Creamy Mushroom & Spinach Pasta

Serves: 4 | Prep time: 10 minutes | Cook time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 12 oz (340 g) pasta (penne, fettuccine, or rigatoni)

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 1 lb (450 g) mushrooms, sliced (cremini, button, or a mix)

• 1 small onion, finely diced

• 4 garlic cloves, minced

• 3 tbsp butter

• 3 tbsp all-purpose flour

• 1½ cups whole milk (or half-and-half for extra richness)

• ½ cup heavy cream

• ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving

• 5 oz (140 g) fresh baby spinach

• ½ tsp dried thyme (or 1 tsp fresh)

• Salt and black pepper, to taste

• Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)

• Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)

Instructions

1. Cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until al dente according to package directions. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water, then drain.

2. Sauté the mushrooms. While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden and their moisture has evaporated, about 6–8 minutes. Season with a pinch of salt.

3. Add aromatics. Reduce heat to medium. Add the onion and cook for 3 minutes until softened. Stir in the garlic and thyme, and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Transfer the mushroom mixture to a plate and set aside.

4. Make the sauce. In the same skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute to form a roux. Gradually whisk in the milk and cream until smooth. Simmer for 2–3 minutes until thickened.

5. Add cheese and spinach. Stir in the Parmesan until melted. Add the spinach and cook for 1–2 minutes until wilted. Season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.

6. Combine. Return the mushrooms to the skillet, then add the drained pasta. Toss to coat, adding splashes of reserved pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce.

7. Serve. Garnish with fresh parsley and extra Parmesan. Enjoy hot!

Tips

• Don't crowd the mushrooms — cook them in batches if your skillet is small, so they brown instead of steam.

• Use fresh Parmesan — it melts better and tastes far superior to pre-shredded.

• Make it richer: Swap the milk for half-and-half and add an extra splash of cream.

• Add protein: Grilled chicken, shrimp, or Italian sausage all work great here.

• Vegan version: Use plant butter, oat or soy milk, vegan cream, and nutritional yeast or vegan Parmesan.