italian Style is my fave—I use 3 links). It keeps things healthy and tastes great. Turkey sausage is another fave. Though I only use 9 ounces of sausage, you can add more to this dish—it works fine, and it will be very meaty!

Note 5: Grab a block of Parmesan and grate it on the small holes of a grater. Alternatively, use finely grated Parmesan cheese. Parmesan from the can will be too salty and won’t melt into the sauce nicely.

Note 6: This dish benefits from fresh basil or a scoop of pesto. Each adds freshness, brightness, and great flavor. I recommend at least one of these toppings!

Storage: Store Healthy Pasta Bake in the fridge for up to 3–4 days. I don’t recommend freezing, as dairy-based sauce and pasta do not freeze or thaw well.

Nutrition