An easy and quick dinner recipe to go in 30 minutes, this mushroom and spinach pasta comes in handy in busy weeknights. This is not an Alfredo recipe, and does not use anything else except pasta water to bind everything together. It is a healthier version and you can take it up a notch with lentil pasta or non-refined flour pasta. I have used fettuccine in this recipe but you can go with any kind of pasta that you have with you.
We cook the mushrooms first in garlic and chilli flakes infused oil. I have used button mushrooms, but you can use any kind that you have available. The trick to making the mushrooms taste fabulous is to let them sit in the pan untouched for a few minutes while they are getting cooked. This step ensures that the edges of the mushroom get their space and time to turn crispy, rather than soggy. Once that is done, we add the chopped spinach and mix everything together. Final addition is that of the al dente pasta, some pasta water and basil leaves. And the simplest and yummiest mushroom and spinach pasta is ready!
Let’s dive straight into the recipe.
Preparation time – 10 minutes
Cook time – 30 minutes
Serves – 3
Ingredients
- 200 g pasta of choice, cooked as per package instructions
- 200 g button mushrooms, each cut in half
- 2 cups chopped spinach
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tbsp finely chopped garlic
- 1 tbsp chilli flakes (adjust as per preference)
- 4-5 tbsp pasta water (adjust as per need)
- Grated parmesan cheese for garnish
- Fresh 8-10 Italian basil leaves
Directions
- Heat water in a large pot. Add enough salt to make it saline (or how you would like your soup to taste).
- Once the water starts to boil, add your pasta and cook till al dente (or as per package instructions).
- In another stove, heat extra oil in a skillet at low. Add the garlic to the oil and let it slow cook and release its flavours into the oil.
- Once the garlic is aromatic, add the chilli flakes and mix.
- Add the chopped mushrooms and mix for a few seconds.
- Let the mushrooms sit in the oil for a few minutes till they start to shrink and the edges start to crisp up. Keep the flame at medium to high.
- Once the mushrooms look cooked, add the spinach. Make sure the spinach does not have too much water in them.
- Mix the spinach with the mushroom for a minute or two. If there is any water, let it dry up.
- Salt the mushrooms and spinach right before they are cooked completely.
- Add the al dente pasta, along with some pasta water and let everything come together.
- Garnish with Italian basil leaves and grated Parmesan cheese. Serve hot.
Hope you try out this delicious mushroom and spinach pasta in your own kitchen.
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