Baked Blue Cheese Pasta with Bacon, Spinach & Tomatoes

This baked blue cheese pasta with bacon, tomatoes and spinach is my new favorite! It takes the baked feta pasta approach to a whole new level that's reminiscent to a steakhouse style mac and cheese! It's quick, easy, and packed full of flavor! Even non-blue cheese lovers will adore it!

FYI: This recipe was shared because of a sponsored instagram post – this post is not itself sponsored – just wanted to share!

If you love my rendition of the baked feta pasta recipe that's blown up the internet, then you will love this baked blue cheese pasta!

And if you're one of those people that's afraid of blue cheese, don't worry!! I bet this recipe will change your mind!

Once it's all cooked, the final dish reminds of a decadent blue cheese and bacon mac and cheese off of a steakhouse menu! 

But unlike most blues, the cheese that I'm using (Roth’s buttermilk blue) is super mellow and earthy with the slightest hint of tang. It's not overpowering at all which I love!

Their buttermilk blue cheese is legit one of my favorite cheeses on earth - and even if you’re scared of blue cheese, I’m willing to bet that you’ll love it like this even if it's not baked!

Main ingredients & substitutions

*For exact measurements, scroll down to the recipe card at the very bottom of this post*

• Roth’s Buttermilk Blue Cheese - I think this is the best blue cheese for this recipe because it's super mild compared to more funky blues. It also melts beautifully so I'm a huge fan!
• Bacon - You can leave out bacon if you don't eat meat. Or you could sub it out for shredded chicken!
• Cherry Tomatoes - grape tomatoes work, too! Any small sweet tomato works beautifully in this dish!
• Pasta - Leaving the shape up to you!
• Garlic - Fresh is best! But you could use garlic powder or the jarred minced garlic if you must. 
• Spinach - Once again, fresh is best here but you could use thawed frozen spinach if you had some on hand!

How to make it

Making this baked blue cheese pasta takes the same approach as the baked feta pasta method! Don't forget to scroll down to the bottom of this post for the actual printable recipe card!

To begin, preheat oven to 400F degrees.

While that's preheating, I like to get a pot of water ready for the pasta. As the tomatoes and blue cheese are in the oven, you'll want to start preparing the pasta al dente according to the directions on the bag/box — being sure to save 1 cup pasta water for later on if needed. 

Once the oven is preheated, line a baking sheet with parchment paper then add the sliced bacon to it. Set aside. 

Now grab a medium sized baking dish and add tomatoes, olive oil and salt and toss.

Then place 2 wedges of Blue Cheese on top of the tomatoes.

Place the baking dish in the middle rack of the oven AND place the bacon sheet pan below it on a lower rack.

You'll want to bake both dishes for 30 minutes -- making sure to flip the bacon haflway through.

If the bacon is crispy before 30 minutes, definitely pull it out of the oven and set aside. 

Once the bacon is crispy, at around 30 minutes, pull it out of the oven and set aside. Crumble once cooled.

Now crank the heat of the baking dish to 450 for another 5-10 minutes or until the tomatoes are starting to blister and caramelize.

Remove the baking dish from the oven and immediately add the fresh garlic and stir everything together until it's creamy and smooth. 

Now add the crumbled cooked bacon, the fresh spinach, and the cooked pasta right on top.

Toss everything together until the spinach is wilted and the sauce is creamy. If the sauce looks dry, add ¼ cup pasta water at a time to loosen it up. 

Season with more salt and pepper to taste before serving. 

What to pair it with

This pasta would be amazing with some crispy oven fried chicken or even served alongside a big romaine wedge salad or these bacon wrapped dates with blue cheese!

If you want more baked feta pasta method style recipes, try any of these below!

• Original Baked Feta Pasta
• Baked Feta Pasta with Butternut Squash, Hot Honey & Sage
• Springtime Baked Goat Cheese Pasta with Asparagus, Peas and Herbs
• Baked Queso Mac and Cheese

Save this recipe for later

If you'd like to save this baked blue cheese pasta recipe (aka steakhouse mac and cheese!) for later, go for it!!

I absolutely love when you save my recipes on Pinterest! So thank you for that! 

And if you don’t already, feel free to follow me for more cheesy goodness!

Video:

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Av54iXQqYAU[/embedyt]

Baked Blue Cheese Pasta Recipe 

Recipe

Baked Blue Cheese Pasta with Bacon, Tomatoes, and Spinach

This baked blue cheese pasta with bacon, tomatoes and spinach is my new favorite! It takes the baked feta pasta approach to a whole new level reminiscent to a steakhouse mac and cheese! It's quick, easy, and packed full of flavor! Even non-blue cheese lovers will adore it!

5 from 6 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 35 minutes mins

Course pasta

Cuisine American

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 2 4 oz wedges Roth’s Buttermilk Blue Cheese
• 1 lb sliced thick cut bacon
• 2 pints cherry or grape tomatoes
• ½ lb pasta of your choice
• ¼ cup olive oil
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 4 cloves garlic minced
• 2 cups fresh spinach packed

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 400F degrees.
• Prepare pasta al dente according to the directions on the bag — being sure to save 1 cup pasta water for later on if needed.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper then add bacon spaced equally apart on top. Set aside.
• In a medium sized baking dish, add tomatoes, olive oil and salt and toss.
• Place 2 of Roth’s Buttermilk Blue Cheese Wedges on top of the tomatoes.
• Place the baking dish in the middle rack of the oven and place the bacon sheet pan below it on a lower rack.
• Bake both dishes for 30 minutes, flipping the bacon halfway through.
• Once the bacon is crispy, at around 30 minutes, pull it out of the oven and set aside. Crumble once cooled. If it's crispy before that, definitely pull it out early!
• Now crank the heat on the tomato blue cheese baking dish to 450 for another 5-10 minutes or until the tomatoes are starting to blister and caramelize.
• Remove the baking dish from the oven and immediately add the fresh garlic and stir everything together.
• Now add the crumbled cooked bacon, the fresh spinach and the cooked pasta on top.
• Toss everything together until the spinach is wilted and the sauce is creamy. If the sauce looks dry, add ¼ cup pasta water at a time to loosen it up.
• Season with more salt and pepper to taste before serving.

Keyword bacon, baked feta pasta method, blue cheese, dinner, easy, pasta, spinach, tomatoes

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