Creamy Farfalle Pasta in a garlic parmesan cream sauce is a quick and delicious weeknight dinner!This pasta with potatoes, spinach and mushrooms is not only easy to make, it is packed with so much flavor.
Farfalle
Farfalle is bow-tie shaped pasta or known as butterfly pasta. Actually “farfalle” means “butterflies” in Italian. This type of pasta pairs really well with creamy sauces like Alfredo sauce. It is also perfect for cold pasta salads with cheese and tomatoes.
Farfalle works really well both in vegan recipes and dishes with meat. I didn’t add meat, but feel free to experiment and add some chicken or beef. It is a crowd pleaser and makes an elegant yet easy weeknight dinner.
Farfalle Pasta Ingredients
These bow-tie pasta is made with mushrooms, potatoes, spinach and smothered in a creamy garlic parmesan sauce. Comfort food at its best! To make it you will need:
- Farfalle pasta- You can buy this type of pasta in any grocery store. But if you wish to substitute it, conchiglie shell pasta or fusilli will work well.
- Vegetable oil- Use canola or coconut oil.
- Potatoes- Don’t use high-starch potatoes for this recipe as they tend to fall apart and become mashy. I recommend to use medium starch potatoes (all-purpose potatoes) like Yukon or low starch red potatoes and new potatoes. They hold their shape really well.
- Brown mushrooms- Both white and brown mushrooms work well. Make sure to slice them.
- Butter- Use unsalted butter to control saltiness. Vegetable oil is also good for vegan pasta.
- Garlic cloves- Mince garlic using a microplane grater to avoid raw garlic in the cooked dish.
- Fresh/frozen green peas- You can increase or decrease the amount of peas. I added only ½ cup because my husband doesn’t like green peas and always begs me not to add them.
- Heavy cream & milk-You can use only heavy cream or a combination for a light sauce. Evaporated milk is a great option too.
- Parmesan cheese- Don’t use pre-grated store-bought stuff. Do it yourself. This guarantees that the sauce will be smooth.
- Baby spinach- Potatoes pair so well with spinach and mushrooms. But you can add other veggies. I am sure it will be delicious.
- Seasoning- I used only salt and pepper.
How to make farfalle pasta
The method at glance looks like this:
- Cook veggies- Heat oil and fry potatoes over medium high heat until they are half done, about 5-6 minutes. Add the sliced mushrooms (brown, cremini, portabello or oyster) and cook until golden brown. Finally add the green peas and cook further for a few minutes. Season veggies to your liking. Transfer to a plate.
- Make the sauce- In the same skillet melt butter and sauté garlic until fragrant, about 40-50 seconds over medium high heat. Add the heavy cream, milk and parmesan. Cook until the cheese melted through the sauce. Add the spinach and allow to wilt. Season with salt and pepper.
- Cook pasta- Once the potatoes are almost cooked, bring the large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta as per package instructions. Drain. Add the pasta to the sauce and mix. Divide farfalle pasta between the bowls and top with the cooked veggies.
How to cook farfalle pasta
Check the package instructions because the cooking time varies from brand to brand. It usually takes about 10 minutes. For “al dente” pasta cook for about 8 minutes. Make sure to salt the pasta water. I usually add 1- 1 ½ tablespoon of salt into the 3-4 quart pot for every pound of pasta.
Making Farfalle ahead of time
It is a perfect dish to make ahead of time. Cook the veggies, cool completely and refrigerate up to 3 days. Alternatively you can even freeze them for 3 months.
Also you can make the entire dish ahead of time. Don’t add only veggies. Refrigerate pasta and veggies separately. And when you are ready to serve, reheat on the stove. I recommend to add ¼ cup heavy cream or milk when reheating because the refrigerated pasta tends to absorb the sauce and you might be left with very little sauce.
More pasta recipes
Roasted Cauliflower Pasta- meatless pasta that tastes incredible
Chicken bacon ranch pasta- a real crowd pleaser
Salmon pasta- a perfect easy pasta dish for seafood lovers
Lobster Ravioli Sauce- homemade lobster ravioli smothered in a creamy garlic butter sauce
If you like farfalle pasta with potatoes and spinach be sure to leave a comment or give this recipe a rating!
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Farfalle Pasta
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4
Description
Creamy Farfalle Pasta in a garlic Parmesan cream sauce is a quick and delicious weeknight dinner!
Ingredients
- Farfalle pasta- 9 oz (250 g)
- Vegetable oil- 2 tablespoon
- Yukon/ red potatoes (peeled and diced)-2 cups
- Brown mushrooms ( sliced) 9 oz (250 g)
- Butter- 1 tablespoon
- Garlic cloves (minced)-1 tablespoon
- Fresh/frozen green peas- ½ cup
- Heavy cream- ½ cup
- Milk- 1 cup
- Fresh grated Parmesan cheese- 1 cup
- Baby spinach- 4 cups
- Ground Black pepper- ½ teaspoon
- Salt- as needed
Instructions
Cooking veggies:
- In a large skillet heat vegetable oil. Add the diced potatoes, and cook over medium high heat until almost tender ( but not completely cooked), about 5-6 minutes.
- Add the sliced mushrooms and cook further for 5-6 minutes or until golden brown. Stir in the green peas. Season with salt and pepper and cook 1- 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
Creamy sauce:
- In the same skillet melt butter. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 50 seconds.
- Pour in the heavy cream, milk and add the grated cheese. Cook until the cheese melts, stirring. Add the baby spinach to the skillet, reduce the heat to low and allow spinach to wilt. Season the sauce with salt and pepper. If the sauce is too thick, add a few tablespoons of milk to thin it out. And if it is too runny, add more Parmesan.
- Add the drained farfalle to the sauce. Stir on low heat to combine.
- Divide the pasta between bowls , top with cooked veggies and Parmesan cheese if desired.
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Cooking pasta:
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Start cooking pasta when the potatoes are almost tender. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add farfalle pasta and cook according to the package instructions until "al dente". Drain.
* Alternatively you can add the garlic into the skillet with veggies, cook until fragrant.Then add the heavy cream, milk and Parmesan and cook until the cheese melts through. Stir in spinach and allow it to wilt. Season with salt and pepper. And pour the sauce over the drained pasta. Enjoy!
- Prep Time: 15 min
- Cook Time: 20 min
- Category: Pasta recipes
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Calories: 625 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 503 mg
- Fat: 16 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Carbohydrates: 64 g
- Protein: 22 g
Keywords: farfalle pasta, pasta recipes, pasta
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