Beef and Mushroom Pasta
My kids are not the biggest fan of the slippery texture mushrooms have, but that is not a problem with this Beef and Mushroom Pasta recipe because despite being loaded with the flavor and goodness of mushrooms it has none of the texture!
Some people may call this a hidden vegetable recipe, I am not such a fan of this name as I'm not necessarily about hiding vegetables, but I am all about boosting the veggie content in my family's meals whenever I can. I use all sorts of techniques for this showcased in my chicken and leek pie, healthy mac and cheese and pizza muffins.
Ingredients you will need
Ingredient Notes, Substitutes, & Alternatives
- Bacon: I look for bacon that contains only ingredients I would have in my cupboard (no nitrites or nitrates). The bacon can be left out if you prefer to avoid processed meats. The bacon can also be substituted with Italian sausage or chorizo to add flavor.
- Ground beef: If you are skipping the bacon, then look for a ground or minced beef with a higher fat content. The ground beef can also be substituted for minced lamb.
- Beef Stock or Broth: This can be substituted for lamb or chicken broth.
- Mushrooms: Any mushrooms will work, however the larger varieties such as portobellos can be easier to grate.
- Passata: Passata is an unsweetened tomato purée, it may also be called crushed and sieved tomatoes in the supermarket. It is not as thick or reduced as tomato paste. If you use tomato paste you will need to use ¼ cup of paste made up to 1 cup with water.
- Spinach: I use frozen chopped spinach, but you can also use final slice fresh spinach in this recipe.
- Pappardelle: I like serving the beef mushroom sauce with long wide pasta shapes such as pappardelle, tagliatelle or fettuccine. Spaghetti or penne will work as well if you don't have the wider shapes.
Beef Mushroom Pasta Step-By-Step
Below are illustrated step-by-step instructions to make my Beef and Mushroom Pasta recipe, if you prefer just the written instructions then head straight to the printable recipe card below.
Step one: Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or fry pan (medium heat).
Add the onion, garlic and bacon, sauté until the onion is translucent and the bacon cooked.
Step two: Increase the temperature of your pan to high. Add the ground beef and fry until browned.
Step three: Reduce the temperature of your pan to medium, add the grated mushrooms and cook until softened and almost melting into the beef.
Step four Add the beef broth and passata and the chopped spinach, reduce the heat of the pan so the sauce is simmering (gently bubbling), simmer for 20-30 minutes.
Step five: While the sauce is simmering cook your pasta in boiling salted water as per the directions on the pack.
Season the sauce with salt and pepper.
Toss the sauce through the cooked pasta.
Enjoy!
Tips & Tricks
Here is how you can make this Beef Mushroom and Mushroom Pasta perfectly every time!
- Grating mushrooms: I add grated mushrooms to so many of my family's meals, it solves the slimy mushroom texture my kids don't like. If you find the process of grating the mushrooms by hand a little time consuming - try blitzing them in your food processor, it works well too!
- This pasta is delicious served with parmesan cheese, crisp bread crumbs (pangrattato) and fresh parsley.
How To Make This Recipe Suitable For Baby-Led-Weaning
- To make this recipe suitable for baby led weaning skip the bacon as it is often very high in salt.
- Choose a large short pasta shape that your child can grab, such as penne or spirals.
- Boil your pasta past al dente until very soft (able to be easily squared with a finger or fork.
- My baby pasta recipe is a great baby led weaning recipe
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Beef and Mushroom Pasta
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Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic crushed
- 200 grams bacon diced
- 300 grams ground beef minced beef
- 400 grams mushrooms grated
- 1 cup passata
- 1 cup beef broth or stock
- 75 grams chopped spinach ½ cup chopped frozen
- 500 grams pappardelle
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or fry pan (medium heat).
- Add the onion, garlic and bacon, sauté until the onion is translucent and the bacon cooked.
- Increase the temperature of your pan to high. Add the ground beef and fry until browned.
- Reduce the temperature of your pan to medium, add the grated mushrooms and cook until softened and almost melting into the beef.
- Add the beef broth and passata and the chopped spinach, reduce the heat of the pan so the sauce is simmering (gently bubbling), simmer for 20-30 minutes.
- While the sauce is simmering cook your pasta in boiling salted water as per the directions on the pack.
- Season the sauce with salt and pepper.
- Toss the sauce through the cooked pasta.
- Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Grating mushrooms: I add grated mushrooms to so many of my family's meals, it solves the slimy mushroom texture my kids don't like. If you find the process of grating the mushrooms by hand a little time consuming - try blitzing them in your food processor, it works well too!
- This pasta is delicious served with parmesan cheese, crisp bread crumbs (pangrattato) and fresh parsley.
- To make this recipe suitable for baby led weaning skip the bacon as it is often very high in salt.
- Choose a large short pasta shape that your child can grab, such as penne or spirals.
- Boil your pasta past al dente until very soft (able to be easily squared with a finger or fork.
- Bacon: I look for bacon that contains only ingredients I would have in my cupboard (no nitrites or nitrates). The bacon can be left out if you prefer to avoid processed meats. The bacon can also be substituted with Italian sausage or chorizo to add flavor.
- Ground beef: If you are skipping the bacon, then look for a ground or minced beef with a higher fat content. The ground beef can also be substituted for minced lamb.
- Beef Stock or Broth: This can be substituted for lamb or chicken broth.
- Mushrooms: Any mushrooms will work, however the larger varieties such as portobellos can be easier to grate.
- Passata: Passata is an unsweetened tomato purée, it may also be called crushed and sieved tomatoes in the supermarket. It is not as thick or reduced as tomato paste. If you use tomato paste you will need to use ¼ cup of paste made up to 1 cup with water.
- Spinach: I use frozen chopped spinach, but you can also use final slice fresh spinach in this recipe.
- Pappardelle: I like serving the beef mushroom sauce with long wide pasta shapes such as pappardelle, tagliatelle or fettuccine. Spaghetti or penne will work as well if you don't have the wider shapes.
Tips for Baby Led Weaning
- To make this recipe suitable for baby led weaning skip the bacon as it is often very high in salt.
- Choose a large short pasta shape that your child can grab, such as penne or spirals.
- Boil your pasta past al dente until very soft (able to be easily squared with a finger or fork.
Quick Start Guide To BLW
Baby led weaning doesn’t need to be complicated, grab my quick start guide to begin your little ones food journey.