Cheesey-baked rigatoni with zucchini and mince

This delicious pasta dish is creamy and the whole family will love a pasta dish with the vegetables hidden so no issues with the kids

Ingredients

  • 500g beef mince

  • 500g rigatoni pasta

    cooked

  • 1 tsp butter

    for buttering the dish

  • 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

  • 2 small zucchini

    finely sliced in rounds

  • ½ cup parsley

  • 50g butter

  • 3 tbsp flour

  • 4 cups milk

  • 2 cups mozzarella cheese

  • onions

    Not in original list, mentioned in method

  • garlic

    Not in original list, mentioned in method

  • parmesan cheese

    Not in original list, mentioned in method

  • salt and pepper

    to taste

Allergy Advice

Contains Dairy

Contains Gluten

Equipment

  • 1 large lasagne dish
  • 1 large frying pan
  • 1 saucepan
  • 1 whisk
  • 1 mandoline

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 180C. Butter a large lasagne dish 35 x 25cm and set aside.
  2. In a large frying pan, saute onions and garlic for one minute in oil.
  3. Add the mince and brown. Add salt and pepper to taste.
  4. Stir parsley, pasta and zucchini through and pour into lasagne dish.
  5. In another saucepan over a medium heat, melt the 50grams butter.
  6. Once melted, add flour to the pan and stir to make a paste.
  7. Gradually whisk milk in adding salt and pepper to taste. Keep whisking until it begins to bubble and thicken up then remove from heat.
  8. Stir parmesan through.
  9. Pour white sauce evenly over pasta mixture and sprinkle with mozzarella.
  10. Cook for 20-25 minutes or until golden and bubbling.

Notes

Tip
Add a tsp of salt to the cooking water for the pasta.
Tip
I save a lot of time chopping onions and other vegetables by using my beloved mandoline. Chopping extremely finely is so easy with this tool.
Tip
I love to use organic butter as it flavours the white sauce so nicely.
Variation
You can use any pasta shape similar in size to rigatoni, such a penne, spirals or shells.
Variation
If you don't have time to make the white sauce from scratch, you can buy Maggi Instant Creamy White Sauce, just make sure you have at least 4 cups of sauce for this recipe.

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