For this recipe I cut down on prep time by using Ragu. You know Ragu? Pretty much the most famous sauce out there. Ragu has a longstanding tradition of fresh taste since they have been around since 1937. I decided to use a white sauce for this pasta bake but instead of Alfredo I went for their roasted garlic parmesan sauce. Both would work but the roasted garlic just sounded really good to me. I also decided to kick up the amount of veggies in this family friendly dish by blending some steamed cauliflower and adding it in the same time you add the Ragu pasta sauce. This made the pasta dish super creamy and saucy and I can guarantee your kids won’t know the difference. My whole family loved this recipe and I bet yours will too. Bring back family dinner at your house and make this easy pasta dish. I’m serious when I say it only takes like 10 minutes of prep. So easy!
Let me share with you how fast and easy this recipe is to make!
Creamy Bacon, Broccoli and Cauliflower Pasta
- Yield: 6-8 servings 1x
Ingredients
- 1 (13.25 oz) box of pasta of your choice (macaroni or shells are a good choice, I really like to use whole grain noodles)
- 1 (16 oz) jar Ragu Roasted Garlic Parmesan
- 1 (16 oz) bag frozen cauliflower
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1/2 cup crumbled bacon
- 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese
- 1 (16 oz) bag frozen broccoli florets
- Salt and pepper
- 1/4 cup Panko bread crumbs
Instructions
- Cook the box of pasta according to the directions on the box until al dente. Drain the water from the pasta and then place the pasta in the bottom of the slow cooker or the 9×13 inch pan.
- Steam the cauliflower (many of the bags of frozen cauliflower are able to be steamed in the very bag they come in…in the microwave). Puree the cauliflower in a blender or food processor. Add the Ragu into the blender and pulse until mixed well. Add in 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper to season the cauliflower. Pour the sauce/cauliflower mixture over the top of the noodles. If you want to make sure each piece of pasta has sauce on it then stir the pasta to coat in the sauce.
- Sprinkle the crumbled bacon over the top evenly.
- Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese over the top evenly.
- Place the frozen broccoli florets evenly on top of the Parmesan cheese.
- Salt and pepper the broccoli to taste.
- If baking in the oven, sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the top now. If cooking in the slow cooker, add them at the end.
- Bake for 30 minutes in an oven that has been heated to 350° Or cook in the slow cooker on HIGH for about 90 minutes to 2 hours. If cooking in the slow cooker, add the breadcrumbs after it’s cooked through and then place under the broiler of your oven for 3 minutes to brown up the breadcrumbs.
- Salt and pepper to taste and serve.
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Ragu. The opinions and text are all mine.
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