Dump Meals

Dump and Bake

Loaded Bacon Pasta Bake

dumpmeals.com/recipes/loaded-bacon-pasta-bake/

Uncooked penne baked in a creamy ranch and cheddar sauce with crisp bacon, then topped with more cheese and bacon.

Loaded Bacon Pasta Bake, served
A computer-made picture of the finished dish, not a photo of this recipe.
Serves
8
Prep
25 minutes
Bake
375°F, 55 to 60 minutes
Pan
9-by-13-inch dish, at least 3 inches deep

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Loaded bacon pasta bake borrows the toppings from a loaded baked potato: crisp bacon, cheddar, ranch seasoning and green onions. The pasta goes into the baking dish uncooked, along with broth and a can of cream of chicken soup, and softens in the oven as the sauce thickens around it.

The bacon is the one thing to cook first. Raw bacon would leave the dish greasy and the bacon limp, so crisp it in a skillet, drain it and crumble it. Half goes into the sauce for flavor and half goes on top for crunch.

Serve with a green salad or steamed broccoli. Like other baked pastas, it thickens as it stands, so let it rest a few minutes before serving, and add a splash of broth to leftovers when you reheat them.

Ingredients

Into the dish

  • ¾ pound regular sliced bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
  • 1 pound dry ziti or penne pasta, uncooked
  • 4½ cups chicken broth, low-sodium if you can
  • 1 (10.5-ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup
  • 1 (1-ounce) packet ranch seasoning mix
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, for the sauce
  • nonstick cooking spray

At the end

  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, for the top

To serve

  • chopped green onions

Directions

  1. Heat the oven to 375°F. Spray the dish and set it on a rimmed baking sheet.
  2. Cook the bacon until crisp, then drain and crumble it. Set half aside. Wash your hands and anything the raw bacon touched with hot, soapy water.
  3. In the dish, whisk the broth, soup and seasonings. Stir in 1 cup of the cheese and half the bacon.
  4. Stir in the uncooked pasta and press it under the liquid.
  5. Cover tightly with foil; bake 40 minutes. Stir (mind the steam), re-cover, and bake 10 to 15 minutes more.
  6. Uncover, add the rest of the cheese and bacon, and bake 5 minutes.
  7. Check the center with a food thermometer. It must read at least 165°F. If it doesn't, bake 5 minutes more and check again. Rest 5 minutes; top with green onions.

It's done when the pasta is tender, the sauce is bubbling, and the center reads at least 165°F. Check with a food thermometer.

Leftovers go in the refrigerator within two hours, in shallow covered containers. Reheat them until hot all the way through (165°F).

Tips

  • Every piece of pasta needs to be under the liquid when it goes into the oven, or it will stay hard.
  • For a heartier dish, stir in 2 cups of shredded cooked chicken with the pasta.

Food-safety sources

More dump and bake

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  • Enchilada Casserole Bake at 350°F, 30 to 40 minutes Layers of corn tortillas, shredded chicken, black beans, enchilada sauce and cheese, baked until bubbly.
  • Meatball Sub Casserole Bake at 350°F, 35 to 45 minutes Cubed Italian bread, meatballs, marinara and mozzarella baked together. All the flavor of the sub, with a fork.