Spice up your weeknight dinner menu with this sausage and mushroom baked goat cheese pasta. Inspired by the viral TikTok famous baked feta pasta, it's so easy to make and comes together in under an hour. It's creamy and filling and the a dish the whole family will love!
I think by now most everyone has heard of or made the famous baked feta pasta (aka TikTok pasta) that blew up a little while ago thanks to a Finnish blogger. It's a genius idea. I mean pasta and cheese already go so well and the feta was a surprising and delicious twist.
The dish is made by spreading grape tomatoes in a dish with olive oil and adding a block of feta to the middle and baking until the tomatoes were nice and soft with some extra juice in the pan. Then you swirl it all together, melting the feta into the tomatoes and toss it with pasta. The result is a cheesy pasta that is undeniably tasty.
While I do love feta (my stuffed feta mushrooms are to die for!), if I had to choose I would be team goat cheese all the way. It's creaminess is unmatched and it's soft and flavorful making it the perfect cheese to melt into pasta.
I wanted to add some more "bulk" to the dish to make it higher in protein so I added some chicken sausage along with mushrooms and onions and used chickpea pasta to make it gluten free. It's become one of our favorite weeknight meals to whip up!
If you're team goat cheese too, check out my whipped goat cheese, savory goat cheese muffins, and my strawberry goat cheese salad.
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Recipe characteristics
- Made in under an hour
- Minimal dishes used
- Light and creamy texture
- Packed with protein
- Made gluten free
- Kid approved
Ingredients and notes
- Goat cheese - The star of the pasta show. Use the soft goat cheese logs found in the cheese section at the grocery store. Use plain flavored or something savory like garlic and herb. You will need 8 oz so you can use either one of the large 8 oz logs or use 2 small 4 oz logs.
- Chickpea pasta - I like to use this pasta because it adds more protein to the dish but any type of pasta will work in this recipe.
- Chicken sausage - To add some bulk to the dish. Any type of sausage will work like pork or turkey.
- Mushrooms - White or baby bella work best. Make sure to wash them well and slice into small pieces.
How to make baked goat cheese pasta
This baked pasta is so easy to make. You need a large baking dish, I used an 8 X 10 in dish, and a pot for the pasta.
Step 1 : Add sausage, mushrooms, and onions to a pan
First wash and dry the mushrooms well. Then place the diced onions, sliced mushrooms, and sausage pieces in a pan.
Step 2 : Add the spices
Drizzle the olive oil over top along with the garlic powder, paprika, oregano, and sea salt and toss to mix. Use a rubber spatula or large spoon to mix well so the spices are evenly distributed.
Step 3 : Place goat cheese in the middle and bake
Make a little hole in the middle of the dish big enough for the goat cheese log. Place the goat cheese in the middle and drizzle the remaining olive oil over top.
Bake in the oven until the cheese is soft and melty and the mushrooms and onions are cooked. You will hear the dish sizzling in the oven and the sausage will be nice and golden brown.
Step 4 : Make the pasta
While the goat cheese dish is baking, prepare the pasta. It's best to make the pasta al dente so it's a little firmer which makes it easier to coat in the cheese sauce.
Reserve about ½ cup of the pasta water before draining the pasta. This is used when we mix in the pasta to the goat cheese.
Step 5 : Mix and add the pasta
Use a rubber spatula to mix up the baked goat cheese into the sausage and mushroom mixture. Mix well so the cheese is evenly distributed. There will be some extra liquid which is good, this is what helps to coat the pasta.
Next add the cooked pasta to the dish along with some reserved pasta water. The pasta water is important because the starchy water helps to coat the noodles.
Toss the pasta with the cheesy mixture until the noodles are well coated.
Garnish the dish with some scallions and parsley leaves for some added greenery and serve. Fresh thyme would also be really good!
Customizations
- You can easily switch up the protein and use turkey sausage or even meatballs or shrimp. If the meat is already cooked, just wait to add it to the dish until after the goat cheese has been baked.
- Add some extra greens with a handful of spinach or arugula. No need to cook these greens beforehand, just add them to the pasta dish after the pasta has been mixed in and the greens will soften and wilt down into the pasta.
- Make it vegetarian my swapping the sausage with extra veggies like more mushrooms or some sliced bell peppers or sun dried tomatoes.
How to serve
The best way to serve this dish is to let everyone scoop out a portion into their bowl. Use a large serving spoon for this so you can get the yummy cheese sauce at the bottom. You can have some extra greens, salt, and hot sauce on the side so they can spice up their baked pasta however they like.
How to store
This pasta dish stores really well! Place some aluminum foil over the pan when you're done and store it in the fridge. You can also pour it into a separate airtight container but you will end up dirtying up a pan to heat it back up.
When ready to enjoy, heat the pan up in the oven at 350 F for 10 minutes until the pastas is hot. Add a little warm water and mix it all up before serving.
The pasta will keep for 5 days in the fridge.
Frequently asked questions
Goat cheese will not "melt" but it will soften when baked in the oven.
Yes! The baking time may vary slightly but goat cheese can be used in baked pasta as well.
Yes, gluten free noodles work well in this recipe. I used chickpea pasta and it held up nicely and added some more protein to the dish.
Anything from 4 oz - 6 oz of goat cheese will also work in this recipe. You will need to add a little more pasta water to help thin out the cheese sauce.
For more easy dinner ideas, check out my:
PS : If you make this recipe, be sure to leave a star review and comment below! Also be sure to follow along with me on Instagram and Pinterest to stay up to date on all tasty recipes here at The Fit Peach!
Recipe
Easy Baked Goat Cheese Pasta with Sausage and Mushrooms
Ingredients
- 8 oz mushrooms - sliced
- 1 cup white onion - diced
- 9 oz sausage - sliced (any kind will work, I used chicken)
- 2 tablespoon olive oil - divided
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- 8 oz goat cheese - soft
- 9 oz pasta - I used chickpea
- ½ cup pasta water
- Scallions - to garnish
- Parsley - to garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 F. In an 8 X 10 inch pan, add the sliced mushrooms, diced onions, and sliced sausage. Toss to mix.
- Pour in 1 ½ tablespoon olive oil and sprinkle the sea salt, garlic powder, oregano, and paprika over top and toss to distribute.
- Make a little hole in the center of the dish for the goat cheese log. Place the goat cheese in the center and pour the remaining ½ tablespoon of olive oil over the goat cheese. Bake the pan in the preheated oven for 20 minutes until the onions and mushrooms are soft and cooked.
- While the goat cheese is baking, cook the pasta according to the package directions. Try to cook it al dente so the noodles are a little firmer which makes it easier to toss in the sauce. Reserve ½ cup of the pasta water before draining.
- When the goat cheese pan is done in the oven, use the back of a spoon or a spatula to mix up the softened cheese with the sausage, mushrooms, and onions. Mix well so the goat cheese is well distributed and no clumps remain. It should be easy to mix since it’s warm.
- Then add the cooked pasta to the pan along with the extra pasta water. Toss well in the cheese mixture to coat.
- Sprinkle scallions and parsley leaves over top and serve.
I hosted a "snowy potluck" during a recent snowstorm in my city. This gathering called for a home-y recipe, and our couple friends came ready to show off their offerings. Amidst all the chili, casseroles, and other cozy dishes they brought, this baked goat cheese pasta stood apart! Not only did it warm our bellies on this cold, snowy evening, but also left us feeling full (in a good way) without sacrificing flavor! I would recommend this recipe for any large gathering. All my friends loved it!