Mushroom Baked Rigatoni With Kale Gremolata

A baking dish with a mushroom rigatoni recipe and topped with a kale cheese gremolata.

5 from 7 votes

Mushroom Baked Rigatoni With Kale Gremolata

Baked Mushroom Rigatoni with Kale Gremolata is rich and creamy with a cheesy mushroom besciamella sauce, al dente pasta, and crunchy kale lemon gremolata topping that turns golden brown from baking. This family friendly meatless dinner is company and holiday dinner worthy.

Prep Time15

Cook Time40

Total Time55

Course: Main Course Pasta, pasta side

Cuisine: Italian American

Servings: servings

Calories: 835kcal

Author: Marisa Franca @ All Our Way

Equipment

Ingredients

Pasta:

1 pound rigatoni
Kosher salt for pasta water
2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound assorted mushrooms stemmed, sliced into ⅓-inch pieces
3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
3 cloves garlic smashed and peeled
3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 cups whole milk
2½ cups Parmesan grated
2 cups Gruyere grated

Gremolata:

2 cups Tuscan kale 3-4 leaves, chopped
1 cup Gruyere grated
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
½ cup smoked almonds chopped
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons lemon zest about 2 lemons

Instructions

Pasta:

Cook the rigatoni in a large pot of generously salted boiling water until al dente, about 3 minutes less than the package directions. Drain, reserving ½ cup of the cooking water.

Rigatoni bake:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees℉.
Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a large Dutch oven. Sear the mushrooms, undisturbed, for 3 minutes; stir, and season with 1 teaspoon salt. Sear on the reverse side an additional 2 minutes. Remove the mushrooms from the pan and set aside.
Lower the heat to medium and melt the butter in the Dutch oven. Add the garlic and flour, and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Whisk in the milk and simmer gently until the sauce just thickens, 5 minutes.
Remove from the heat and add the parmesan, Gruyere and ½ teaspoon salt. Let cool slightly, then add ½ of the seared mushrooms, and puree with an immersion blender. (See notes if using blender)
In a large bowl, toss the pasta with the sauce and the remaining half of the mushrooms, adding about ¼ cup of the reserved pasta water or more if desired.
Transfer to a buttered baking dish.

For the gremolata:

In a medium bowl, combine the kale, Gruyere, panko, smoked almonds, olive oil and lemon zest.
Scatter the gremolata over the pasta and bake until golden on top and bubbling, about 40 minutes.

Notes

If using a blender to puree: first let the hot liquid cool for five minutes or so, then transfer it to a blender, filling only halfway. Put the lid on, leaving one corner open. Cover the lid with a kitchen towel to catch splatters, and pulse until smooth.

Nutrition