Mushroom rigatoni – The ultimate umami taste sensation

In the mood for some pasta? Try our mushroom rigatoni. It is packed with flavour and if you are trying to cut on your meat intake, this is the recipe for you to try.

Rigatoni is a tube-shaped pasta of varying lengths and diameters. They are bigger than penne and ziti, and sometimes slightly curved. Paired with mushrooms and a variety of spices, herbs and seasoning, this pasta dish is a winner.

Mushrooms are known for their rich umami taste transforming an otherwise ordinary dish into a taste bud explosion experience. They have a meaty-like texture making them a great substitute for meat. Just what we need for those days we are trying to save on our meat bills. The best part is that although mushrooms make you feel satisfied, they are low on calories.

Those days you are short on time, this dish will save the day. You can whip together this mushroom rigatoni in less than an hour.

Mushroom rigatoni recipe

5 from 1 vote

Recipe by South African Mushroom Farmers’ Association Course: MainCuisine: VegetarianDifficulty: Easy

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

30

minutes

Total time

45

minutes

Ingredients

• 250 g 250 rigatoni pasta (or another similar short pasta)

• 4 large 4 portabello mushrooms

• 250 g 250 portabellini mushrooms

• 2 tablespoons 2 olive oil

• 2 tablespoons 2 butter

• 1 large 1 bunch fresh thyme

• 4 cloves 4 garlic, minced

• 2 tablespoons 2 soy sauce

• ½ cup ½ crème fraîche

• salt and pepper, to taste

• 1 1 lemon, cut into wedges

Method

• Cook the rigatoni in boiling salted water, until al dente.
• Reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water and drain pasta.
• While the pasta is cooking, scrape out the black gills from the underside of the portabellos with a teaspoon. Cut each portabello in half and then cut each half into four chunky wedges.
• Slice portabellinis into quarters.
• Heat oil and butter in a large cast-iron pan over medium-high heat.
• Add garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant. Add mushrooms and thyme.
• Cook the mushrooms, tossing them often until just tender and golden brown.
• Pour in the soy sauce and cook until absorbed. Turn the heat down.
• Stir in the crème fraîche, salt, pepper, and a splash of pasta water.
• Add the cooked pasta and toss gently to coat in the mushroom sauce.
• Keep adding pasta water as needed to achieve a silky, shiny sauce.
• Serve pasta with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and extra freshly ground black pepper.

Notes

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