How’s this for pure protein? This recipe is from nom nom paleo’s site and we’ve made it a couple of times. So simple, so delicious. It’s very tender so I’m also listing this under soft foods.
Basically you take a pork roast and cut off whatever skin you don’t want. Leave a little for crisping and the fat we need. Put 3-4 strips of bacon in the bottom of the crockpot. Put your roast on top, with the skin side facing up.
For every pounds of meat, use around half to 3/4 of a teaspoons of kosher salt sprinkled all over the meat. Make a few random slashes and stick some sliced garlic in them. For a 3 pounds roast, we used about 4-5 cloves.
Pour a little teaspoons or so of liquid smoke. And now here is the tough part.
Turn your crockpot on low for SIXTEEN hours. Yup. No typo. 16 hours. On low. You want the meat to cook slowly, and you want it in there long enough for it to crisp up a little on the outside. Hey just be happy you didn’t have to dig a hole in the ground, put a whole pig in it, put embers on top and whatnot. Which is what you’d be doing to make it the traditional way.
It’s delicious to eat plain for a snack, to eat with veggies steamed on the side for dinner, to make it into tacos, or to simmer some in a prepared sauce such as Thai green curry . I’d love to hear your ideas as well!
The first time we made it, we ended up wasting a lot of it even though it was delicious. There’s no way 2 Sleevers can finish 3 poundss of meat in any reasonable time frame. So this time, I’m either taking some to the neighbor or freezing some, or maybe both.
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This Mushroom Pasta with Mascarpone Sauce has got to be one of the creamiest, tastiest plates of pasta I’ve ever had. It’s utterly simple to make, too . If you’re looking for an easy Instant Pot Vegetarian dinner , this is the one you want.
What Makes This Pasta So Irresistible?
- Fast. A filling pasta dish that’s ready in under 30 minutes .
- Easy. A simple pour and cook recipe that makes a great weeknight dinner.
- Vegetarian . With the heartiness of the mushrooms in the cream sauce, you won’t even miss the meat.
- Delicious. It’s rich, creamy, flavorful, and will have you reaching for a second helping.
I’m going to shoot straight with you, my husband and I almost got into a fight when I made this. He was supposed to photograph it and he looked at it and said, “You used a can of mushroom soup?” Does the man not know me??
OF COURSE NOT! This Mushroom Pasta recipe is the dish that will convince you that you never need to use a can of mushroom soup again.
This dish is so very creamy, cheesy, rich and absolutely crave-worthy . It’s a simple mushroom pasta recipe, yet it’s absolutely bursting with complex flavors! And if you consider yourself a pasta fan, prepare to indulge in what is probably one of the easiest yet tastiest vegetarian pasta dishes I have ever made. It truly is such an absolute delight that I find myself thinking about making it on a regular basis.
And you know what else makes this recipe so very appealing? How ridiculously quick and easy it is. As you probably already know, I’m all about taking a delicious dish and making it as simple as possible without compromising on flavor. This dish absolutely delivers on all fronts. It’s made in my trusty Instant Pot , and it’s done in less than 30 minutes with minimal effort on my part. It’s seriously everything I dream of in a pasta recipe: simple, quick, and crazy delicious.
Are Mascarpone Cheese And Cream Cheese The Same Thing?
Though they definitely have their similarities, it all comes down to richness in flavor, fat content, and consistency.
Mascarpone has a higher fat content than cream cheese, which results in a richer flavor profile. Mascarpone also has a creamier, whipped-like texture that makes it perfect for this Mushroom Pasta recipe.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Fettuccini - Although it’s not customary, you will need to break the pasta noodles in half to be able to fit them in the Instant Pot and submerge them in water.
- Butter
- Minced Garlic
- Red Pepper Flakes - Adds just a touch of heat to help balance the fat content of the mascarpone cheese.
- Dried Thyme
- Ground Black Pepper
- Kosher Salt
- Portabella Mushrooms- These will be sliced into small bite-sized pieces
- Onions
- Mascarpone Cheese - Creates the decadent sauce that perfectly covers every noodle
- Shredded parmesan cheese
- Dried Thyme - This is an optional ingredient. If you don’t have it in your spice rack, feel free to omit it.
How To Make Mushroom Pasta With Mascarpone Sauce
- Saute. Turn the Instant Pot on Sauté. Once the pot is hot, add butter, garlic, red pepper flakes, thyme, and sauté for 30 seconds.
- Add veggies. onions, mushrooms, salt, pepper, and water and stir.
- Add pasta. Put in the pasta and push down into the water as much as possible.
- Add cheese. Place the mascarpone cheese on top of the pasta. Do not stir otherwise your cheese could stick and burn.
- Cook. Secure the lid on the pot. Close the pressure-release valve. Select PRESSURE COOK and set the pot at HIGH pressure for 6 minutes. Allow the pot to sit undisturbed for 5 minutes, then release any remaining pressure.
- Stir. Open the lid and stir. Stir in the parmesan cheese and mix well, allowing the mixture to thicken.
- Serve. Garnish with thyme and serve.
Tips And Tricks
- When I say don’t stir after adding the mascarpone cheese to the Instant Pot , I really mean don’t stir! That is unless you like the flavor of burnt cheese in your dishes.
- Serve with a simple salad and some crusty bread on the side to sop up all that delicious sauce.
- If you are having a hard time finding mascarpone cheese (or if you just don’t feel like going to the grocery store), you can use cream cheese mixed with heavy whipping cream in its place. Simply mix 8 ounces of room temperature cream cheese with a 1/4 cup of heavy whipping cream and mix well. I do highly recommend picking up some mascarpone cheese though, as it gives the Mushroom Pasta a richer taste.
How Long Does It Last?
Pasta is always a great dish to double up on when you’re cooking because it makes some of the best leftovers. The noodles continue to absorb the flavor the longer they are sitting in the sauce.
For the best bite, I would suggest enjoying this mushroom pasta within 4-5 days of preparing it.
What To Serve With Mushroom Pasta
This mushroom pasta can easily be a full meal on its own, but if you’re looking for a way to take your dinner table to the next level, try enjoying it with a few of these tasty sides:
- Cauliflower Breadsticks
- A side salad
- Air Fryer Asparagus
- Brussel Sprouts with Bacon
Looking For More Great Italian Dishes?
- Mascarpone Mushroom Pasta - Enjoy a delicious mushroom pasta made quickly in your air fryer !
- Tuscan Chicken - Creamy, garlicky, comforting chicken perfection.
- Instant Pot Tortellini Soup With Spinach - Make this vegetarian soup in less than 15 minutes.
- Keto Basil Pesto Chicken - Creamy, delicious and low carb!
- Instant Pot Eggplant Pasta - Seriously one of the best pasta dishes I’ve ever had.
- Italian Stuffed Steak Rolls - Easy, cheesy and made easily in your air fryer.
- Antipasto Salad with Pesto Vinaigrette - A delightful Italian salad that’s perfect any day of the week!
Mushroom Pasta With Mascarpone Sauce
Equipment
- Instant Pot
Ingredients
- ▢ 2 tablespoons Butter
- ▢ 1 tablespoon Minced Garlic
- ▢ 1/2 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
- ▢ 1 teaspoon Dried Thyme
- ▢ 1 teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
- ▢ 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
- ▢ 8 ounces Portabella Mushrooms , sliced
- ▢ 1 cup onions, chopped
- ▢ 1 3/4 cups Water
- ▢ 8 ounces Fettuccine , broken in half
- ▢ 8 ounces Mascarpone Cheese
- ▢ 1 cup shredded parmesan cheese
- ▢ 1-2 sprigs Dried Thyme , optional
Instructions
Turn the Instant Pot on Sauté. Once the pot is hot, add butter, garlic, red pepper flakes, thyme, and sauté for 30 seconds.
Add onions, mushrooms, salt, pepper, and water and stir.
Put in the pasta and push down into the water as much as possible.
Place the mascarpone cheese on top of the pasta. Do not stir otherwise your cheese could stick and burn.
Secure the lid on the pot. Close the pressure-release valve. Select PRESSURE COOK and set the pot at HIGH pressure for 6 minutes. Allow the pot to sit undisturbed for 5 minutes, then release any remaining pressure.
Open the lid and stir. Stir in the parmesan cheese and mix well, allowing the mixture to thicken.
Garnish with thyme and serve.
When I say don’t stir after adding the mascarpone cheese to the Instant Pot , I really mean don’t stir! That is unless you like the flavor of burnt cheese in your dishes.
Serve with a simple salad and some crusty bread on the side to sop up all that delicious sauce.
If you are having a hard time finding mascarpone cheese (or if you just don’t feel like going to the grocery store), you can use cream cheese mixed with heavy whipping cream in its place. Simply mix 8 ounces of room temperature cream cheese with a 1/4 cup of heavy whipping cream and mix well. I do highly recommend picking up some mascarpone cheese though, as it gives the Mushroom Pasta a richer taste.
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Indian Instant Pot , Keto Instant Pot, Instant Pot Fast and Easy , Healthy Instant Pot & Vegetarian Instant Pot .
