Mushrooms, Spinach and Miso Spaghetti

This Mushroom, Spinach and Miso Spaghetti is so delicious and intense! It’s easy to do and packed with umami and savoury flavours. The dried Porcini mushrooms, Garlic and Thyme really elevate the natural flavour of the fresh Mushrooms. The drops of Truffle Oil make it indulgent and decadent. It’s the ultimate comfort food!

Ingredients

200 gr of Wholewheat Spaghetti
3 gr of dried Porcini Mushrooms
100 gr of Shiitake Mushrooms
150 gr of Oyster Mushrooms
5 cloves of Garlic minced
1 Tbsp of white Miso Paste
1 Tbsp of fresh Thyme leaves
1 Tbsp of Nutritional Yeast
1 handful of Spinach
Freshly cracked Black Pepper

Garnish:

Parsley or Coriander
1 pinch of Chilli Flakes (optional)
1 tsp of Nutritional Yeast
Freshly cracked Black Pepper to taste
White Truffle Oil

Instructions

Step 1 – Start by soaking the dried Porcini Mushrooms in 250ml of boiling water for at least 15 mins.

Step 2 – Shred the Oyster Mushrooms with your hands into small strips and slice the Shiitake with a knife. Mince the Garlic and reserve.

Step 3 – Add the Shiitake Mushrooms in a single layer to a medium hot pan. Let them sweat and crisp up a little bit. Turn them over and allow a few more mins on the other side. Repeat with the remaining Mushrooms.

Step 4 – Cook the Spaghetti according the package instructions al dente. Add the minced Garlic, Thyme leaves and Miso paste to the pan, mixing constantly for 1 min until the Garlic is fragrant. Add 2 Tbsp of the liquid from the dried Porcini mushrooms.

Step 5 – Cut the rehydrated Porcini in very small bits and add it to the pan with the remaining Mushrooms. Add more of the dried Porcini liquid to emulsify and coat the Mushrooms. Cook for 2-3 mins.

Step 6 – Drain the Spaghetti and pour it into the Mushrooms. Add the remaining dried Mushroom liquid and mix vigorously to coat the pasta with the Mushroom sauce.

Step 7 – Top with Nutritional Yeast, Black Pepper to taste and mix one more time.

Step 8 – Add the Spinach cut in big ribbons then stir it in with the pasta and Mushrooms. Let it wilt for 2 mins. Add another crack of black pepper and adjust season according to your taste.

Step 9 – Serve in a bowl or plate, top it up with 1tsp of Nutritional Yeast, Chilli Flakes, Parsley and a few drops of Truffle Oil.

About the Ingredients

Shiitake and Oyster Mushrooms: You can substitute with other fresh mushrooms but I recommend to get different types of mushrooms as they all bring different tastes and textures. I really like Shiitake and my husband loves Oyster so I chose this mix. Shiitake mushrooms sport a rich, woodsy flavour that intensifies when cooked, lending a savoury umami flavour to every dish in which they star. They have a dense, meaty texture and stems that range from tender to fibrous.

White Miso Paste: Miso loves Mushrooms. Miso is yeasty and salty, with smooth, sweet and a somewhat meaty flavour. Miso really adds depth to this dish and is a perfect companion to the hearty mushrooms.

Wholewheat Spaghetti: You can substitute for any other pasta you like. I normally use whole grain pasta, or pulses like lentil and chickpea pasta. Nowadays you find a big variety of pasta made with healthier ingredients and methods. Whole grains are ground into flour using all their parts, including bran, germ, and endosperm. They pack more nutrients like protein, fibre, iron, magnesium and zinc.

Dried Porcini Mushrooms: Dried Porcini mushrooms have a distinct, smoky, rich, and woodsy aroma. Once reconstituted, the mushrooms acquire a chewy consistency with a dense, meat-like texture, and provide nutty, earthy, and savoury umami flavours. This is an essential ingredient, you can substitute it with other dried mushrooms but don’t omit it.

Nutritional Yeast: Nutritional Yeast, also called “nooch”, has an umami, cheesy flavour that is great in any pasta dishes. You can skip it but it will not have the same depth of flavour.

Fresh Thyme leaves: Thyme and Mushrooms love each other. It’s a great combination. Thyme is an herb that has its own distinct identity but doesn’t hit you on the head. It has a delightful flavour balance that dances between earthy and minty, minty and citrus-laced, savoury but also sweet, and slightly woodsy but also flowery, with traces of lavender or a toned-down rosemary.

Truffle Oil: I love Truffles but they are very expensive so Truffle oil is the next best thing. It can be difficult to describe the flavour of a truffle. For me it’s complex, intense, woody, earthy, garlicky and fruity. The flavour helps it add character to a wide variety of dishes. White truffle infused oil has a fine tuned flavour that is well suited for this pasta dish.