Name: One-Pot Creamy Pasta with Mushrooms, Butternut Squash, and Pine Nuts
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil; 2 large shallots , minced; 3 garlic cloves , minced; 4 teaspoons minced fresh thyme or 1½ teaspoons dried; 12 ounces cremini mushrooms , trimmed and sliced thin; Salt and pepper; 1½ pounds butternut squash , peeled, seeded, and cut into ½-inch pieces (4 cups); 2½ cups water; 2 cups chicken broth; 1 pound mezzi rigatoni; ½ cup heavy cream; 2 ounces Parmesan cheese , grated (1 cup); 1 tablespoon lemon juice; 2 tablespoons minced fresh chives; ¼ cup pine nuts , toasted

Why This Recipe Works

We selected cremini mushrooms, which have a meatier texture and a more intense, woodsy flavor than button mushrooms but are still readily available. Butternut squash heightened the dish’s wintertime appeal and gave it heft and a subtle sweetness that perfectly complemented the mushrooms. To start, we sautéed the mushrooms with shallots, garlic, thyme, and a small amount of salt to help them release their liquid, then added the squash. The liquid released by the mushrooms was just enough to steam the squash, and cooking both together gave the smaller mushroom pieces time to brown and create fond. We removed the vegetables, and then poured in chicken broth and water to cook our pasta. Tubular mezzi (“shortened”) rigatoni mimicked the shape of the squash, and their ridged edges held the sauce well. Adding heavy cream toward the end of cooking, and then stirring vigorously while mixing in Parmesan cheese, drew out the pasta’s starches and created a thick, creamy sauce, into which we folded our meaty cooked vegetables. A splash of lemon juice, a sprinkling of fresh chives, and some toasted pine nuts were the perfect finishes to the dish.

Before You Begin

You can substitute 1 pound of rigatoni, ziti, penne, medium shells, farfalle, or campanelle for the mezzi rigatoni if desired.

Instructions

Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add shallots and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in garlic and thyme and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in mushrooms and ½ teaspoon salt and cook until mushrooms begin to release their liquid, about 4 minutes. Stir in squash, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until squash is tender and lightly browned, about 12 minutes. Transfer vegetables to bowl and cover to keep warm.

Add water, broth, and ¼ teaspoon salt to now-empty Dutch oven, scraping up any browned bits. Increase heat to high and bring to boil. Stir in pasta, reduce heat to medium, and simmer vigorously, stirring often, until pasta is nearly tender, about 10 minutes.

Stir in cream and continue to simmer until pasta is tender and has absorbed most of liquid, about 4 minutes.

Add Parmesan and stir vigorously until sauce is creamy and pasta is well coated, about 30 seconds. Stir in reserved vegetables and lemon juice and cook until heated through, about 1 minute. Off heat, stir in chives and season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with pine nuts and serve.