Creamy Leek & Mushroom Pasta

The mild, creamy flavor of leeks works beautifully in this pasta dish. Feel free to add protein, like chicken or shrimp.

Ingredients

• 12 oz small-shared pasta, like shellbows, fusili, orecchiette, etc.

• 8 oz mushrooms, chopped or sliced

• 1 large or 2 small leeks, cleaned and sliced

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 2 tbsp. olive oil

• 3/4 cup veggie or chicken broth

• 1/4-1/2 cup cream cheese

• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

• sea salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

• Boil a large pot of salted water. Cook pasta. Drain and set aside.

• While the pasta cooks, add oil to a large deep skillet and place on medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add mushrooms and season with ¼ teaspoon salt. Cook until mushrooms are soft and just starting to brown, about 5 minutes.

• Next, add the sliced leeks. Sauté until softened and golden brown around the edges. About 4 to 5 minutes.

• Add the garlic, remaining salt, and pepper, then cook for an additional minute to lightly toast the garlic.

• Stir in broth and cream cheese. Stir until a sauce starts to form. Add more broth to thin sauce, or more cream cheese to thicken, until sauce is desired consistency.

• Add in the cooked pasta, sprinkle in the grated Parmesan cheese, and toss to coat the pasta in the sauce. If the sauce is too thick, add in another splash or two of broth to thin. If your sauce is too thin, add additional cream cheese. let it simmer for a minute or two to thicken up.

• Taste and add salt and pepper, as desired. Serve warm.

Serves 4-6. Adapted from https://thenaturalnurturer.com/