Creamy Pesto Pasta with Spinach and Mushrooms

I am so delighted to share this recipe as this is a frequently made meal at home and my kids all time favorite. I have made it so many times that my kids refer this dish as " The Normal Pasta". This recipe starts of with a homemade roux based creamy sauce and the magic happens when you add the pesto to it.  I used mushrooms and spinach in this recipe, but other vegetables likes broccoli, asparagus and artichoke would also work great.

Ingredients

• 2 cups uncooked penne pasta
• 2 cups sliced baby bella mushrooms
• 2 cups spinach, chopped roughly
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 tbsp. unsalted butter
• 1 tbsp. all-purpose flour
• 2 tbsp. pesto sauce (or more as per your liking)
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
• Crushed red pepper, as needed
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Bring water to boil in a large pot. Add some salt. Add the penne pasta and cook for about 12 minutes. Please refer to your package instructions for exact time. Drain and keep it aside.
2. Slice the mushrooms. In a pan, heat up the oil and sauté the mushrooms until brown. Add some salt and pepper. Transfer them to a plate.
3. Heat up the same pan again and melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk it until slightly brown and develops a nutty flavor. This mixture is called roux and is used as a base for many Italian soups and sauces. Now add the milk slowly. Keep whisking until the sauce thickens (it should coat the back of a spoon) and make sure no lumps are formed.
4. Add some salt and pepper to the sauce and add in the parmesan cheese. Combine until melted. Add more milk if the sauce is too thick.
5. Now add in 2 tablespoons or more pesto to the simmering sauce.
6. Add the mushrooms and the cooked pasta to the sauce. Add chopped up spinach and combine it until wilted.
7. Garnish with crushed red pepper and parmesan. Serve and enjoy!