Description
Creamy spinach mushroom pasta blends earthy mushrooms with tender spinach in a silky sauce. Simple ingredients create a comforting Italian-inspired dish that satisfies hunger and delights taste buds.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb/454 g pasta
- 1 lb/454 g cremini mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
- 8 oz/226 g fresh spinach
- 1 cup parmesan cheese, freshly grated
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsps flat-leaf parsley, chopped
- 2 tbsps extra-virgin olive oil
- 2.25 cups half-and-half (or single cream if outside the US)
- Salt, to taste
- Pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Pasta Preparation: Salt boiling water generously and cook pasta until nearly al dente, reserving starchy pasta water before draining.
- Aromatic Foundation: In a spacious skillet, heat olive oil and sauté minced garlic until fragrant and translucent, creating a flavor base.
- Mushroom Transformation: Add sliced mushrooms, seasoning with salt and pepper, and cook until golden and tender, developing rich caramelized notes.
- Greens Integration: Incorporate spinach into the mushroom mixture, allowing it to wilt gracefully and meld with the existing ingredients.
- Sauce Development: Pour half-and-half into the skillet, bringing the mixture to a gentle simmer and allowing the sauce to thicken slightly over low heat.
- Final Combination: Transfer pasta directly into the skillet, introducing parsley and Parmesan, then toss vigorously to ensure complete sauce coverage and optimal flavor distribution.
- Texture Refinement: Gradually add reserved pasta water, stirring to achieve the perfect sauce consistency and complete the pasta’s cooking process.
- Flavor Calibration: Adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper to personal taste, ensuring a balanced and harmonious final dish.
- Serving: Plate immediately, accompanied by a crisp salad and rustic bread for a complete and satisfying culinary experience.
Notes
- Pasta Water Magic: Reserve a cup of starchy pasta water before draining to help create a silky, perfectly coated sauce that clings beautifully to every strand.
- Mushroom Mastery: Avoid overcrowding the skillet when sautéing mushrooms to ensure they brown and caramelize instead of steaming, which develops deeper, richer flavor.
- Wilting Spinach Wisdom: Add spinach last and cook briefly to maintain its vibrant green color and prevent turning into a mushy texture that loses nutritional value.
- Cheese Finishing Touch: Grate fresh Parmesan directly over the pasta just before serving to enhance the dish’s aroma and provide a rich, creamy final layer of flavor.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Boiling
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 500
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 300 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 60 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 15 g
- Cholesterol: 40 mg