# Bake My Day

Creamy Mushroom Alfredo Pasta Gratin with a Golden Parmesan Crust

Italy called: it wants you to master the double act of creamy Alfredo and a bubbling, gratinéed top. Welcome to the world of pasta bakes, where al dente meets umami-rich mushrooms and science gives you a sauce that doesn’t split.

- Serves: 4
- Cook time: 55 minutes
- Cuisine: Italian
- Meal: Dinner
- Dietary: Vegetarian, Nut-free, Shellfish-free, Soy-free
- Canonical: https://cookwithherb.com/r/creamy-mushroom-alfredo-pasta-gratin-with-a-golden-parmesan-crust-59026266
- Image: /api/recipes/image-file?pathname=recipes%2F59026266-5274-4b37-b7ab-99860d65aee7-1777252089894.png

## Ingredients

- 12 oz penne pasta
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter
- 12 oz cremini mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
- 1 small yellow onion, finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 3/4 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
- 1/3 cup dry white wine
- 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated, divided
- 1/8 tsp nutmeg, freshly grated
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
- 2 tsp olive oil, for greasing

## Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 400°F. Grease a 2-quart baking dish with olive oil.
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook penne pasta until just shy of al dente, about 1-2 minutes less than package instructions. Drain and set aside. (Herb says: Pasta will finish cooking in the oven, so a little bite now means perfect texture later.)
3. While pasta cooks, melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until deeply browned and their liquid has evaporated, about 7-8 minutes.
4. Add diced onion and sauté until soft, about 4 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, 1 minute.
5. Season mixture with kosher salt and black pepper. Sprinkle in flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute to form a roux. (Herb says: Cooking out the raw flour here means your sauce will be silky, not pasty. Roux science, folks.)
6. Pour in white wine and scrape up any brown bits from the pan. Simmer until wine is reduced by half, about 2 minutes.
7. Gradually whisk in milk, then heavy cream. Lower heat to medium and cook, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 4-6 minutes.
8. Stir in 3/4 cup Parmesan, nutmeg, and half the mozzarella. Remove from heat.
9. Fold the drained pasta into the mushroom Alfredo sauce and stir to coat evenly. (Herb says: Combining while the sauce is hot ensures every noodle gets a creamy hug.)
10. Transfer mixture to the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle remaining mozzarella and Parmesan evenly over the top.
11. Bake uncovered until the top is bubbly and golden, about 18-22 minutes. Let rest for at least 10 minutes before serving. (Herb says: Resting lets the sauce set and keeps your bake from turning into a molten cheese slip-and-slide.)
12. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and serve hot.