Creamy Mushroom Cavatappi with Scallions & Parmesan

Ingredients

• 0.25 cup Parmesan cheese (Grated, for serving)
• 6 oz Cavatappi pasta
• 2 tbsp Cream cheese (Plain)
• 0.5 cup Milk (The source lists 1 unit; interpreted as approximately 4 fl oz / ½ cup)
• 8 oz Cremini mushrooms (Trimmed and sliced ¼ inch thick)
• 2 tbsp Garlic herb butter (Stirred into the finished sauce)
• 2 Scallions (Trimmed; whites thinly sliced and greens reserved for garnish)
• 1 tbsp All-purpose flour (For thickening the sauce)
• 2 tbsp Butter (Plain butter for cooking the scallion whites; use 4 tbsp for 4 servings)
• Olive oil (A large drizzle, for browning the mushrooms)
• 1 tsp Black pepper (Plus more to taste)
• 1 tsp Salt (For seasoning and salting the pasta water; plus more to taste)
• 1 cup Water (Reserved pasta cooking water; use additional splashes as needed)

Steps

1. 1

   Bring a medium pot of generously salted water to a boil. While it heats, wash and dry the produce. Trim the cremini mushrooms and slice them into ¼-inch-thick pieces. Trim the scallions and thinly slice them, keeping the white and green portions separate.

2. 2

   Heat a large drizzle of olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the sliced mushrooms and season with salt and black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5–7 minutes, until the mushrooms are browned and slightly crisp at the edges.

3. 3

   Turn off the heat. Transfer the browned mushrooms to a plate lined with paper towels to drain briefly. Wash out the pan and return it to the stovetop.

4. 4

   Once the water is boiling, add the cavatappi. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 9–11 minutes, until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta.

5. 5

   While the pasta cooks, melt the plain butter in the cleaned pan over medium-high heat. Add the sliced scallion whites and cook for about 1 minute, until just softened.

6. 6

   Add the flour to the pan. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1–2 minutes, until the flour is lightly browned and smells nutty.

7. 7

   Whisk in the milk and ⅓ cup of the reserved pasta cooking water, scraping and whisking well to break up any flour clumps. Simmer for 3–4 minutes, whisking occasionally, until the sauce is slightly thickened.

8. 8

   Add the cream cheese to the pan. Stir until it has completely melted into the sauce and the mixture is smooth.

9. 9

   Add the browned mushrooms, drained cavatappi, and garlic herb butter to the pan. Stir until the pasta is evenly coated and the butter has melted. Season with additional salt and black pepper to taste.

10. 10

    If the sauce is too thick, stir in more reserved pasta water a splash at a time until the pasta is coated in a creamy, fluid sauce.

11. 11

    Divide the pasta between bowls. Sprinkle with the grated Parmesan and sliced scallion greens, then serve immediately.

Notes

The structured recipe lists 2 tablespoons of garlic herb butter and the instructions additionally call for 2 tablespoons of plain butter; both are included. Leftovers can be refrigerated and reheat well, though the sauce may need a splash of water or milk to loosen. Customer feedback suggests extra seasoning, red pepper flakes, or truffle seasoning as optional flavor boosts.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• pasta
• vegetarian
• creamy
• stovetop
• quick
• 30-minute meal
• HelloFresh