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Pork mince & pasta bake

A tasty variation on lasagne, using pork mince and pasta shapes...

★★★★★ Rated 4.8 out of 5 stars. 6 Ratings
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  • Recipe:

    Recipe sent in by Sam

  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Serves 6
  • Freezable

Preparation

Total time
1 Hr 15 Mins
Preparation time
20 Mins
Cooking time
55 Mins

For the mince

  • 250g minced pork

  • 800g chopped tomatoes (2x tins)

  • 1 tbsp tomato puree

  • 1 tsp mixed herbs

  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

  • 1 tsp sugar (optional)

  • ½ courgette (skin on), chopped

  • 4 celery stalks, chopped

  • 2 onions (medium), chopped

  • garlic (2x cloves), chopped

  • pepper (to taste)

  • 250g macaroni (or pasta shapes)

For the cheese sauce

  • 40g flour

  • 40g butter (or margarine)

  • 400ml milk (full fat)

  • 100g mature Cheddar cheese, grated

  • ½ tsp mustard

For the mince

  1. Fry the onions and garlic gently in 1 tsp sunflower oil until soft

  2. Add the mince and fry gently until cooked through

  3. Add the tinned tomatoes, herbs, puree, Worcester sauce, sugar, pepper and chopped vegetables and simmer gently for 20 minutes

For the cheese sauce

  1. Melt the butter or margerine, stir in the flour and cook on a gentle heat for 2 minutes

  2. Gradually add the milk and stir until thickened

  3. Add the grated cheese handful by handful to taste, along with the mustard

  4. Meanwhile, cook the macaroni for 3-5 minutes in boiling water until undercooked - drain and leave aside

  5. Place the mince into a baking dish, put the macaroni on top and pour with the cheese sauce, top with more grated cheese if wished

  6. Bake in the oven at 190'C/Gas mark 5 for 20 minutes or until the cheese is golden and bubbling and the pasta is soft

You will need

Frying pan - Safely non-stick and anti-scratch, this frying pan is suitable for every hob - see more details here at Amazon.

Oven dish - This simple, ceramic Mason Cash baking and serving dish - see more details here at Amazon.

Sieve - a must for making sure the flour is lump free - see more details here at Wilko.

Tips

Pasta bakes are the perfect meal to cook if you're looking for something easy to make that's tasty and filling. All you have to do is prepare the ingredients then bung them in the oven until cooked.

This recipe is one of the best ways to use pork mince. For a quicker and easier pork mince pasta dish, you can always just make the pork mince pasta sauce according to the instructions and serve straight away with cooked pasta and a sprinkling of cheese on top.

This pork mince pasta sauce works brilliantly with any kind of pasta, from spaghetti to penne - we particularly like it with fusilli pasta twirls.

Variations

Use lamb, beef, turkey, quorn or soya mince if preferred

Reduce fat by adding more vegetables/tinned pulses and less mince

Use skimmed milk and half fat cheese for the sauce

This pork mince sauce is so versatile! Make a big batch and freeze, and you can serve it in so many pork mince recipes. For example, try it with different sorts of pasta; add some chilli powder and servce with rice; add in some extra veggies and serve with crusy bread; use as a topping for a jacket potato; pour over tortilla chips for a nacho-style dish... When it comes to pork mince, the options are endless!

We have lots more pasta bake recipes for you to try. Have a go at one of these dishes, ranging from creamy chicken to vegan options:

Creamy tomato and chicken pasta bake recipe

Quorn sausage pasta bake

Tuna pasta bake

Vegetable pasta bake

Reviews

★★★★★ Rated 4.8 out of 5 stars. 6 Ratings
Rate this recipe
  • Agathe D

    ★★★★☆ Rated 4 out of 5 stars.

    Je recommande cette recette très facile a réaliser pour une personne débutante.

    Reviewed on 01/11/22

  • JenniferH

    ★★★★★ Rated 5 out of 5 stars.

    I love that this recipe uses ingredients that we always have in the refrigerator or cupboard anyway and it's a nice alternative to spag bol.

    Reviewed on 12/10/22

  • Guest

    ★★★★★ Rated 5 out of 5 stars.

    I made this about a month ago and it went down really well. It definitely serves 6, there are only three of us but it was just as good when kept in the fridge and reheated. I used a chopped pepper and two grated Carrots instead of courgette and celery as I didn't have any. I'm cooking this again tonight my way ... we're all looking forward to it :)

    Reviewed on 18/02/20

  • Guest

    ★★★★★ Rated 5 out of 5 stars.

    Thank goodness for pasta - this is hearty, tasty meal for all the family.

    Reviewed on 15/10/15

  • Guest

    ★★★★★ Rated 5 out of 5 stars.

    I made this using a jar of ready made bolognaise sauce, it's a lovely spin on spag bol or lasagne. Very yummy and the kids enjoyed it. Will definitely make this again.

    Reviewed on 05/03/15

  • Guest

    ★★★★★ Rated 5 out of 5 stars.

    I skipped the celery and added some carrots - delish for a quick meal on a cold evening!

    Reviewed on 21/01/15

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