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    Home » Recipes » Dinner Recipes

    Pork Pasta with Dried Mushrooms & Spinach

    Author: Amy Fulwood | Published: Jan 29, 2020 | Modified: Mar 18, 2024

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    This pork pasta is made with ground pork, spinach and dried mushrooms for a rich hit of umami. Sprinkled with plenty of parmesan this is the ultimate in winter comfort food and is so quick to make.

    This pasta is the absolute best!

    Overhead shot of pork pasta in a white pot on a blue background

    It's honestly unreal. Considering how quick and easy it is to make and that it only takes a handful of ingredients it's full of a ridiculous amount of flavour and just perfect for any night of the week. It takes less than 30 minutes to pull together so it's especially good when you're looking for something a bit special to have as a weeknight dinner.

    Dried mushrooms are one of my favourite umami boosters and there's a whole load of them in this pasta recipe. If they're an ingredient you don't use very often you should really give them a go...starting with this pasta dish.

    I like to use a pork mince with a slightly higher fat percentage (I went for 20%) because it helps to make this dish really rich and unctuous.

    The thing I love about this dish is that there isn't really a sauce. Somehow with the combination of the liquid from soaking the mushrooms, the fat from the pork and a little tomato puree and reserved pasta water you create a rich coating on the pasta which is finished off with a big handful of parmesan.

    Jump to:
    • Why we love this recipe...
    • Ingredients
    • How to make it
    • Variations
    • Leftovers
    • Recipe
    White pot of pork mince pasta with spinach
    Blue bowl of pork rigatoni with a gold fork

    Why we love this recipe...

    It's such an easy recipe which you can make so quickly and easily on a weeknight.

    Most of the things you need for this recipe are simple ingredients you'll probably have on hand most of the time like onion,  garlic, tomato puree and pasta.

    You can add extra veggies to this recipe if you want to make it healthier although I kind of love it how it is with just a hint of green from the spinach and whole lot of comfort from everything else.

    Overhead shot of pork pasta in a blue bowl on a blue surface
    Close up of rigatoni with pork and spinach

    Ingredients

    Dried Porcini Mushrooms: These are soaked in boiling water to rehydrate them and then added straight to the pasta and they add so much depth of flavour.

    Pork Mince: Preferably something fattier to add plenty of richness to the dish. Also delicious in these egg fried noodles.

    Tomato Puree

    Onion & Garlic

    Rigatoni: Or you could go far any cut of pasta you like, penne would also work well.

    Spinach: Wilted through just before serving. Kale would also work.

    Parmesan: The more the better!

    Salt and Pepper

    Overhead shot of bowl of ground pork pasta on a blue background
    Close up of pork mince pasta in a blue bowl

    How to make it

    Soak the mushrooms: Put the dried mushrooms in a small bowl and pour over boiling water. Leave them to soak while you heat the olive oil in a pot and add the pork mince. Fry until browned making sure to break up any clumps all over.

    Add the rest of the ingredients: Add the tomato puree, onion and garlic to the pan and fry for a couple of minutes then pour in the mushrooms and soaking liquid and simmer for 10 minutes. Cook the pasta in salted water according to packet instructions until al dente.

    Finish the dish: Add the cooked pasta and 250ml of pasta water to the pot with the spinach and grated parmesan, season with salt and pepper and cook for a couple more minutes until the sauce thickens then serve.

    Overhead shot of pork mince pasta on a blue background with a gold fork
    Blue bowl of pork pasta on a blue background

    Variations

    You could try making this pasta into a bit more of a pork ragu  by adding a splash of red wine and some crushed tomatoes into the mushrooms and onions and simmering before adding the pasta then topping with a sprinkling of chopped parsley.

    Make this pasta a little creamy by adding a dollop of ricotta or cream cheese into the pasta just before serving and stirring until it's melted into the sauce.

    If you want to make this recipe dairy-free then make as instructed but leave out the parmesan or get a vegan substitute.

    Leftovers

    Leftovers of this recipe can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in a pan over a medium heat or in the microwave until piping hot.

    You can also freeze this pasta for up to three months.

    Want more? Try these other pasta recipes!

    • Smoked Salmon Pasta with Asparagus
    • Vodka Pasta Sauce with Sun Dried Tomato
    • Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce
    • Mushroom Stroganoff with Rosemary
    • Turkey Meatballs with Spaghetti
    • Aubergine Pasta Bake with Balsamic Tomato Sauce
    • Instant Pot Creamy Alfredo Pasta
    • 15 Minute Mushroom Tagliatelle
    • Orzo Risotto with Mascarpone
    • Creamy Mushroom Pasta Bake

    Recipe

    Blue bowl of pasta with a gold fork

    Pork Pasta with Dried Mushrooms & Spinach

    This pork pasta is made with ground pork, spinach and dried mushrooms for a rich hit of umami. Sprinkled with plenty of parmesan this is the ultimate in winter comfort food.
    4.41 from 5 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Italian
    Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 20 minutes minutes
    Servings: 6 servings
    Calories: 549kcal
    Author: Amy Fulwood

    Ingredients

    • 30 g Dried Porcini Mushrooms
    • 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
    • 500 g Pork Mince
    • 2 tablespoon Tomato Puree
    • 1 Onion
    • 2 cloves Garlic crushed
    • 400 g Rigatoni
    • 100 g Spinach
    • 50 g Parmesan Cheese grated
    UK Measures - US Measures

    Instructions

    • Put the dried mushrooms in a small bowl and pour boiling water over them. Heat the olive oil in a large pot and add the pork mince. Cook over a high heat, breaking it up into pieces.
    • Add the tomato puree, onion and garlic to the pan and continue to fry. Remove the mushrooms from the water (keeping the liquid) and add them to the pan. Add the soaking liquid to the pan and bring to a simmer for 10 minutes. Cook the pasta according to packet instructions.
    • Reserve a mugful of pasta water then drain the pasta and place in the pot with the pork. Add 250ml of pasta water, the spinach and the parmesan then cook for another couple of minutes until the spinach has wilted.
    Nutrition Facts
    Pork Pasta with Dried Mushrooms & Spinach
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 549 Calories from Fat 207
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 23g35%
    Saturated Fat 8g40%
    Cholesterol 66mg22%
    Sodium 200mg8%
    Potassium 615mg18%
    Carbohydrates 57g19%
    Fiber 3g12%
    Sugar 3g3%
    Protein 27g54%
    Vitamin A 1655IU33%
    Vitamin C 8mg10%
    Calcium 147mg15%
    Iron 2mg11%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    Notes

    Nutrition information is an estimate and will vary depending on the exact ingredients used.
    Did you make this recipe?Tag @amycookreport on Instagram and hashtag it #thecookreport!

    Like the looks of this recipe? Make sure you pin it for later!

    Pinterest image for pork pasta with text overlay

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    Comments

    1. Katie says

      February 01, 2020 at 1:02 am

      5 stars
      Made this for the family and it was a hit!

      Reply
    2. Pamela says

      February 01, 2020 at 12:22 am

      I love quick pasta meals like this, especially for weeknights! This looks great, I really love the addition of the spinach!

      Reply
    3. traci says

      February 01, 2020 at 12:15 am

      5 stars
      Porcini and pork together...divinnnne! So easy too! Thanks for sharing 🙂

      Reply
    4. Sapana says

      February 01, 2020 at 12:05 am

      5 stars
      I love that you use porcini mushrooms in this pasta -- so good!

      Reply
    5. Cathleen @ A Taste of Madness says

      January 31, 2020 at 11:57 pm

      5 stars
      I adore finding new pasta ideas. This one looks right up my alley! Bookmarking it to make later!

      Reply
    4.41 from 5 votes (1 rating without comment)

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    Photo of Amy in a red jumper wearing glasses

    Hey, I'm Amy Fulwood!

    Recipe creator and photographer here at TheCookReport.co.uk.

    Over here we’re all about delicious healthy recipes to fit around busy schedules and celebrating the joy that comes from an amazing meal.

    About Me

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