Homemade In The Kitchen

A Food Blog With Small Batch Recipes and Recipes For Two Made From Scratch

Header Right

Creamy Tomato and Mushroom Pasta

When life gives you tomatoes, you make homemade tomato sauce. This meatless Creamy Tomato and Mushroom Pasta with spinach is a filling weeknight dinner you can make without needing to buy a jar of sauce.


Creamy Tomato and Mushroom Pasta with spinach and homemade tomato sauce

Last month I talked about how I barely made it to any farmer’s markets this summer. That post really got me thinking – why not? Why haven’t I taken the time to enjoy what makes me happy? Why was I not feeling motivated? As I made more of an effort to go to the markets, I realized it was the timing. There is supposedly a great farmer’s market in the city on Thursday afternoons, but the problem is it’s downtown during a weekday. Parking will either be nonexistent or cost me $10. Then I have to time it just right so I don’t get caught in lunch or late afternoon rush hours. Not exactly motivating. Saturdays are also popular for farmer’s markets, but Saturdays are also my busy days for errands usually not near these markets. What about Sunday? Sundays are my slow days, days where I can take my time. My errands are done, so I can have more time to relax. Turns out there is a Sunday farmer’s market about 15 minutes from me with free parking on the side streets. This isn’t a tiny market either. When you first walk in, there’s a handful of tents. As you walk towards the end, you realize that isn’t the end and there are even more tents in the back. Tents full of produce fresh from farms! Yes, there are a few people selling bread, jams, fresh coffee (cold brew!), and pizza for lunch, but the farmers outnumber the other tents. There’s also a wide variety of produce available, more than just your zucchini and corn – tomatillos, heirloom tomatoes, bean sprouts, chard, a variety of peppers, fresh cut herbs, the list goes on. I even went back the very next weekend with a friend because I wanted to share this market with someone.

Just walking around that market made me feel inspired again. I love cooking with fresh garden tomatoes. When it’s summer, I try my best to buy tomatoes from farms and not the store because I can taste a difference. Most of the time I end up making a quick pasta sauce with tomatoes, onion, garlic, and basil – very simple to highlight the freshness. Even though my go-to recipe is similar to a marinara, I was in the mood for a creamier sauce; however, I didn’t want a super heavy sauce for summer. That’s when I came up with this Creamy Tomato and Mushroom Pasta with fresh spinach leaves. It’s the tomato sauce you will want to make when you don’t have any jars in your pantry. It won’t take you hours to make either, making this dinner ideal for those busy weeknights.


Shiitake Mushrooms for pasta

Lately I’ve been crushing on shiitake mushrooms, which have a meaty, earthy taste to them. You often see them in Asian cuisine, but I bent the rules a little and went Italian because I love them so much. I’ve seen them once at a farmer’s market because a mushroom farmer was there, but you can also find them in grocery stores. Asian grocery stores sell them a bit cheaper than regular stores if you have any nearby. If you don’t want to use shiitake, you can use any type of mushroom you want; most people love using button or portobello mushrooms in pasta.


Creamy Tomato and Mushroom Pasta with spinach and homemade tomato sauce

Speaking of pasta, there are certain shapes I like to eat over others, mainly because some shapes pair better than others with tomato sauce. I knew I wanted to use a tube-like pasta to help hold the creamy tomato sauce, so I used Barilla Penne, a company that’s been around for more than 135 years. Pasta sometimes gets a bad rap for being unhealthy, but pasta can certainly be healthy when portioned correctly with a fresh sauce, like with my fresh tomato sauce, superfood spinach, and nutrient-filled mushrooms. Pasta also supplies steady energy to get you through the rest of your day, especially if you have evening activities planned.

Creamy Tomato and Mushroom Pasta with spinach and homemade tomato sauce

Although I’m all about fresh tomatoes for this sauce, I have no problem using canned tomatoes when it’s not tomato season. I do prefer using fresh spinach leaves, but in a pinch you can also use frozen spinach. When the pasta is 1 minute from being done, add the frozen spinach to the boiling water and cook for 1-2 more minutes. That way you don’t need to dirty another pot.


Creamy Tomato and Mushroom Pasta with spinach and homemade tomato sauce

Creamy Tomato and Mushroom Pasta with spinach and homemade tomato sauce


For more information about Barilla pasta, please visit their website and say hello on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

Creamy Tomato and Mushroom Pasta

Yield: 4
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Time saving tip - While waiting for the water to boil, chop your onion, garlic, mushrooms, and tomatoes.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 pound (8 ounces or 1/2 box) uncooked Barilla Penne pasta
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/2 cup chopped onion
  • 2 large garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/3 pound shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and caps sliced
  • 2 medium tomatoes*, seeded and chopped
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1/2 cup vegetable or chicken broth
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil (or 1 tablespoon chopped fresh)
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano (or 1 tablespoon chopped fresh)
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • Crushed red pepper flakes, to taste (optional)
  • 2 ounces cream cheese, softened and cut into 8 pieces
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 3 cups fresh spinach leaves

Instructions

  2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook penne as directed on the package until al dente, roughly 11-12 minutes. Drain into a colander.
  3. Meanwhile, make the sauce. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil until hot. Add the onion and mushrooms. Cook until they start to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds.
  4. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, broth, basil, oregano, salt, and red pepper flakes (if using). Stir until the tomato paste is smooth with the broth then bring to a boil. Once boiling, add the cream cheese and Parmesan cheese. Stir until melted.
  5. Add the spinach leaves and wait 30 seconds before stirring (as the spinach cooks, it'll shrink and be easier to stir). Cook for another 2-3 minutes or until wilted and bright green.
  6. To serve, in a large bowl mix together the cooked penne and sauce. Serve immediately.

Notes

*If you don't have fresh tomatoes, you can use one (14 ounce) canned tomatoes with juices.

© Carla Cardello (www.chocolatemoosey.com)

 

More Pasta Recipes



Caprese Pesto (Tomatoes, Basil, and Mozzarella)


Tomato, Spinach, and Goat Cheese Pasta


Butternut Squash, Spinach, and Mushroom Penne Alfredo


Chicken Pot Pie Pasta


Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Barilla. Thank you for supporting me and the companies I work with as sponsored posts help pay for the costs of running Chocolate Moosey, including website hosting and groceries for recipe development.

Did you make my recipe?

Please let me know by sharing a photo in my private Facebook group or uploading and tagging me on Instagram using #HITKrecipes (Note: If your Instagram account is private, I won't be able to see your photo)

Reader Interactions

Comments

  2. This sounds absolutely delicious! And I'm envious that you have a good farmers' market nearby. Farmers' markets are a sad affair out here in the desert…
    Reply

  3. Don't know how Pittsburgh's transit system is but is it possible that you could take a bus or train to the farmers markets? Also, The Spice House has a dried tomato paste that you reconstitute with water if you don't want to open a whole can . I plan to try this recipe next week. Love pasta, love mushrooms and LOVE home grown tomatoes!!!
    Reply

    • I probably could take a bus into downtown as I am walking distance from a few stops - I didn't even think about that. Pittsburgh does have the T, but ironically you have to drive into the city to park and ride (I live in the suburbs about 10 minutes from downtown). Oh and love the dried tomato paste idea! I just opened another can yesterday and used about half of it.
      Reply

  4. I've been slacking off on my farmer's market attendance too this summer. Mostly because the best ones are on the weekend or I have to go into Manhattan during the week for Union Square and I just don't want to. Tomato season gets me motivated to go. I love this fresh sauce and how hearty it is, perfect for when you want to go meatless but still fills you up.
    Reply

  5. This post made me want to go to a farmer's market, eat ALL the pasta, and get my hands on some shiitake mushrooms. Love that photo! This is just the kind of dish I'm craving right now, and I love that it's simple to throw together too!
    Reply

  10. I hear you - I haven't been to my farmer's market nearly enough this summer. Mine only runs on Fridays and Saturday mornings. Except on Friday, there's hardly anything there. And...I really just enjoy sleeping in on Saturday, and assume by the time I get my lazy but over there at like 11am, all of the good produce will be picked over. I need to just set an alarm and get up and do it next Saturday, because the vegetables are worth it! I love a great pasta meal like this that's chock full of fresh veggies!
    Reply

  11. What a delicious looking pasta dish! I sadly have not made it to a farmers market this summer either. What is wrong with me! Clearly I need to go ASAP because I need fresh veggies and this delicious pasta dish to put them in....yum!
    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Rate this recipe: ☆☆☆☆☆