Craving a cozy, flavorful vegetarian pasta dish that's easy on clean-up? This one-pot mushroom and leek pasta is your answer! This recipe is packed with umami from the mushrooms and sweet, subtle onioniness from the leeks, all cooked together in a luxurious yet simple sauce (without cream).
In a Dutch oven or large stock pot, saute the mushrooms over medium heat (in a dry pan!) for about 5 minutes until their water begins to release. Add the butter to melt, then stir in the sliced leeks with a pinch of salt. Cook for about 3 minutes.
Add the minced garlic, continuing to saute for 2-3 minutes. The leeks should be tender at this point; add red pepper flakes, Italian seasoning, and freshly ground black pepper.
5-6 cloves garlic, ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, Freshly ground black pepper, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
Stir in the vegetable stock and water, along with the remaining salt, and bring to a boil. I recommend adding a total of 3/4 teaspoon to start, and adding an additional 1/4 teaspoon if needed at the end.
4 cups vegetable stock, 1 ½ cups water, ¾-1 teaspoon kosher salt
Boil the pasta for around 14 minutes, stirring often so it cooks evenly. Check the cook time for al dente pasta according to the packaging directions to adjust the timing if needed. You will likely add about 2-3 minutes to that time. A few minutes before, check the doneness of the pasta. Once al dente, stir in the parmesan cheese.
16 ounces dried farfalle pasta, ½ cup freshly shredded parmesan cheese
Serve with a garnish of chopped parsley or sliced chives and additional parmesan cheese as desired. Enjoy!
Fresh parsley or chives
Notes
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or stovetop with additional water or stock to reconstitute the sauce.