White Cheddar Cheese Pasta with Mushrooms and Spinach

White sauce pasta is one of the universally acclaimed pasta especially by kids, and today I am going to share the how to make that yummylicious white sauce with white cheddar cheese and how to incorporate some veggies as well. Here comes my white cheddar cheese pasta with spinach and mushrooms.

I think I have mentioned this many times before. I pack pasta one day every week. I do play with different sauces, and this one is our absolute favorite and easy to prepare as well. In the traditional white sauce, you don’t see any veggies, but I always try to sneak in some in all possible way. Kiddo is not a big fan of spinach, but he doesn’t complain spinach if it’s in this white sauce. Corn adds a nice texture and color, but I ran out of corn when I prepared this hence skipped. But you can include corn too. Also, I did not add any onion and garlic as well.

White Cheddar Vs Yellow Cheddar:

Now coming to cheese part, you may wonder why white cheddar? White cheddar cheese is the original form of the cheddar cheese. But you can find light yellow to bright orange colored cheddar cheese in the grocery stores. A natural plant-based odorless coloring agent called annatto is added to make the cheese yellow. It doesn’t affect the flavor or texture. It’s not a chemical either. So basically it’s your preference for the color.

I buy both but depending on the situation. I opt for white cheddar especially for sauces, and when it comes to the cheese platter, I prefer yellow. Kiddo loves yellow cheddar with Ritz crackers. I love snacking yellow cheddar. The hard and sharp taste makes you addicted for sure. Also, finding rennet free cheddar is easy. So you can always find a block of cheddar cheese in my fridge. 

No Milk White Sauce:

For my white sauce, I don’t use milk. This is again, because of Vaandu’s preference. He is not lactose intolerant, but somehow he doesn’t like the creamy texture, so I mix my all-purpose flour in the pasta water and add it. The quarter cup of white cheddar provides the sufficient creaminess to this sauce. But you can always use milk and even heavy cream.

Now without any further ado, here is my White Cheddar Farfalle pasta with mushrooms and spinach,

White Cheddar Cheese Pasta with Mushrooms and Spinach

A universally acclaimed pasta by kids – yummylicious white sauce pasta with white cheddar cheese, spinach, and mushrooms.

Ingredients:

• Pasta – 2 cups (I used Farfalle)
• Water – 4 cups
• Salt – 1 tsp
• Oil – 1 tsp
• Chopped Spinach – ½ cup
• Chopped Mushroom – ½ cup
• Mixed Italian Herbs – 2 tsp
• Butter – 1 tbsp
• Olive Oil – 1 tbsp
• APF – 1 tbsp
• Pasta Water – ½ cup
• Salt – ½ tsp
• Freshly grated Pepper – ½ tsp

Prep-Work:

• Cook the pasta according to the package instructions. I bought 4 cups of water to boil by adding one tsp of salt and one tsp of oil. Then added 2 cups of pasta and cooked for 8 minutes.
• I reserved ½ cup of pasta water and drained the rest.
• Mix the 1 tbsp of APF in the reserved pasta water and set aside.
• Clean and chop the mushrooms and spinach.
• Shred ¼ cup of white cheddar cheese.

Steps:

• Heat a pan or skillet and melt the butter.
• Now add the chopped spinach, mushroom, salt, and mixed Italian herbs.

• Cook until the spinach wilts and the mushroom is soft and tender.

• Now add the pasta water with APF and the cheddar cheese.

• Followed by the cooked pasta.

• Toss them all together.

• Cook until the cheese melts.

• Finally, add the olive oil and freshly grated pepper and gently mix once.

That’s it. White sauce pasta is ready.

How I Pack:

• Spread the pasta on a plate and let it cool for 10 minutes.
• Then transfer it to the tiffin box and wait for two more minutes before putting the lid.
• As I used merely a ¼ cup of cheese, it doesn’t harden, but cheddar tastes decent when it is not warm. So far no complaints from vaandu. 

Notes:

• You can include corn and other veggies of your choice. Also, skip spinach or mushroom.
• I did not add any onion by my Italian herb mix contains dried onions. If you can’t source it, just add a blend of dried basil and oregano is sufficient or fresh basil leaves will do all the magic.
• You can replace pasta water with milk.
• Adjust the salt and pepper as per your preference.

5 from 11 votes

Print

White Cheddar Cheese Pasta with Mushrooms and Spinach

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

25 mins

Total Time

35 mins

 

A universally acclaimed pasta by kids - yummylicious white sauce pasta with white cheddar cheese, spinach, and mushrooms

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Servings: 3

Author: Srividhya G

Ingredients

• Pasta – 2 cups I used Farfalle
• Water – 4 cups
• Salt – 1 tsp
• Oil – 1 tsp
• Chopped Spinach – ½ cup
• Chopped Mushroom – ½ cup
• Mixed Italian Herbs – 2 tsp
• Butter – 1 tbsp
• Olive Oil – 1 tbsp
• APF – 1 tbsp
• Pasta Water – ½ cup
• Salt – ½ tsp
• Freshly grated Pepper – ½ tsp

Instructions

Prep-Work:

1. Cook the pasta according to the package instructions. I bought 4 cups of water to boil by adding one tsp of salt and one tsp of oil. Then added 2 cups of pasta and cooked for 8 minutes.
2. I reserved ½ cup of pasta water and drained the rest.
3. Mix the 1 tbsp of APF in the reserved pasta water and set aside.
4. Clean and chop the mushrooms and spinach.
5. Shred ¼ cup of white cheddar cheese.

Steps:

1. Heat a pan or skillet and melt the butter.
2. Now add the chopped spinach, mushroom, salt, and mixed Italian herbs.
3. Cook until the spinach wilts and the mushroom is soft and tender.
4. Now add the pasta water with APF and the cheddar cheese.
5. Followed by the cooked pasta.
6. Toss them all together.
7. Cook until the cheese melts.
8. Finally, add the olive oil and freshly grated pepper and gently mix once.
9. That’s it. White sauce pasta is ready.

How I Pack:

1. Spread the pasta on a plate and let it cool for 10 minutes.
2. Then transfer it to the tiffin box and wait for two more minutes before putting the lid.
3. As I used merely a ¼ cup of cheese, it doesn’t harden, but cheddar tastes decent when it is not warm. So far no complaints from vaandu. 

Recipe Notes

• You can include corn and other veggies of your choice. Also, skip spinach or mushroom.
• I did not add any onion by my Italian herb mix contains dried onions. If you can’t source it, just add a blend of dried basil and oregano is sufficient or fresh basil leaves will do all the magic.
• You can replace pasta water with milk.
• Adjust the salt and pepper as per your preference.

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