Pasta Au Gratin
Indulge in a decadent Pasta Au Gratin that’s bursting with cheesy goodness and rich flavors! This comforting dish combines perfectly cooked pasta with a velvety cheese sauce and a golden-brown breadcrumb topping for that irresistible crunch. Perfect for a cozy night in, it’s a delightful twist that will leave your taste buds dancing!
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(4)
- 1 tsp dried parsley (5 ml)
- 2 tsp minced garlic (10 ml)
- 1/2 tsp freshly minced garlic (2.5 ml)
- Water for boiling
🥩Meat & Seafood(2)
- 500 g boneless chicken breast, cut into small strips (1.1 lbs)
- 1 chicken stock cube
🥛Dairy & Eggs(7)
- Black olives and extra cheese for assemblingoptional
- 1 tbsp butter (14 g)
- 3 tbsp butter (42 g)
- 1/2 cup cheddar cheese (120 ml)
- 2 packs dairy cream
- 3 cups milk (720 ml)
- 1/2 cup mozarella cheese (120 ml)
🫙Pantry Staples(2)
- 1 tbsp oil (15 ml)
- 1 pack penne pasta (400g) (14.1 oz)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(9)
- 1/2 tsp black pepper (2.5 ml)
- 1 + 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper (7.5 ml)
- 1 tsp dried oregano (5 ml)
- 1 tsp garlic powder (5 ml)
- 1 tsp onion powder (5 ml)
- 1/2 tsp paprika (2.5 ml)
- 1 + 1/2 tsp salt (7.5 ml)
- 1 tsp salt (5 ml)
- 1/2 tsp salt (2.5 ml)
🍯Sauces & Condiments(1)
- 1 tbsp soy sauce (15 ml)
📦Other(2)
- 1 green capsicum
- 1/2 cup chopped mushrooms (120 ml)
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
709
Protein
52g
Carbs
76g
Fat
21g
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Preheat the oven to 200°C for 10-15 minutes.
- 2
Boil the penne pasta in salted water until al dente, then drain.
- 3
Marinate the boneless chicken with oil, soy sauce, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, paprika, and onion powder.
- 4
Sauté the marinated chicken in a pan until cooked through.
- 5
In the same pan, melt butter and sauté chopped mushrooms and minced garlic.
- 6
Add chopped green capsicum and cook for a few minutes.
- 7
In a separate pot, melt butter and add minced garlic, then stir in milk, dairy cream, and chicken stock cube.
- 8
Season the white sauce with salt, black pepper, onion powder, oregano, and parsley.
- 9
Combine the cooked pasta, chicken, and white sauce in a baking dish.
- 10
Layer with black olives and extra cheese.
- 11
Bake uncovered at 200°C for 8-10 minutes, then switch to top heat and bake for an additional 4-5 minutes until the cheese is golden.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Cook penne to exactly 1 minute under al dente (typically 8-9 minutes instead of 9-10) because it will continue cooking 3-4 minutes in the 200°C oven, reaching perfect al dente by finish without becoming mushy.timing1 minute under al dente | 3-4 minutes carryover cooking
- ✓Salt your pasta water to 1.5-2% salinity (approximately 15-20g per liter) rather than the typical 1.5 tsp per 4L, ensuring the penne absorbs seasoned water and the dish isn't under-salted since the cream sauce will dilute salt perception by 25-30%.technique1.5-2% salinity | 25-30% salt perception dilution in cream
- ✓Marinate chicken for 20-30 minutes before sautéing because soy sauce's glutamates and salt penetrate the muscle fibers, increasing browning potential by 15% through Maillard reaction acceleration and seasoning the interior evenly.timing20-30 minutes | 15% browning increase
- ✓Add cream to your béchamel-style sauce at 65-70°C (not boiling) because temperatures above 75°C denature milk proteins, causing curdling and breaking the emulsion; stir constantly for 2-3 minutes to fully incorporate before combining with pasta.technique65-70°C addition temperature | 2-3 minutes incorporation time
- ✓Reduce the béchamel sauce by 15-20% volume before mixing with pasta because cream and milk release additional moisture during oven baking, and under-reduced sauce will make the gratin soupy rather than creamy-bound.ingredient15-20% reduction
Share this recipe
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
Share this recipe
Pasta Au Gratin
Indulge in a decadent Pasta Au Gratin that’s bursting with cheesy goodness and rich flavors! This comforting dish combines perfectly cooked pasta with a velvety cheese sauce and a golden-brown breadcrumb topping for that irresistible crunch. Perfect for a cozy night in, it’s a delightful twist that will leave your taste buds dancing!
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(4)
- 1 tsp dried parsley (5 ml)
- 2 tsp minced garlic (10 ml)
- 1/2 tsp freshly minced garlic (2.5 ml)
- Water for boiling
🥩Meat & Seafood(2)
- 500 g boneless chicken breast, cut into small strips (1.1 lbs)
- 1 chicken stock cube
🥛Dairy & Eggs(7)
- Black olives and extra cheese for assemblingoptional
- 1 tbsp butter (14 g)
- 3 tbsp butter (42 g)
- 1/2 cup cheddar cheese (120 ml)
- 2 packs dairy cream
- 3 cups milk (720 ml)
- 1/2 cup mozarella cheese (120 ml)
🫙Pantry Staples(2)
- 1 tbsp oil (15 ml)
- 1 pack penne pasta (400g) (14.1 oz)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(9)
- 1/2 tsp black pepper (2.5 ml)
- 1 + 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper (7.5 ml)
- 1 tsp dried oregano (5 ml)
- 1 tsp garlic powder (5 ml)
- 1 tsp onion powder (5 ml)
- 1/2 tsp paprika (2.5 ml)
- 1 + 1/2 tsp salt (7.5 ml)
- 1 tsp salt (5 ml)
- 1/2 tsp salt (2.5 ml)
🍯Sauces & Condiments(1)
- 1 tbsp soy sauce (15 ml)
📦Other(2)
- 1 green capsicum
- 1/2 cup chopped mushrooms (120 ml)
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
709
Protein
52g
Carbs
76g
Fat
21g
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Preheat the oven to 200°C for 10-15 minutes.
- 2
Boil the penne pasta in salted water until al dente, then drain.
- 3
Marinate the boneless chicken with oil, soy sauce, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, paprika, and onion powder.
- 4
Sauté the marinated chicken in a pan until cooked through.
- 5
In the same pan, melt butter and sauté chopped mushrooms and minced garlic.
- 6
Add chopped green capsicum and cook for a few minutes.
- 7
In a separate pot, melt butter and add minced garlic, then stir in milk, dairy cream, and chicken stock cube.
- 8
Season the white sauce with salt, black pepper, onion powder, oregano, and parsley.
- 9
Combine the cooked pasta, chicken, and white sauce in a baking dish.
- 10
Layer with black olives and extra cheese.
- 11
Bake uncovered at 200°C for 8-10 minutes, then switch to top heat and bake for an additional 4-5 minutes until the cheese is golden.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Cook penne to exactly 1 minute under al dente (typically 8-9 minutes instead of 9-10) because it will continue cooking 3-4 minutes in the 200°C oven, reaching perfect al dente by finish without becoming mushy.timing1 minute under al dente | 3-4 minutes carryover cooking
- ✓Salt your pasta water to 1.5-2% salinity (approximately 15-20g per liter) rather than the typical 1.5 tsp per 4L, ensuring the penne absorbs seasoned water and the dish isn't under-salted since the cream sauce will dilute salt perception by 25-30%.technique1.5-2% salinity | 25-30% salt perception dilution in cream
- ✓Marinate chicken for 20-30 minutes before sautéing because soy sauce's glutamates and salt penetrate the muscle fibers, increasing browning potential by 15% through Maillard reaction acceleration and seasoning the interior evenly.timing20-30 minutes | 15% browning increase
- ✓Add cream to your béchamel-style sauce at 65-70°C (not boiling) because temperatures above 75°C denature milk proteins, causing curdling and breaking the emulsion; stir constantly for 2-3 minutes to fully incorporate before combining with pasta.technique65-70°C addition temperature | 2-3 minutes incorporation time
- ✓Reduce the béchamel sauce by 15-20% volume before mixing with pasta because cream and milk release additional moisture during oven baking, and under-reduced sauce will make the gratin soupy rather than creamy-bound.ingredient15-20% reduction