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Creamy Farfalle Pasta with Spinach, Mushrooms, and Caramelized Onions. This simple meatless Italian dinner is pure comfort food! The bow-tie shaped pasta is perfectly matched with rich and buttery Parmesan sauce!
Farfalle - Bow Tie Pasta
- Farfalle pasta is meant to be used with creamy sauces, such as with chicken broccoli alfredo (with or without chicken) or with this creamy four-cheese pasta sauce. In fact, this farfalle recipe was inspired by another family favorite that features a rich creamy pasta sauce: spinach mushroom pasta.
- Farfalle works great both in meatless recipes and in dishes with meat. This particular recipe is meatless. However, you can easily add any kind of meat or seafood. Add easy seared chicken or grilled chicken to this creamy bow tie pasta. Who doesn't like creamy pasta, especially if you add some chicken to it? It's a perfect dish to make for a family weeknight dinner.
- If you enjoy seafood, add seared scallops with bacon or trout with garlic lemon butter sauce.
Farfalle: Italian Pasta
This Italian-inspired recipe features bow-tie shaped pasta smothered with easy cream sauce along with vegetables and mushrooms. You'll love this simple comfort food on a plate.
- Simple ingredients. This recipe requires basic ingredients that you can buy pretty much at any store: bow-tie pasta, spinach, mushrooms, onions, garlic, cream, and Parmesan cheese.
- Packed with veggies. This meatless farfalle recipe uses spinach and caramelized onions. It's a great and delicious way to incorporate more vegetables into your dinners.
- Caramelized onions add so much flavor and sophistication to this dish!
- Weeknight dinner recipe. This easy recipe is perfect for those busy weeknights when you don't have much time for cooking. It's also a great recipe to use any leftover chicken. Just throw in some leftover cooked chicken together with creamy farfalle pasta, and you have a perfect family dinner!
- Flexible recipe. What I love about this creamy bow-tie pasta is that you can serve it as is, without meat! Or, you can add protein, if you like. Serve farfalle with grilled steak, grilled chicken, or fish.
What is farfalle?
- Farfalle is a bow-tie shaped Italian pasta. Farfalle pasta can also be described as butterfly-shaped pasta. In fact, "farfalle" means "butterflies" in Italian.
- Farfalle dates back to the 16th century in Lombardia and Emilia-Romagna Regions in Northern Italy.
- Farfalle is often used with cream sauces and in tomato-based sauces. It's also popular in salads.
Substitutions
- What can you use instead of farfalle? You can substitute penne, rigatoni, fusilli, or orecchiette for farfalle without affecting the flavor.
- What can you substitute for spinach? You can use kale, Swiss chard, or arugula instead of spinach.
- What kind of mushrooms can you use? Use button mushrooms, cremini mushrooms, portobello, shiitake, or oyster mushrooms.
- How to make this recipe gluten-free? Use gluten-free farfalle or other types of gluten-free pasta.
- What can you use instead of half-and-half? Use ½ cup of heavy cream + ½ cup of milk instead of 1 cup of half-and-half.
Cooking Tips
- Make-ahead tip. Make caramelized onions ahead of time, refrigerate them in an air-tight container, and use within the next 3 days. You can also freeze caramelized onions for up to 2 months and thaw them whenever you need them.
- If the creamy Parmesan sauce is too thick, slowly add a small amount of half-and-half to thin it out. Make sure the sauce continues to simmer and does not come to a standstill, while you add half-and-half to thin it out.
- If the creamy Parmesan sauce is too thin, add a small amount of shredded Parmesan cheese, and stir it in, while the sauce simmers.
How long do you cook farfalle?
- Usually, farfalle is cooked in a pot of boiling water for 10 minutes.
- To prepare farfalle al dente, cook farfalle for 8 minutes, or for 2 minutes less than indicated on the package instructions.
How to make farfalle pasta
- First, caramelize onions for 30 minutes to reach a nice deep brown color. (See: how to caramelize onions). This step can be made ahead. Make caramelized onions a day or two in advance and keep them refrigerated in an airtight container.
- Next, cook the mushrooms in 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
- Then, add spinach to cooked mushrooms and stir until spinach wilts.
- Next, make the creamy pasta sauce. Add half-and-half and shredded Parmesan cheese to the skillet with spinach and mushrooms. Stir, while the sauce simmers, until the cheese melts.
- Add caramelized onions to the skillet.
- Add cooked and drained farfalle pasta to the skillet with the pasta sauce and reheat on low heat for a couple of minutes.
Side dishes
- Bread. Serve garlic bread or baguette with creamy farfalle pasta.
- Green Salad. Make a basic green salad, such as spinach or arugula salad. Use a simple dressing made with olive oil, coarsely ground black pepper, and shredded Parmesan cheese.
- Fresh salad. Make this tomato cucumber avocado salad or tomato mozzarella salad.
Other pasta recipes
- Linguine with Spinach and Sun-Dried Tomato Sauce
- Fusilli Pasta with Spinach, Artichokes, Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Pine Nuts
- Mushroom Ravioli with Spinach
Farfalle Pasta with Spinach, Mushrooms, and Caramelized Onions
Creamy Farfalle with Spinach, Mushrooms, and Caramelized Onions. The bow-tie pasta is perfectly matched with rich and buttery Parmesan sauce! Serve this easy meatless Italian meal as-is, or with grilled chicken! Satisfying and comforting dinner that a whole family will love!
Ingredients
Caramelized onions
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 yellow onions , large, sliced
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Creamy pasta sauce
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 10 oz mushrooms , sliced (I used button mushrooms)
- 6 oz spinach
- 1 cup half-and-half
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese , shredded
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Pasta
- 8 oz farfalle pasta
Instructions
How to caramelize onions:
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil on medium-high heat in a large skillet. Add sliced onions and cook on high heat for about 10 minutes, constantly stirring with the spatula.
- The onions should start to brown, but without burning.
- Reduce heat to medium and continue cooking onions for 10 more minutes, continuing to stir, as onions brown even more without burning. At this point add a pinch of salt over onions.
- Continue cooking for 10 more minutes on medium or low heat, stirring occasionally to make sure onions don’t stick to the bottom of the pan or burn.
- In total, you should have cooked onions for 30 minutes.
- Remove the skillet from heat and sprinkle the onions with a small amount of balsamic vinegar to deglaze the pan.
- Using a spatula, stir the onions, scraping the bottom of the pan and coating onions with a pinch of balsamic vinegar you just added. Remove caramelized onions to a plate.
How to cook mushrooms and spinach:
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in the same skillet on medium heat. Add sliced mushrooms. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt.
- Cook mushrooms for about 5 minutes, occasionally stirring, until mushrooms are soft.
- Add fresh spinach to the skillet and stir on low heat just until spinach starts to wilt.
How to make creamy pasta sauce:
- Add half-and-half to the mushroom and spinach mixture and bring to a quick boil. Immediately reduce to simmer.
- Add ⅔ cup of shredded Parmesan cheese and ¼ teaspoon salt. Keep stirring while the sauce simmers until the cheese melts.
- Add caramelized onions back to the skillet with the pasta sauce.
Cook pasta:
- Cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain.
- Add cooked and drained farfalle pasta to the creamy sauce. Stir on low heat for a couple of minutes to reheat.
- If the sauce is too thick, add a small amount of half-and-half to thin it out. If it is too thin, add a small amount of shredded Parmesan cheese, and stir it in, while the sauce simmers.
- Serve with more shredded parmesan cheese sprinkled on top.
Notes
Substitute for half-and-half: Use ½ cup of heavy cream + ½ cup of milk instead of 1 cup of half-and-half.
Nutrition
Nutrition Information
Farfalle Pasta with Spinach, Mushrooms, and Caramelized Onions
Amount per Serving
Calories
511
% Daily Value*
Fat
22
g
34
%
Saturated Fat
10
g
63
%
Polyunsaturated Fat
2
g
Monounsaturated Fat
9
g
Cholesterol
39
mg
13
%
Sodium
761
mg
33
%
Potassium
816
mg
23
%
Carbohydrates
58
g
19
%
Fiber
5
g
21
%
Sugar
7
g
8
%
Protein
22
g
44
%
Vitamin A
4399
IU
88
%
Vitamin C
20
mg
24
%
Calcium
436
mg
44
%
Iron
3
mg
17
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Nutrition Disclaimer:
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. It should not be used as a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
This recipe surely beats out the typical red sauce pasta that’s usually served once a week. A pleasant change it was.
I made the recipe as it’s written and it came out fantastic. I definitely will make it again but will try it with asparagus or Brussels sprouts, just to see how it differs in taste.
This recipe is a keeper! Thank you Julia!
Dee, your wonderful comment really made my day! ❤️❤️ I bet this would be delicious with asparagus!
Followed instructions and regret doing so. Making the cream sauce in the same dish over cooks the spinach and mushroom mixture. I lost all the beautiful browning in the mushroom. The cheese does not melt evenly causing large blobs of cheese. You can mix it well with the spinach and mushrooms. Ended up with a watery mix with blobs.
Spinach is a no go........I use quartered brussel sprouts and it is fabulos
Kathryn, good to know Brussels sprouts worked great here!
Hmmm..I’m also a meat guy…wonder if browned sweet sausage would fit in…recipe looks awesome
Hey Julia, I’m not sure I’ve ever commented on any of your recipes, (my bad) so I wanted to let you know that every single one I’ve ever tried has been fabulous, this one being no exception. As a matter of fact, if I see a new recipe and it has your name, I know it will be good. Thank you. I apologize for not saying something sooner.
Sibylle, your comment really made my day! ❤️❤️❤️ I am so glad you appreciate my recipes - thank you for taking the time to share such a kind message - it means a lot to me.
Holy moly, best pasta recipe I’ve ever made! 10/10! So delicious! We added extra mushrooms and spinach to get more veggies in! So glad we gave this a try!
Tahra, your comment made my day! 🙂 So glad you loved this recipe!
Your nutritional list does not state how much 1 serving is. We need to keep strict carbohydrate counts due to diabetes. We were unable to try this dish...
Roberta, the whole recipe makes 4 servings. So, I would just divide the whole recipe into 4 equal sized portions.
Can you use heavy cream and almond milk as I don’t have any half and half on hand nor any whole milk
Cynthia, yes, you can. Other reviewers have done it and it worked great!
Tried this tonight, it’s a keep as my wife said. Usually I try a recipe then find I alter it at the next making, but, this is a do not disturb recipe. I will leave well enough alone. Great taste, great look who could ask for anything more.
William, your comment made my day! 🙂 Thank you for taking the time to share this wonderful feedback - I really appreciate it! 🙂
Can I add Italian sausage to this?
Definitely - it would be so good!
I just tried this tonight and my family loved it! So good and will make this again for sure. I used little farfalle pasta and it worked out great.
Marnie, thank you for this wonderful and positive feedback! 🙂 Gald everyone love this! 🙂
Made this today to pack in my daughter’s thermos this week for her days at college. It was so yummy she ate one portion right away. I used all 4 onions (delicious), the spinach, and Baby Bella mushrooms. My only additions were pepper and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Rich and tasty, thanks for the tip to caramelize the onions early. I may try that next time this comes up in the rotation. Thanks for sharing!
Laura, you are so welcome! I love your detailed and thoughtful feedback! 🙂
This was quite bland. I would recommend adding sherry and Worcestershire as well as some herbs and a protein.
Karma, thank you for the feedback and the suggestions. I can also recommend adding smoked paprika, Italian seasoning, and just the right amount of salt. Seasoning with salt (but not oversalting it!) really helps bring out all the flavors.
Omg so good!! Just made this with my wife and I'm stuffed
Trevor, I am so glad you made this recipe and enjoyed it! 🙂
I made this tonight, and it was lovely. I haven’t had any appetite in several weeks, but I ate all of this!
I (my apologies to the creator) thought this was a pretty cooky recipe. 3 onions for four people? That’s almost a whole onion a person! The house would shudder and then collapse from the fumes! I used one onion and it was plenty for us. I also didn’t use a full 6 oz of spinach. But we had plenty and the recipe was a hit. In addition I gilded the lily and used cream (!), and put some garlic in p. My sister said I needed
more practice (Lol)…thank you for recipe.
Christina, thank you for the positive, detailed, and helpful feedback. I am glad you adjusted it to your taste - and so glad the recipe was enjoyed! 🙂
I forgot the spinach, and it was still AMAZING!
Kelley, glad you loved it even without the spinach! 🙂
So good! Instead of regular salt I used garlic salt and added su dried tomatoes. We will definitely make this again!
Adrianna, I love that you used garlic salt and added sun-dried tomatoes - both are very tasty additions! 🙂
This dish is SO GOOD!! My husband and I just made it for dinner and couldn't stop raving about it. We did have to make a few substitutions since he can't have gluten or cow dairy. We used brown rice farfalle, pecorino romano instead of parmesan and coconut cream instead of half and half. Even with the changes, it was incredible! We will definitely be adding this into our usual dinner rotation.
Heather, I am so glad this recipe turned out well and that the substitutions worked well! Thanks for sharing that info - it's always helpful to other readers to see the reviews that coconut cream tasted great in this recipe, and that other changes were delicious, too!
Super tasty dish. I'd suggest that if you don't prep the onions beforehand, start caramelizing them first. Then while those are going, prep the mushrooms and spinach, grate the parmesan, and start boiling the pasta water. Everything comes together pretty quickly after! I added toasted pine nuts at the end for some extra texture.
Suha, I love your recommendations for how to make this really time efficient! And, I love the addition of the toasted pine nuts on top - they tastes so good with pasta!
I want to know if I can make the Parmesan Garlic Bow tie Pasta with spinach and mushrooms the day before serving it? Thanks Julia for a reply
Sarah, I would prep everything in advance, except the section for making the creamy sauce. I would make the creamy sauce (adding cream and cheese to the mushroom mixture) right before serving because creamy, cheese-based sauces don't reheat well (the fats separate).