A bowl of this bucatini pasta with garlic butter sauce is rich and comforting with a baby spinach, earthy shiitake mushrooms, and a fragrant hint of white wine—it’s the perfect companion when a bit of sophisticated coziness is craved.
When it Comes to Comfort Food, Nothing Beats a Big Bowl of Pasta!
Now that the summer has melted away into glorious fall, and the evenings begin to feel fresh and crisp and inviting of some good ol’ comfort food, my soul begins to long to partake in recipes that can be eaten out of a bowl; because for some reason, recipes from a bowl represent comfort and coziness to me.
Even the thought of wrapping my hands around a warm bowl of something—a soup, a stew, or a rich dish like this bucatini pasta with garlic butter sauce, makes me feel all fuzzy inside, makes me feel that all is well with the world, and reminds me that there are so very many things to be grateful for, good food being a major one.
Bucatini, My Favorite Pasta Pick
Bucatini noodles, wonderfully thick and al dente, with that hole running through the center, are one of my favorite styles of pasta—I love a slightly chewy, full-bodied noodle that gloriously tangles up on the palette, slick with garlicky, buttery flavor in the case of this recipe, and bucatini beautifully does exactly that.
It’s an ideal pasta to toss with a simple garlic butter sauce consisting of nothing more than a bit of good olive oil, aromatic garlic, rich butter, and white wine, one that takes mere moments to prepare.
The finishing touches of a few earthy sautéed shiitake mushrooms and vibrant baby spinach leaves, plus a generous shower of freshly grated Romano cheese, and a sprinkle of toasted olive oil breadcrumbs, culminates in a meal that is my absolute favorite kind of “cozy food”.
Tips & Tidbits for Bucatini Pasta with Garlic Butter Sauce
- Can’t find shiitake mushrooms? If you can’t find shiitake mushrooms, you can easily substitute crimini mushrooms instead.
- Pasta substitution: Bucatini is the best for this dish, but you can certainly substitute spaghetti or even linguini if your market doesn’t carry it.
- Leave the wine out: If you’d prefer to go without the wine for this recipe, then simply substitute chicken stock, and add a good squeeze of lemon (about half a lemon) to give that hint of acidity.
Feast your eyes on these, or just jump to the recipe:
Recipe
Bucatini Pasta with Garlic Butter Sauce, Shiitake Mushrooms and Spinach
by Ingrid Beer
Print Recipe
Yield: Serves 4
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Ingredients:
• 8 ounces (half a pound or half a package) bucatini pasta noodles, uncooked
• Olive oil
• 6-7 ounces shiitake mushrooms, sliced thinly (including stems)
• Salt
• Black pepper
• 10 cloves garlic, pressed through garlic press
• Pinch red pepper flakes
• 1/4 cup white wine (I like Pinot Grigio for this recipe)
• 6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 2 cups (packed) baby spinach leaves
• 1 cup grated Romano cheese, plus extra as needed
• Toasted Olive Oil Breadcrumbs (optional—recipe below)
Preparation:
-Cook your bucatini pasta according to package instructions, or until al dente; keep warm in a large bowl.
-While your pasta cooks, place a large pan over medium-high heat, and drizzle in about 3 tablespoons of olive oil; once hot, add in the sliced shiitakes mushrooms, plus a good pinch of salt and pepper, and saute for a few minutes until golden-brown; spoon into a bowl and keep warm.
-Into that same pan you used for the mushrooms, with the heat now on medium, add in ¼ cup of olive oil, along with the garlic and pinch of red pepper flakes, and cook for a moment just until the garlic becomes fragrant; once fragrant, add in the white wine, along with the butter (it will bubble up a bit), plus a couple of pinches of salt and black pepper; simmer the sauce for a couple of minutes, whisking until the butter melts in and the sauce slightly reduces.
-Add the sauteed shiitake mushrooms, the baby spinach leaves, and the chopped parsley into the pan with the sauce, along with the cooked bucatini noodles, and toss gently to combine everything; add the grated Romano cheese, and toss that to combine.
-Serve in bowls with extra Romano cheese and a generous sprinkle of the Toasted Olive Oil Breadcrumbs, if desired.
Toasted Olive Oil Breadcrumbs Ingredients:
• 1 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
• Salt
• Black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic
Preparation:
-Place a small skillet over medium-high heat, and drizzle in the oil; once hot, sprinkle in the panko breadcrumbs, plus a good pinch of salt and pepper, and the granulated garlic, and stir to combine; toast the breadcrumbs in the oil, stirring constantly as to not burn them, for about 2-3 minutes, or until they become a deep, golden-brown; set aside in a bowl until ready to serve.
Interested in another bucatini recipe? Check out this Sunshine Bucatini with Blistered Tomatoes and Broccolini!
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