This easy Jamie Oliver Mushroom and Cauliflower Pasta is a creamy, hearty, and nutritious meal perfect for a quick dinner. With tender mushrooms, cauliflower, and ricotta, it’s a flexible dish that can be made with everyday ingredients. The lemon adds a zesty twist to this simple, comforting recipe.
Ingredients Needed
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 1 onion
- 1 fresh red chili
- 15g (½ oz) fresh thyme
- 250g (9 oz) chestnut mushrooms
- 320g (11¼ oz) cauliflower
- Olive oil
- 200g (7 oz) wholewheat penne
- 15g (½ oz) fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 100g (3½ oz) ricotta cheese
- 1 lemon
- 20g (¾ oz) Parmesan cheese
How To Make Mushroom And Cauliflower Pasta
- Prepare the ingredients: Fill a large pan with salted water, place on high heat, and bring to a boil. Meanwhile, peel and finely slice the garlic and onion. Halve, deseed, and finely slice the chili. Pick the thyme leaves. Trim and slice three-quarters of the mushrooms. Trim the cauliflower, remove and discard the leaves, then chop the florets and stalk into small chunks.
- Cook the base: Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a wide saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic, onion, chili, and thyme, and cook gently for 10 minutes, or until golden. Add the sliced mushrooms and cauliflower, cover with a lid, and cook gently for about 10 minutes, or until softened.
- Cook the pasta: Meanwhile, add the pasta to the boiling salted water and cook for 10–12 minutes, or until al dente (still firm to the bite).
- Mash and season: Pick and finely chop the parsley leaves. Trim and slice the remaining mushrooms very finely. Once the cauliflower mixture is softened, mash it with a fork until broken down but is still textured. Stir in the ricotta and season with sea salt, black pepper, and the juice from half the lemon.
- Combine pasta and sauce: Reserve a cupful of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta and return it to the pan off the heat. Tip in the cauliflower sauce and stir well, adding splashes of the cooking water to loosen the sauce if needed. Taste and season with more salt, pepper, and the remaining lemon juice.
- Finish and serve: Stir in the sliced raw mushrooms, most of the Parmesan cheese, and half of the chopped parsley. Serve with the remaining parsley and Parmesan sprinkled on top.
Recipe Tips
- Don’t overcook the pasta: Cook the pasta until it’s just al dente – this means it should still have a slight firmness when you bite into it. It helps the pasta hold up better with the sauce.
- Mash cauliflower well: Mash the cauliflower mixture with a fork until it has some texture but isn’t too chunky. This makes the sauce creamy without being too smooth.
- Add pasta water slowly: When mixing the pasta with the sauce, add the reserved pasta water a little at a time. This will help create the perfect consistency for the sauce.
- Finish with fresh mushrooms: Adding sliced raw mushrooms at the end gives the dish a nice crunch and fresh flavor, balancing out the creamy sauce.
How To Store And Reheat Leftovers?
- Refrigerate: Let the leftover Mushroom and Cauliflower Pasta cool to room temperature, then store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2–3 days.
- Freeze: After cooling, transfer the pasta to an airtight container or freezer bag and freeze for up to 1 month. To serve, thaw it in the fridge overnight before reheating.
- Reheat: Heat the pasta in a pan over medium heat for about 5-7 minutes, adding a splash of water or olive oil to loosen the sauce. Stir occasionally, heating until it’s hot throughout.
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: 1 serving (approximately 1/2 of the recipe)
- Calories: 616
- Total Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 7.3g
- Total Carbohydrate: 82.5g
- Dietary Fiber: 15.9g
- Sugars: 15.5g
- Protein: 31.7g
Try More Jamie Oliver Recipes:
- Jamie Oliver Ricotta And Parmesan Ravioli Pasta
- Jamie Oliver Rosé Pesto Prawn Pasta
- Jamie Oliver Cracker Ravioli Pasta Recipe
- Jamie Oliver Ramen Noodles Pasta Recipe
Jamie Oliver Mushroom And Cauliflower Pasta
Description
This easy Jamie Oliver Mushroom and Cauliflower Pasta is a creamy, hearty, and nutritious meal perfect for a quick dinner. With tender mushrooms, cauliflower, and ricotta, it’s a flexible dish that can be made with everyday ingredients. The lemon adds a zesty twist to this simple, comforting recipe.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Prepare the ingredients: Fill a large pan with salted water, place on high heat, and bring to a boil. Meanwhile, peel and finely slice the garlic and onion. Halve, deseed, and finely slice the chili. Pick the thyme leaves. Trim and slice three-quarters of the mushrooms. Trim the cauliflower, remove and discard the leaves, then chop the florets and stalk into small chunks.
- Cook the base: Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a wide saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic, onion, chili, and thyme, and cook gently for 10 minutes, or until golden. Add the sliced mushrooms and cauliflower, cover with a lid, and cook gently for about 10 minutes, or until softened.
- Cook the pasta: Meanwhile, add the pasta to the boiling salted water and cook for 10–12 minutes, or until al dente (still firm to the bite).
- Mash and season: Pick and finely chop the parsley leaves. Trim and slice the remaining mushrooms very finely. Once the cauliflower mixture is softened, mash it with a fork until broken down but is still textured. Stir in the ricotta and season with sea salt, black pepper, and the juice from half the lemon.
- Combine pasta and sauce: Reserve a cupful of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta and return it to the pan off the heat. Tip in the cauliflower sauce and stir well, adding splashes of the cooking water to loosen the sauce if needed. Taste and season with more salt, pepper, and the remaining lemon juice.
- Finish and serve: Stir in the sliced raw mushrooms, most of the Parmesan cheese, and half of the chopped parsley. Serve with the remaining parsley and Parmesan sprinkled on top.
Notes
- Don’t overcook the pasta: Cook the pasta until it’s just al dente – this means it should still have a slight firmness when you bite into it. It helps the pasta hold up better with the sauce.
- Mash cauliflower well: Mash the cauliflower mixture with a fork until it has some texture but isn’t too chunky. This makes the sauce creamy without being too smooth.
- Add pasta water slowly: When mixing the pasta with the sauce, add the reserved pasta water a little at a time. This will help create the perfect consistency for the sauce.
- Finish with fresh mushrooms: Adding sliced raw mushrooms at the end gives the dish a nice crunch and fresh flavor, balancing out the creamy sauce.
Jamie Oliver Mushroom And Cauliflower Pasta