Pasta with Creamy Mushroom Sauce and Baby Spinach

Love a creamy sauce but don’t want all that animal fat? Here is a lovely version based on tahini, which contains no cholesterol and is low in saturated fat. The vitamin D mushrooms ensure you get a boost of this disease fighting nutrient.

Ingredients

  • 400 g dry penne pasta
  • 1 TBSP extra virgin olive oil
  • 400 g Vitamin D button mushrooms, wiped over, sliced
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp chilli flakes
  • 3 cloves garlic, crushed
  • Handful of coriander, chopped
  • 1¾ cup tahini
  • ¼ cup lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
  • 100 g baby spinach leaves, lightly chopped

Method 

  1. Cook the pasta for approx. 10 minutes until al dente.  Drain.
  2. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large, deep frying pan and sauté the mushrooms for 5-7 minutes until they release their juices and start turning golden brown.
  3. Season with salt and chilli flakes then stir in the garlic and coriander and cook for 1 minute.
  4. In a small jug, blend the tahini, 1 ½ cups water and lemon juice – the mixture will look curdled at this stage – then pour over the mushrooms and bring to the boil.  Cook for a minute, stirring constantly, until the sauce just starts to thicken and becomes smooth and creamy. 
  5. Stir in the spinach and cook for 30 seconds just until it starts to wilt.  Toss in the drained pasta and serve immediately.  A fresh leaf and tomato salad makes a nice accompaniment.

Serves 5

Per serve: energy 2385 kJ (568 Cal); protein 20 g; fat 28 g; saturated fat 4 g; cholesterol 0 mg; carbohydrate 57 g; fibre 11 g; calcium 167 mg; iron 3.7 mg; sodium 434 mg