Creamy Mushroom and Spinach Linguine

• 12 ounces linguine pasta
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 10 ounces cremini or white mushrooms, sliced
• 5 cups fresh spinach, roughly chopped
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
• Zest of 1 lemon
• Chopped fresh parsley for garnish (about 2 tablespoons)

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the linguine according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta.
2. While the pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté for 3-4 minutes until translucent.
3. Add minced garlic and sliced mushrooms to the skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms release their moisture and begin to brown, about 6-8 minutes.
4. Stir in the dried thyme, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes (if using). Add the chopped spinach and cook just until wilted, about 2 minutes.
5. Pour the heavy cream into the skillet and stir to combine. Let the sauce simmer gently for 3-4 minutes to thicken slightly.
6. Add the cooked linguine to the skillet, tossing to coat the pasta with the creamy mushroom and spinach sauce. If the sauce seems too thick, loosen it with reserved pasta water, a few tablespoons at a time.
7. Remove the skillet from heat and stir in the grated Parmesan cheese and lemon zest for brightness. Adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed.
8. Serve immediately, garnished with chopped fresh parsley and extra Parmesan if desired.

Chef tips

• For a lighter version, substitute half-and-half for heavy cream but the sauce will be less rich.
• Use gluten-free pasta to make this recipe gluten-free.
• If you cannot find cremini mushrooms, white button mushrooms are a great substitution.
• To make this dish vegan, substitute heavy cream with canned coconut milk or cashew cream and use nutritional yeast in place of Parmesan.