Mushroom Vegetable Bechamel Pasta
Penne layered with mushroom, carrot and zucchini tomato filling and freshly cooked milk béchamel.
Preparation: 15 min · Cooking: 50 min · Total: 1 hr 5 min · 2 servings
Ingredients
- 200 g dry penne, weighed before boiling
- 240 ml sliced mushrooms, volume measure
- 60 ml diced zucchini
- 480 ml pasteurized whole milk for the sauce
- 2 tbsp butter, all for the sauce
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour for the sauce
- 0.25 tsp ground nutmeg
- 60 ml diced carrot
- onion, finely chopped — 1
- 240 ml pourable tomato sauce or passata, not concentrated paste
- 1 tbsp olive oil for sautéing vegetables
- pasta cooking water, package-led and drained
- salt, to taste
- ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
Preheat and prepare vegetables
Preheat the oven to 200°C. Wash produce before cutting. Prepare 240 ml sliced mushrooms, 60 ml diced zucchini, 60 ml diced carrot and 1 chopped onion. The zucchini/carrot total is 120 ml, not 120 ml of each.
The zucchini/carrot total is 120 ml, not 120 ml of each.
Separate cooking fats
Reserve all 2 tbsp butter and 2 tbsp flour for the sauce with 480 ml milk and 0.25 tsp nutmeg. Measure the separate 1 tbsp olive oil for vegetables. Do not take vegetable fat from the sauce butter or add unlisted pan grease.
Do not take vegetable fat from the sauce butter or add unlisted pan grease.
Boil the dry-weighed penne
Cook the 200 g dry-weighed penne in enough plain boiling water according to the package until cooked but firm, al dente. Drain. This is not 200 g of already-boiled pasta or raw half-cooked pasta.
This is not 200 g of already-boiled pasta or raw half-cooked pasta.
Cook the tomato-vegetable filling
Heat the 1 tbsp olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Sauté the onion, mushrooms, zucchini and carrot until softened. Add all 240 ml tomato sauce and simmer about 5 minutes. Do not add the old draft’s bell pepper or meat.
Do not add the old draft’s bell pepper or meat.
Cook the béchamel
Melt all 2 tbsp butter over medium heat in a saucepan. Whisk in all 2 tbsp flour and cook from about 1 minute, without burning. Gradually whisk in 480 ml milk, then simmer gently while stirring until smooth, thick and fully cooked through, not merely golden. Season with 0.25 tsp nutmeg and salt/black pepper to taste; do not taste raw roux.
Season with 0.25 tsp nutmeg and salt/black pepper to taste; do not taste raw roux.
Layer consistently and bake
Spread a thin layer of prepared béchamel in a baking dish. Layer half the pasta, all the vegetable filling and the remaining pasta. Cover with all remaining béchamel. Bake at 200°C and begin checking after 30 minutes. Use the same layering in equivalent pans for eight portions, not a thicker block or a different sauce split.
Use the same layering in equivalent pans for eight portions, not a thicker block or a different sauce split.
Check the pasta bake: 1800 seconds
Check the casserole centre
Probe several central and thick points; continue baking until 74°C throughout, not only a browned bubbly top. Serve with clean utensils once safe to handle. This is the mushroom-vegetable version, separate from the meat Macarona Bechamel.
This is the mushroom-vegetable version, separate from the meat Macarona Bechamel.
Cool in shallow portions
Portion leftovers into shallow containers and refrigerate within one hour at ≤4°C. Use within 24 hours and reheat at most once to 74°C throughout; do not leave a dense whole bake on the counter until cold.
Use within 24 hours and reheat at most once to 74°C throughout; do not leave a dense whole bake on the counter until cold.
Tips
- Instruction quantities describe the original two-serving batch. Ingredient controls scale the list to one or eight servings. One cup is 240 ml; tablespoon 15 ml and teaspoon 5 ml. Volumes are not gram weights. Use equivalent vessels/batches when scaling.
Common mistakes
- Do not add inherited draft ingredients or treat appearance and fixed times as the only cooking checks.
Substitutions
- Use the listed ingredient states and alternatives. Check product directions and allergens; unlisted replacements may change handling and storage.
Storage
Refrigerate promptly within one hour in shallow portions at ≤4°C. Use within 24 hours from preparation, including setting/chilling. These are conservative household limits, not a validated shelf life.
Reheating
Reheat at most once to 74°C throughout. Reheating cannot rescue food that was stored improperly.
About this recipe
Penne layered with mushroom, carrot and zucchini tomato filling and freshly cooked milk béchamel.
Editorial approval does not establish independent kitchen testing. Check allergens and follow safe food handling.