Creamy Mushroom Spinach Pasta (Print Version)
Oven-baked pasta with mushrooms, spinach, and creamy sauce topped with melted cheese for a comforting meal.
# What You'll Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 10.5 oz penne or rigatoni
→ Vegetables
02 - 9 oz cremini or button mushrooms, sliced
03 - 5 oz fresh baby spinach
04 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
→ Sauce
06 - 2 tbsp olive oil
07 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
08 - 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
09 - 1 2/3 cups whole milk
10 - 1/2 cup heavy cream
11 - 1 tsp dried thyme
12 - 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
13 - Salt, to taste
14 - Black pepper, to taste
→ Cheese
15 - 1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
16 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
# Step-by-Step Guide:
01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a medium baking dish.
02 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until al dente following package directions. Drain and set aside.
03 - Heat olive oil and butter over medium heat in a large skillet. Add chopped onion and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until softened.
04 - Add sliced mushrooms and cook for 5 to 7 minutes until browned and most liquid evaporates. Stir in minced garlic and cook for an additional minute.
05 - Sprinkle flour over vegetables and stir thoroughly. Gradually whisk in whole milk to prevent lumps. Add heavy cream, dried thyme, ground nutmeg, salt, and black pepper. Simmer for 3 to 4 minutes until the sauce thickens.
06 - Stir fresh spinach into the sauce and cook until just wilted, about 1 minute.
07 - Remove skillet from heat. Add cooked pasta and half of both cheeses. Stir until fully incorporated.
08 - Transfer the pasta mixture into the prepared baking dish. Evenly sprinkle remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese on top.
09 - Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes until the top is golden and bubbling.
10 - Allow the dish to stand for 5 minutes before serving.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- It's the kind of dish that feels homemade and elegant without requiring any fancy techniques or hours of work.
- You can throw it together on a weeknight and have dinner ready in under an hour, yet it tastes like you spent all afternoon in the kitchen.
- The creamy sauce clings to every piece of pasta while the spinach and mushrooms add texture and depth that keeps it from feeling heavy.
02 -
- Don't skip browning the mushrooms properly or they'll release water into the sauce and make everything watery instead of luxuriously creamy.
- Whisk the milk in slowly to avoid lumps, and if somehow you do get one, press it against the side of the pan with a spoon to break it up.
- Cook the pasta to al dente, not soft, because it will keep cooking in the oven and you don't want mush at the end.
03 -
- Let the baking dish rest for those 5 minutes after it comes out of the oven—it's not wasted time, it's the difference between sauce that runs and sauce that holds together on the plate.
- Grate your cheese fresh from a block rather than using pre-shredded if you can, because the anti-caking agents in pre-shredded cheese can make the sauce seem grainy.