It’s been a while since I’ve shared a good stick to your bones kind of PASTA recipe. Many of you have been asking for healthy vegetarian dishes lately but I decided to spoil you guys today with some creamy dreamy rigatoni!! I love creamy pasta sauces and especially ones with the “blush” color. Many creamy pasta sauces call for heavy cream but I lightened this up by mixing vegetable broth and half & half for the sauce. The sun dried tomatoes and mushrooms add such a wonderful earthy flavor and stand up great next to the rigidness of the rigatoni. I wanted to add spinach to this recipe as well, but I didn’t have any and I was too lazy to go get some. So if you have spinach, please throw in a few handfuls!

I love trying artisan pasta ( any kind of pasta really)  and found this at my local farm, Shady Brook Farm! This Rigatoni from Vera Pasta had flavor and serious BITE ( pasta should ALWAYS be al dente!)  If you are used to buying the same old pasta from your grocery store, step out of the box and try something a little different with this recipe, it will totally be worth it!

 

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Sun Dried Tomato & Mushroom Rigatoni

Prep

Cook

Total

Yield 4 Servings

Ingredients

12 oz. baby bella mushrooms, sliced

1/2 lb. rigatoni pasta ( Reserve 1 cup pasta water)

1 cup vegetable broth or chicken broth

1 1/2 cups Half & Half (warmed to room temp in the microwave)

1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes in oil (drained and julienned)

1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated

1/4 cup mozzarella cheese shredded

4 garlic cloves, minced or grated

2 teaspoons paprika

1 tsp chili flakes (omit if you don't like spice)

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

2 tbsp all purpose flour

2 tbsp butter

Instructions

  1. Boil the pasta according to package directions (al dente please!)
  2. In a large skillet over medium heat add 2 tbsp butter until foamy.
  3. Add mushrooms, garlic and saute for about 2-3 minutes. 
  4. Add flour and continue to stir mushrooms until the flour becomes golden in color. (this will be clumpy but do not worry!)
  5. Add chicken broth, half and half, chili flakes, sun dried tomatoes, paprika, and bring to a simmer.
  6. Continue to simmer over medium/low heat until sauce has slightly thickened (about 6-8 minutes)
  7. Toss Rigatoni into the sauce, add balsamic vinegar and a splash of pasta water as needed if sauce is too thick.
  8. Add parmesan cheese and mozzarella cheese and mix well. Taste for salt and add as needed.
  9. Mix well and Serve HOT with fresh torn basil and extra parmesan or mozzarella cheese!

OPTIONAL: Transfer this to an oven safe baking dish, top with extra mozzarella cheese and put on broil for 4-5 minutes to get the top nice and browned! You can also use fontina, pecorino or asiago instead of the parmesan cheese!

Courses Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine Italian