Orecchiette Pasta with Portobello Mushrooms and Green Bell Peppers - delicious, easy, meatless pasta dinner!
I love to make quick pasta packed with veggies and coated with lightened up creamy cheese sauce. I often use spinach and mushroom combination for veggies, and this time I wanted to try a different green vegetable that tends to undeservingly get little attention from me: green bell peppers. I've also decided to use large portobello mushrooms which, as you know, are often used as "meat" in veggie burgers. So I made this Orecchiette Pasta with Portobello Mushrooms and Green Bell Peppers!
I hoped for portobello mushrooms to add richness and "meatiness" to the meal without actual meat, and I was not wrong: this recipe turned out everything I wanted it to be. Please meet my new favorite pasta dish (with not so original ingredients): pasta with portobello mushrooms and green bell peppers!
As you see on the photos, I've used small pasta shells here, called Orecchiette Rigate. Interestingly, "Orecchio" means "ear" and "Etto" means "small" in Italian, so translated this pasta is actually called "small ears", as the shape of these pasta shells can remind you of the shape of small ears. Not to freak you out. Any small pasta shells will work here, but I just love orecchiette! This type of pasta is often used with vegetable sauces, and it worked perfectly here, with creamy cheese sauce coating every single little shell (ear)!
Portobellos impart a deep, meaty taste to pasta, releasing juices that make creamy Parmesan sauce more satisfying and deeper in color. Bell peppers add freshness and a bit of crunch. Because of the "meatiness" of portobellos, this quick orecchiette pasta recipe with portobello mushrooms and green bell peppers will appeal to both vegetarians and meat-lovers alike!
Orecchiette Pasta with Portobello Mushrooms and Green Bell Peppers
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 portobello mushrooms large, chopped into small cubes
- 1 green bell pepper large, cored and cleaned, chopped into small cubes
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 8 oz Orecchiette pasta shells
- ⅔ cup heavy cream
- ⅓ cup milk
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese shredded
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup cilantro chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Heat 2 tablespoosn olive oil in a large skillet, add sliced mushrooms and green bell pepper. Add just a pinch of salt. Cook on high heat for about 5 minutes, stirring. Reduce heat to medium-low and continue cooking mushrooms and bell pepper, covered for about 15 minutes, occasionally stirring.
- Cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain.
- Add heavy cream, milk, Parmesan cheese and ¼ teaspoon salt to the mushroom-bell-peper mixture on medium-low heat and mix. Add pasta to the creamy sauce, stir to coat on low heat for about 5-10 minutes until Parmesan cheese melts and starts to coat pasta as well. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Serve on warm plates (warmed in the oven). Garnish with chopped cilantro, if desired.
Nutrition
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.
I made this tonight and it was delicious! Thanks for a wonderful recipe.
Maureen, thanks for stopping by and letting me know you liked the dish - so glad you liked it! 🙂