Penne With Mushroom Ragout and Spinach
- Total Time
- About 1 hour
- Rating
- Notes
- Read community notes
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Ingredients
Yield:Serves 4
- ½ounce (about ½ cup) dried porcini mushrooms
- 2tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ½medium onion or 2 shallots, chopped
- 2garlic cloves, minced
- 1pound mixed regular and wild mushrooms or 1 pound regular white or cremini mushrooms, trimmed and cut in thick slices (or torn into smaller pieces, depending on the type of mushroom)
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- ¼cup fruity red wine, such as a Côtes du Rhone or Côtes du Luberon
- 2teaspoons chopped fresh thyme or a combination of thyme and rosemary
- 6ounces baby spinach or 12 ounces bunch spinach (1 bunch), stemmed and thoroughly cleaned
- ¾pound penne
- Freshly grated Parmesan to taste
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
443 calories; 8 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 5 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 75 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams dietary fiber; 5 grams sugars; 16 grams protein; 642 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Powered byPreparation
- Step 1
Place the dried mushrooms in a Pyrex measuring cup and pour on 2 cups boiling water. Let soak 30 minutes, while you prepare the other ingredients. Place a strainer over a bowl, line it with cheesecloth or paper towels, and drain the mushrooms. Squeeze the mushrooms over the strainer to extract all the flavorful juices. Then rinse the mushrooms, away from the bowl with the soaking liquid, until they are free of sand. Squeeze dry and set aside. If very large, chop coarsely. Measure out 1 cup of the soaking liquid and set aside.
- Step 2
Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy, nonstick skillet over medium heat and add the onion or shallots. Cook, stirring often, until tender, about 5 minutes. Turn up the heat to medium-high and add the fresh mushrooms. Cook, stirring often, until they begin to soften and sweat, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and salt to taste, stir together for about 30 seconds, then add the reconstituted dried mushrooms and the wine and turn the heat to high. Cook, stirring, until the liquid boils down and glazes the mushrooms. Add the herbs and the mushroom soaking liquid. Bring to a simmer, add salt to taste, and cook over medium-high heat, stirring often, until the mushrooms are thoroughly tender and fragrant. Turn off the heat, stir in some freshly ground pepper, taste and adjust salt.
- Step 3
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt generously. Fill a bowl with ice water. Add the spinach to the boiling water and blanch for 20 seconds only. Remove with a skimmer and transfer to the ice water, then drain and squeeze out water. Chop coarsely and add to the mushrooms. Reheat gently over low heat.
- Step 4
Bring the water back to a boil and cook the pasta al dente following the timing suggestions on the package. If there is not much broth in the pan with the mushrooms and spinach, add a ladleful of pasta water. Drain the pasta, toss with the mushrooms and spinach, add Parmesan to taste, and serve at once.
Tip
- Advance preparation: The mushroom ragout will keep for 3 or 4 days in the refrigerator and tastes even better the day after you make it.
Private Notes
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Cooking Notes
Bowman
I will definitely be making this one again. This time, I used Melissa Clark’s fettuccine instead of penne, dried chanterelles instead of porcini, dried thyme instead of fresh, locally produced spinach, a Beaujolais instead of Côtes du Rhône ou du Luberon, and cremini mushrooms.
Next time: a bit more wine, more garlic, shallots instead of onions.
Elaine
This was very lovely and healthy tasting. I made this with cremini mushrooms, along with the dried porcinis. I was desiring more decadence, so poured a bit of truffle oil on my servings at the end. If I make this next time, I will probably add more garlic and herbs and I will be happy using either red or white wine. I would also say this recipe takes at least an hour and a half if you count prep time.
Matt
Used a little more wine, garlic and onion than called for and it turned out perfectly. Very easy meal to make - I'll definitely make it again.
Ana
This was tasty. Toasted pine nuts are a welcome addition.
Margaret
This was delicious. It's going in the rotation. I used a mix of shitake and cremini, and increased the garlic (4 cloves) and olive oil (one more tbsp). I also stirred in a cup of chickpeas with the fresh rosemary; that worked well with the flavors. I skipped the blanching step and added the spinach right after the porcini liquid, which was plenty of time for the spinach to soften up.
Janet
I made this again, this time with broccoli rabe instead of spinach and lots of rosemary and thyme. Amazing!!
paulina
delicious and clean, I used what i had on hand, box of fresh cremini, white onion, garlic, bag of baby spinach, and whole grain penne ( which was great for it). A decent Cotes du Rhone was def a plus :). couldn't be easier, will be making this again.
cameron
Next time: a bit more wine, more garlic, shallots instead of onions. Toasted pine nuts are a welcome addition.
LAF
I added some sauteed chopped walnuts. It was all delicious.
Rebecca
For those of you who have made this, is it really necessary to take these extra steps with the spinach? Can't it just be added to the mushroom ragout where it will cook down perforce?
Nina Altschiller
I combined this recipe with the Mushroom Ragu Pasta, using this recipe's method for the mushrooms, leaving out the spinach and using marsala instead of wine, and the other recipe's method for cooking the pasta (in a combination of vegetable broth, porcini broth, and heavy cream, instead of water). I added porcini powder to the broth mixture. The result was the most delicious pasta I've ever made.
JP
Lord this recipe would benefit from bullet points. So many steps merge together in a swirl of red Italian wine. How long ago was I supposed to add the mushroom water? And why am I staring at this pile of herbs?
CMLT
I used only fresh mushrooms as I didn’t have dried, so subbed in some homemade stock for the mushroom soaking water. Added a splash of lemon juice to brighten up the flavours as no open bottle of wine handy. Was feeling lazy just added the chopped baby spinach directly to the ragu just before the stock. Very flavourful, will make again.
Margaret
This was delicious. It's going in the rotation. I used a mix of shitake and cremini, and increased the garlic (4 cloves) and olive oil (one more tbsp). I also stirred in a cup of chickpeas with the fresh rosemary; that worked well with the flavors. I skipped the blanching step and added the spinach right after the porcini liquid, which was plenty of time for the spinach to soften up.
VRose
I found this recipe extremely bland. Followed it to the letter. Won't be doing it again.
Jackie N
A stay-at-home dinner ~ a great way to use a pound of mushrooms (Portabella, cremini and shiitake) and packet of spinach in my fridge, with fresh thyme from my garden, and pantry stables of pasta and porcini. Definitely a repeat dish, it's so simple yet is bursting with flavor. Hubby loved it!
Bill
Next time I’ll try with pignole and or lemon zest/juice.
Olivia B.
Smells great. I added truffle oil and more salt than I thought I’d need. The mushrooms would also be nice on some crusty garlic bread.
Ana
This was tasty. Toasted pine nuts are a welcome addition.
Elaine
This was very lovely and healthy tasting. I made this with cremini mushrooms, along with the dried porcinis. I was desiring more decadence, so poured a bit of truffle oil on my servings at the end. If I make this next time, I will probably add more garlic and herbs and I will be happy using either red or white wine. I would also say this recipe takes at least an hour and a half if you count prep time.
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