Name: Cheese, spinach and walnut pasta bake recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: Serves: 4
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 300g penne pasta; 500g semi-skimmed milk; 3tbsp cornflour; 130g reduced-fat mature cheese, grated; A grating of nutmeg (optional); Salt and pepper; 200g spinach, washed; 50g walnut kernels, broken into pieces; 50g reduced-fat mature cheese (for topping)

By Jessica Dady

published 20 August 2019

in Recipes

The whole family (even the kids!) will love this cheesy pasta bake with wilted spinach, walnuts and nutmeg. It only takes half an hour to make too so is perfect for the mid-week rush, especially if you forgot the kids have friends round for dinner.

Ingredients

300g penne pasta
500g semi-skimmed milk
3tbsp cornflour
130g reduced-fat mature cheese, grated
A grating of nutmeg (optional)
Salt and pepper
200g spinach, washed
50g walnut kernels, broken into pieces
50g reduced-fat mature cheese (for topping)

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Method

Bring a saucepan full of salted water to the boil. Add in the pasta and boil until tender.
Heat the milk in a non-stick milk pan until tiny bubbles form around the edges. Place the cornflour into a small dish and pour over 5tbsp of the hot milk. Mix together to form a paste then return it to the milk pan.
Over a low heat, stir the milk until it starts to thicken. It will get lumpy as it thickens but it will eventually smooth out. Add the reduced-fat mature cheese, salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste.
In a separate pan, wilt the spinach and then strain all of the liquid out of it.
Strain the pasta, then stir through the cheese sauce. Add the spinach and walnuts and top with the rest of the reduced-fat mature cheese.
Place under a hot grill for 5 mins or until the cheese has melted and gone slightly golden.

Top Tip for making Cheese, spinach and walnut pasta bake

Nutritionist Juliette Kellow says: This balanced meal is suitable for the whole family and a great way to disguise those dreaded greens so the kids will eat it! Use skimmed milk to reduce fat and saturated fat content further.

Jessica Dady is Food Editor at GoodtoKnow and has over 12 years of experience as a digital editor, specialising in all things food, recipes, and SEO. From the must-buy seasonal food hampers and advent calendars for Christmas to the family-friendly air fryers that’ll make dinner time a breeze, Jessica loves trying and testing various food products to find the best of the best for the busy parents among us. Over the years of working with GoodtoKnow, Jessica has had the privilege of working alongside Future’s Test Kitchen to create exclusive videos - as well as writing, testing, and shooting her own recipes. When she’s not embracing the great outdoors with her family at the weekends, Jessica enjoys baking up a storm in the kitchen with her favourite bakes being chocolate chip cookies, cupcakes, and a tray of gooey chocolate brownies.