Mushroom Alfredo Penne Bake

• . whole wheat penne pasta↗1
• head cauliflower (about 6-7 cups of florets)↗1
• reduced sodium chicken broth, divided↗3 cup
• milk↗0.75 cup
• olive oil↗0.25 cup
• salt↗1 teaspoon
• cloves garlic↗2
• fresh sliced mushrooms24 ounce
• butter, divided↗4 tablespoon
• shredded Gruyere cheese1 cup
• fresh sage, sliced into thin ribbons↗
• extras: caramelized onions, bacon, sausage

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Bring a large pot of water to boil. Cook the pasta for 5 minutes – it should still be a little firm. Drain, toss with a drizzle of oil, and set aside.

2. 2

   Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add the cauliflower, and cook for 5 minutes until tender-crisp. Meanwhile saute the minced garlic with a tablespoon of butter. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cooked cauliflower to a blender with 2 cups broth, milk, oil, salt, and sauteed garlic. Puree until very smooth. You might need to do this in batches.

3. 3

   Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Heat the 3 tablespoons butter in a very large skillet. Add the mushrooms and saute until golden brown.

4. 4

   Toss the cooked pasta, cauliflower sauce, and mushrooms together. Add the remaining cup of broth to help the consistency stay saucy.

5. 5

   Transfer to a deep 9×13 baking dish. Sprinkle with cheese and bake uncovered at 400 for 10-15 minutes. Some of the moisture from the mushrooms will seep out – give it a quick stir to reincorporate it and make it creamy. Top with fresh sage ribbons.