This creamy garlic pasta dish combines bulk dried pasta with fresh spinach and mushrooms for a cost-effective, delicious meal. Perfect for restaurants and cafes looking to maximize flavor and minimize expense, this recipe utilizes pantry staples and seasonal ingredients. Prep 10 min · Cook 20 min · Total 30 min · Serves 10 · Beginner Ingredients 2 pounds Dried Penne Pasta (Look for bulk pricing to keep costs low.) 1/2 cup Olive Oil (Can be sourced wholesale for better pricing.) 10 cloves Garlic (Minced; fresh is best, but granulated can work in a pinch.) 2 pounds Fresh Spinach (Substitute frozen if out of season.) 1 pound Mushrooms (Sliced; any variety works well.) 2 cups Heavy Cream (For a rich sauce.) 1 cup Parmesan Cheese (Grated; consider buying in bulk.) to taste Salt (Basic seasoning.) to taste Black Pepper (Basic seasoning.) Instructions Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the dried penne pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente. (10 min) While the pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. (2 min) Add sliced mushrooms and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in fresh spinach and cook until wilted. (3 min) Once the pasta is cooked, reserve 1 cup of pasta water and drain the rest. Add the drained pasta to the skillet with vegetables. (1 min) Pour in heavy cream and stir to combine. If the sauce is too thick, add reserved pasta water a little at a time until desired consistency is reached. (2 min) Stir in grated Parmesan cheese, season with salt and black pepper to taste, and heat through for another 2 minutes. Serve hot. (2 min) Recipe by BoxNCase Test Kitchen for the BoxNCase Chef Network.
