Artichoke and Mushroom Marsala Pasta
Well hey there! How have you guys been?!
We just returned home from our trip to Carmel yesterday and it was everything I imagined it would be. The Pacific coast is so majestic and breathtakingly beautiful! It made for a very memorable first anniversary. I may have managed to take a few pictures here and there too so keep an eye out for those soon. ;)
In the meantime let’s talk about this crave-worthy pasta that I meant to share with you before I left. It’s one of my all-time favorites that I’ve been making since I first learned to cook. And I’m not talking about when I was seven and learned to make grilled cheese and PB & J. I’m talking about my early twenties, when I first moved in with Brandon and realized if I wanted to eat anything other than tacos and frozen pizza, I better learn to make a decent meal.
Seeing how we both love Italian food (we met working at Carrabba’s), it only seemed natural to turn to Giada De Laurentiis for help at the time. I recorded every single episode of Everyday Italian, took notes as she went along, and eventually found myself in the kitchen shredding up a storm of parmigiano reggiano.
I’ve made so many of her recipes over the years that I lost count but ever since I started food blogging, I barely have time to fit them in anymore.
Actually, the only reason I thought to make this one was because I attempted to create an artichoke pasta and as I ate it all I could think about was how much I wished it had Giada’s delicious marsala mushrooms. The rich, savory flavor from the marsala wine just goes so well with the tangy artichoke hearts and nutty parmesan cheese.
Her original recipe calls for heavy cream but I chose to leave it out for a lighter version that’s a little easier on the ol’ belly. But if you prefer a creamier sauce, you can always add a few splashes of plain unsweetened half and half. It’s a lighter alternative that I’ve tried before and, in my opinion, it’s just as good as it is with heavy cream.
Whether you make it lighter or rich and creamy, I’m sure you’ll love it as much as we do. It’s a classic that I’ll continue to make for years to come!
Ingredients
1 pound pasta of choice (whole grain, gluten-free, etc.)
1 small yellow onion
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 and 1/2 pounds mushrooms, diced (such as baby portobella)
3/4 cup marsala wine
1/4 cup milk (I used plain unsweetened almond milk)
salt & pepper
2 (14.5 ounce) cans quartered artichoke hearts, drained
1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
3/4 cup shredded parmesan or Italian blend cheese
Instructions
- Warm the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat then add the onion and cook for 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms to the skillet, sprinkle with salt & pepper and continue to cook for another 2 minutes.
- Next pour in the marsala wine and bring to a low boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until the liquid reduces, for about 10 to 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and sprinkle with salt then cook the pasta as directed.
- Once the mushrooms liquid has reduced, pour in the milk and continue to cook for 5 more minutes.
- When the pasta is ready, strain the excess liquid and return it to the large pot. Set the burner to low-medium heat and then transfer the mushroom mixture to the pot along with the artichoke hearts. Stir so that everything is heated through.
- Sprinkle in the cheese and parsley and stir to combine then distribute individual serving on to separate plates. Top with a sprinkle of cheese and serve warm.
Notes
Adapted from Giada's Thimbles with Mushrooms and Artichokes
Love the combo of artichokes and mushrooms! They’re great vegetables that will add a satisfying meatiness to any dish – looks delicious!
They do make such a great combo! Thanks, Pheobe! :)
Welcome back!! Hope you had a fabulous time!! This pasta dish looks amazing – love love love mushrooms and artichokes. And any chance to sneak wine into dinner definitely works for me ;-)
I’m glad we agree on wine being a necessity, Melissa! I hope you have a great weekend! :)
My tastebuds began drooling at that picture of the mushrooms and artichokes simmering in the Marsala (and haven’t stopped yet), and my lactose intolerant belly sure is glad you left out the heavy cream! YUM!
Yum, I love cooking mushrooms in marsala wine, and actually just was making a grocery list that included marsala mushroom calzones!
So funny, I worked at a Carino’s Italian Kitchen in college, which I think got bought out by Carrabba’s….it was the least favorite job I ever had! Unlimited breadsticks, soup and salad, ick! Haha.
I’m glad to hear that you had such a wonderful time, Sarah! And I totally agree about the Pacific coast being breathtakingly beautiful. I’ve taken a few road trips down to Cali, and I swear those were some of the most beautiful roads I’ve ever driven on. Looking forward to seeing your pics!
And thank you for just giving me the biggest pasta craving. I’ve never cooked with artichokes before (they kind of intimidate me), but I could totally go for a big bowl of this right now! Especially since the weather turned kind of nasty and I could use some comfort food.
So going to try this with spaghetti squash! :)
I used to watch Rachael Ray’s 30 minute meals and then Every Day Italian when I’d get home from school in my senior year. I can’t tell you the last time I turned on the Food Network. Food blogging/reading over blogs has definitely filled that void of the Food Network for me. It’s fun to look back though at those recipes because they really are classics!
I can’t wait to see your anniversary post. :)
I can’t wait to see pictures from your trip Sarah! We’re taking a trip (first since our honeymoon!) for our fourth anniversary (eek! time is flying!) in about a week. So excited. This lady needs a break! haha
And this pasta looks just wonderful. Isn’t it funny how when you start food blogging you just don’t have time for a lot of other recipes anymore? It always blows my mind even though it makes total sense!
What a fun first anniversary trip!! Can’t wait to see the highlights. This pasta sounds delicious. I used to not be a fan of mushrooms, but since being vegetarian, I love them! I especially love them in meaty pastas like this. It looks amazing!
I love artichokes in pasta and this recipe goes straight into my “authentic Italian recipes” board!
Awesome recipe. I made it tonight for my fam and it got all thumbs up. I used Blue Oyster mushrooms and just separated the “petals” rather than chopping. I also went with half and half for the creaming and substituted chopped basil for the parsley. So delicious! (It paired well with griddled baby gems–https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/griddled-baby-gems-balsamic-goats-cheese.)
Wow, that sounds like an incredible meal! :)