rotini with mushroom and broccoli in a creamy alfredo sauce

Pasta is one such food that I admire a lot, and in past few years I have developed a strong fascination for it. Initially it started with the usual mac and cheese which fails to hold me for long and soon I moved over to penne rigata, one of my most favoured variety which I loved immensely. With chicken and broccoli they are simply wonderful.

Rotini is comparatively new to me and is perhaps enjoyed best as pasta salad dishes but I tried to make it with mushrooms and broccoli, my two favourite star ingredient for a vegetarian pasta and when soaked in a creamy alfredo sauce, they are bound to be super yummy and at the same time amazingly simple and effortless to make. Rotini has a peculiar twisted shape and this twist allows it to hold sauces in a better way. Butter, cream and parmesan cheese makes a classic alfredo sauce with the garlic and parsley infused a distinct flavour in it.

Since rotini has smaller size than the other pasta varieties, so I have chosen baby bella mushrooms with their stems chopped off, and small broccoli florets, which will complement it perfectly. Baby bella mushrooms are little dirtier, so it is advisable to wash them before slicing their heads off, discarding the stems.  For broccoli, I prefer the blanch way but you can micro high it for few seconds, 30 sec at most, and they will be all set, and will retain their beautiful green color.

Ingredients:

Rotini or twisted pasta ;
Baby bella mushrooms : 100 gm
Broccoli florets : 100 gm
Onion (white) : 1

For Alfredo sauce :
1/4 cup butter
1 cup heavy cream
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 1/2 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Instructions:

Prepared the pasta as per package direction. it will take around 10 minutes.

Meanwhile,heat some olive oil in a pan and add the finely chopped onion, fry it for couple of minutes and then add the sliced mushrooms, cook it for 10 minutes till the mushroom releases their juices.

Blanch the broccoli or microwave high for few seconds (30 sec).

In a separate pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add cream and simmer for 5 minutes, then add garlic and cheese and whisk quickly, heating through. Stir in parsley and reserve the alfredo sauce.

 Rinse the pasta in luke warm water in a colander.

Add the pasta to the mushroom and onion, add the alfredo sauce, stir and add the broccoli. Let it stand on low heat for few minutes till the rotini, mushroom and broccoli incorporate the sauce properly and you get the desired texture.

 Serve immediately.

Tips: never cook the mushrooms in a AL pan, it will blacken the mushrooms.

Sharing this recipe of rotini with mushroom and broccoli with the event:

Pesto pasta night by Ruth.

 mom chef’s DIO : mushroom and onion , started by Vardhini

DIO : mushroom and onion.

Enjoy the day !