Mushroom Spinach Pasta
Easy mushroom spinach pasta made with smoked streaky bacon, crimini mushrooms, penne pasta and a splash of cream. Ready in around 10 minutes, this easy pasta recipe is full of flavor and perfect for busy weeknights!
Easy mushroom spinach pasta made with smoked streaky bacon, crimini mushrooms, penne pasta and a splash of cream. Ready in around 10 minutes, this easy pasta recipe is full of flavor and perfect for busy weeknights!
- Carbohydrate 0 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 0 g
- Fiber 0 g
- Protein 0 g
- Saturated Fat 0 g
- Serving Size 1 1 serving (25g)
- Sodium 0 mg
- Sugar 0 g
- Trans Fat 0 g
- Calories 0 calories
Step-by-step
- First, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to packet instructions until al dente (around 8-10 minutes)
- Meanwhile cut the streaky bacon into medium sized chunks and fry until brown and slightly crispy in a large pan, set aside on a plate.
- Fry the thinly sliced mushrooms in the same pan the bacon was cooked in until they have softened and cooked down.
- Add the crispy bacon back into the pan with the cream, reserved pasta water and cook the mixture for 2 minutes.
- Add the cooked pasta and chopped spinach, stir to combine and add a generous sprinkling of pepper and small pinch of salt (taste if needed first because the bacon can be quite salty) serve.
When constrained by a thirty-minute window, successful cooking relies entirely on parallel execution and maximum utilization of pan fond. This style of rustic pasta preparation descends from Italian cucina povera traditions, where minimal cured meats flavor large volumes of neutral carbohydrates. Preserved elements like smoked bacon provide instant depth through rendered animal fats, whereas fresh mushrooms require time to dehydrate and brown via direct heat conduction. Utilizing fresh spinach introduces high water content that immediately collapses upon contact with residual heat.
- Render the bacon over medium-low heat for roughly six minutes to extract maximum fat without burning the proteins.
- Slice the crimini mushrooms uniformly to three millimeters so they release their internal moisture evenly in the pan.
- Reserve half a cup of cooking water containing at least two percent dissolved starch before draining the penne.
- Combine the heavy cream and starchy water for exactly two minutes to emulsify the sauce into a coating consistency.
- Season with black pepper liberally, but delay adding salt until after tasting the cured meat and pasta water combination.
Retaining even a small amount of starchy liquid bridges the gap between raw cream and dry pasta. Mastering this fat-and-water emulsion transforms basic pantry staples into a cohesive sauce.
