Spinach Mushroom Pasta

Cosy, comforting, umami flavour packed creamy mushroom spinach pasta is perfect for busy weeknights dinner or date nights. It is healthy, simple, quick to make and takes less than 30 minutes of your active time. The recipe is vegetarian, vegan and can also be made gluten free.

Every bite of this pasta tastes delish with juicy tender mushrooms, earthy spinach and slightly caramelized onions. This spinach mushroom pasta is one of my favourite meals as it is tasty, filling & wholesome with goodness of fresh ingredients.

It can also be customised by adding protein (stir fried tofu / chicken) or veggies of your choice like broccoli, kale, zucchini, peas, arugula & courgette etc. You just require few simple ingredients from your kitchen pantry to whip up this luscious creamy mushroom pasta. It is :

Vegetarian
Kids friendly
Can be made dairy free
Can be made gluten free
Easy and quick lunch or dinner recipe

Mushroom Pasta Ingredients:

Pasta: Short pasta varieties like penne, farfalle (bow tie), scialatielli or long pasta like tagliatelle, linguine, spaghetti, fettuccine can be used. To make the recipe gluten free, use gluten free pasta variety. The cooking time can vary depending on the type and shape of pasta, so always refer to the cooking instructions on packaging.

Spinach: You can use fresh spinach, baby spinach or even frozen spinach in this pasta, Just thaw & squeeze the frozen spinach to get rid of any excess water.

Mushrooms: They are the highlight of this pasta and renders it beautiful meaty, umami flavour. You can use white button mushrooms, cremini mushrooms, shiitake, portobello, porcini or a mix of variety of mushrooms. If you are using frozen mushrooms, then thaw and squeeze them first.

Cream: It gives rich velvety taste and texture to the pasta. You can use heavy whipping cream, low fat cream or half-&-half. If you want to make mushroom spinach pasta without cream (or vegan), use coconut milk.

Parmesan: It instantly elevates the pasta with its rich, nutty and slightly salty taste. For dairy free pasta, use vegan parmesan or nutritional yeast for cheesy taste.

Seasoning: The pasta is seasoned with simple salt and freshly cracked black pepper. If you like more heat in pasta, you can add red chilli flakes as well.

Herbs: Rosemary, Thyme or Parsley are some herbs which compliments the flavour of mushrooms. I have used fresh rosemary & parsley here. If you are not able to get any of these fresh herbs, you can use any of their dried form or use Italian seasoning.

To make this pasta we will first sauté mushrooms in a pan or skillet till they are caramelised and golden brown in colour. Then we will add onion, garlic to it and sauté cook till onions soften up. Deglazing the pan with some reserved pasta water helps in releasing caramelised mushroom and onion bits.

To the cooked mushrooms and onion, we will add spinach and cook till it wilts completely. This will be followed by addition of cream, parmesan and seasoning. Once the pasta sauce is ready, we will add cooked pasta along with some ‘pasta water’ to it. The starch in pasta water (or stock) helps the sauce in sticking to pasta.

Variations:

Apart from the above mentioned ingredients, vegetables like zucchini, boiled broccoli, peas or greens like kale & arugula can also be included.
You can add some cream cheese in spinach mushroom sauce to make it even more creamier.
To give more depth of flavours, you can add 1/2 tsp of balsamic vinegar to pasta sauce.

More mushroom recipes:

Ingredients:

Penne Pasta (dried)- 2 cups (or any pasta variety)
Olive Oil- 2 tbsp
Mushrooms (cleaned & sliced)- 200 gms (7 ounces)
Baby spinach / Spinach (chopped)- 2 cups
Onion (diced)- 1 small
Garlic Cloves (minced)- 2
Parsley (chopped)- 2 tbsp
Rosemary (fresh or dry)- 1/4 tsp (optional)
Italian seasoning- 1/2 tsp
Crushed Black Pepper- 1/2 tsp (to taste)
Salt-1 tsp (to taste)
Water- For boiling pasta
Parmesan (grated)- 1/4 cup
Heavy Cream*/ Coconut milk-1/3 cup to 1/2 cup

Notes:

*Instead of heavy cream, you can use low fat cream or half-&-half also.
For vegan pasta, use coconut milk and replace parmesan with nutritional yeast.
The above quantities yields 2 servings. You can double the recipe for more servings.

Directions:

Step 1:
Boil water in a large pot and add 2 tsp salt to it. Add pasta & cook as per packet instructions. Reserve 3/4 cup pasta water for later. (While the pasta is boiling, you can prepare the sauce.)

Step 2:
Heat olive oil in a pan or skillet. Add sliced mushrooms to it. Spread them in single layer for even cooking. Cook them on medium-high flame till they start turning golden brown in colour (It takes roughly 6-7 minutes). Stir occasionally.

Step 3:
Add diced onions and garlic to mushrooms, stir gently and cook for another 2-3 minutes till onion begin to soften up. (If mushrooms or onion start sticking to the pan, you can add 1-2 tbsp pasta water to deglaze).

Step 4:
Add chopped spinach to sautéed mushrooms and onions. Mix gently. Cook for 1-2 minutes while stirring in between till it starts to wilt.

Step 5:
Add cream, chopped parsley, rosemary, Italian seasoning, crushed black pepper and parmesan cheese. Mix well and let the sauce cook for 2-3 minutes till it begins to thicken up.

Step 6:
Add boiled pasta and 2-3 tbsp reserved ‘pasta water’ to get the right consistency of sauce. Toss gently. Taste and adjust salt or black pepper as per your taste. Sprinkle some more parmesan or chopped parsley on top before serving.

Storage & Reheating: The leftover pasta can easily be stored in fridge in an airtight box for 1-2 days. To reheat it add splash of water (or pasta water) and microwave for 40-60 seconds.

Tips:

As pasta water already has salt, please add the salt towards the end of cooking after tasting.
Adjust the amount of cream added depending on how saucy you want the pasta.
For richer taste & texture, you can use butter for cooking or a mix of olive oil and butter.
For additional flavour, you can top the pasta some shaved or grated fresh truffle. If you like spicy pasta, add some chilli flakes.
If you want to make this pasta without cream, then try this simple white sauce or béchamel sauce made with flour, butter and milk.

Can I make this pasta this in advance?

You can prepare the sauce, cook pasta in advance and store them individually in containers in fridge. When you are ready to serve pasta, heat the sauce in a pan and add pasta along with some ‘pasta water’ (to loosen the sauce). Mix gently and serve. I would not recommend mixing too much in advance, as the pasta otherwise soaks up all the sauce.

More pasta recipes:

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(7 votes, average: 4.57 out of 5)