If I do not like mushrooms, can I substitute them with anything else?
I can't really think of a great substitute for the mushrooms as they are a central ingredient to this recipe. However, tofu can act as a texture substitute even though you wouldn't really be adding anything from a flavor perspective. You could always just remove them and the dish would end up tasting more like a simple garlic and butter pasta, which isn't a bad thing at all!
What other toppings should I put on this pasta?
If you are like me and want a little kick of spice in your Italian dishes, add some chili flakes at the very end to this mushroom and garlic pasta. I don't typically add a lot of chili flakes but adding a little gives the dish just a bit of spice to liven things up.
What do I do if I can not eat dairy?
If you cannot eat dairy then there are two things in this recipe you will need to substitute: the butter and the parmesan cheese. For the butter, you can find non-dairy butter products that are great. My favorite is Earth Balance, it's a vegan butter. For the cheese, you can substitute the parmesan for a fantastic sheep cheese like Pecorino. I even prefer Pecorino to parmesan at times.
If you like this recipe check out these other great pasta recipes on my blog:
Recipe Video:
Mushroom and Garlic Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 lb farfalle pasta I use gluten-free
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter divided
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 lb baby bella mushrooms sliced
- 5-6 garlic cloves minced
- ½ cup parmigiano reggiano grated
- 2 tbsp parsely chopped
- salt & black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook pasta (al dente) according to package instructions. Optional to add a little salt and olive oil to the water for cooking.
- While the pasta is cooking, heat 1.5 tbsp (half) butter and extra virgin olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add in mushrooms and sauté for approx. 5 minutes until tender. Then add in the garlic and remaining butter and sauté for about a minute longer.
- Drain the pasta but save about a half cup of the pasta water to cook with. Then add in the drained pasta, half cup pasta water into the pan with the mushrooms.
- Add in grated cheese and parsley into pan and stir well until cheese is melted and pasta sauce thickens (approx 1-2 minutes). Add in salt and pepper to taste.
- Garnish with some more cheese and chopped parsley.
I make this all the time it’s delicious and and easy go to meal for the week for my family!
Nothing makes me happier than hearing that the whole family loves it 🙂 Thank you for letting me know!