Roasted Garlic Mushroom Pasta
Creamy roasted garlic pasta with mushrooms, spinach, and Parmesan in a rich, velvety sauce. Comfort food at its best.
Ingredients
- 3 medium heads garlic, about 24 to 30 cloves total
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
- 8 ounces baby bella mushrooms, sliced
- 2 cups baby spinach
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional
- 4 ounces cream cheese, cubed and softened
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 8 ounces cavatappi pasta, cooked al dente and drained (reserve 1 cup of pasta water)
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
- Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Peel away the loose, papery layers from each head of garlic, keeping the heads intact. Slice about ¼ inch off the top of each head to expose the tops of the garlic cloves. Set aside.
- In a large (12-inch), oven-safe skillet, add the onion, mushrooms, and baby spinach. Gently toss to combine.
- Nestle the garlic heads, cut side up, into the center of the skillet among the vegetables.
- Drizzle olive oil evenly over the garlic and vegetables. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes, if using.
- Scatter the cubed cream cheese evenly throughout the skillet. Pour the heavy whipping cream over everything.
- Cover the skillet tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 50 minutes.
- Remove the foil and continue baking, uncovered, for 10 more minutes, until the mushrooms are golden and the garlic is very soft.
- Carefully remove the skillet from the oven. Using tongs or a fork to hold the garlic heads, squeeze the roasted garlic cloves from their skins directly into the skillet. Discard the garlic skins.
- Stir everything together until the cream cheese is completely melted and the sauce is smooth and creamy.
- Add the cooked cavatappi pasta and freshly grated Parmesan cheese to the skillet. Gently stir until the pasta is fully coated in the sauce.
- If the sauce is too thick, stir in a bit of the reserved pasta water, a little at a time, until it reaches your desired consistency. Start with ¼ cup and adjust as needed.
- Serve warm, topped with chopped fresh parsley and extra Parmesan cheese, if desired.