Cooktop Cove: How to make vegetarian garlic and herb mushroom spaghetti
By Robin Donovan
Pasta in a simple creamy sauce loaded with mushrooms and fresh herbs is my kind of meal. You can’t go wrong with the recipe below. You can have it on the table in less than 30 minutes, but the flavors and textures will make you feel like you’re eating in a chichi restaurant.
Mushrooms and thyme are a match made in heaven, but you can substitute any herbs you like; fresh sage or oregano would be delightful as well. If you want to use dried herbs, just cut the quantity to a teaspoon (1 tablespoon fresh herbs is equal to 1 teaspoon dried herbs).
Vegetarian Garlic and Herb Mushroom Spaghetti
4 to 6
10 minutes
15 minutes
25 minutes
1 pound spaghetti
6 tablespoons butter, divided
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound mushrooms (such as button or cremini), sliced
3 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
2 cups whole milk
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
Cook the pasta according to the package directions, reserving 1 cup of the cooking water before draining.
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt 3 tablespoons of the butter.
Add the garlic and mushrooms and cook, stirring frequently, until the mushrooms are softened and golden brown, about 8 minutes. Remove the mushrooms from the pan.
Add the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter to the pan and melt again over medium-high heat.
Put in the flour and thyme and cook, whisking constantly, until the flour turns very light golden brown, about 4 minutes.
Whisking continuously, add the milk in a slow stream and simmer for about 2 minutes, until the sauce thickens. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Add the cooked pasta to the sauce along with the mushrooms and olive oil. Mix well and heat through, adding the reserved pasta cooking water, a little at a time, if necessary to achieve the right sauce consistency.
Serve hot, garnished with Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley.
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