THE BELLY KITCHEN · Dinner
Garlic Mushroom, Spinach & Lemon Penne
Browned chestnut mushrooms, baby spinach and lemon with protein Penne. A warm dinner for two with a light olive-oil finish and no cream.
Published · BELLY Editorial
Let’s get cooking ↓AI-generated serving illustration
Original BELLY editorial recipe; not yet kitchen-tested
THE SHOPPING LIST
Ingredients
For 2 people
- 150g BELLY Penne, weighed dry
- 250g chestnut mushrooms, cleaned and sliced about 5mm thick
- 100g baby spinach, washed and drained
- 2 tbsp olive oil, divided
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 unwaxed lemon: finely grated zest of half, plus 2 tsp juice initially
- 10g flat-leaf parsley, chopped
- Up to 150ml reserved pasta cooking water, added gradually
- Salt and black pepper to taste
APRON ON. WATER BOILING.
Let’s make it.
- 1
Prepare the mushrooms, spinach, garlic, lemon zest and parsley. Set a large pan of water on to boil. Keep a mug and colander ready; use a wide frying pan for the vegetables and final mixing.
- 2
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in the frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add half the mushrooms in a single layer. Cook for 5–7 minutes, turning occasionally, until tender and browned. Transfer to a bowl. Repeat with the remaining mushrooms and tablespoon of oil. Lower the heat if the pan begins to smoke.
- 3
While the second batch cooks, cook the Penne according to its pack instructions, checking its texture before draining. Reserve 150ml cooking water in the mug. If the vegetables are not ready, turn their heat down while you finish the pasta.
- 4
Return all the mushrooms to the frying pan and reduce to a medium-low heat. Add the garlic and stir for about 1 minute until fragrant, without browning it. Add the spinach and 2 tablespoons of the reserved pasta water. Stir for 1–2 minutes until the leaves wilt.
- 5
Add the drained Penne and 2 more tablespoons of cooking water. Stir gently over low heat for about 1 minute. Add more water a tablespoon at a time only if the pasta looks dry; you may not need all 150ml. The finish should lightly coat the pasta, without a pool of liquid.
- 6
Take the pan off the heat. Stir in the lemon zest, 2 teaspoons lemon juice and most of the parsley. Taste a mouthful, then adjust with pepper, a little salt or a few more drops of lemon juice as needed.
- 7
Divide between two bowls, add the remaining parsley and serve promptly. For leftovers, cool and refrigerate within two hours, use within 48 hours and reheat only once until steaming hot throughout.
Brown the mushrooms in manageable batches, then bring everything together for the final minute.
Make it yours. Keep it clear.
Estimated time: 10 minutes preparation and 25 minutes cooking, with tasks overlapping. Mushroom batch size and the pasta pack instructions may change timing. This original editorial recipe has not been kitchen-tested.
Each serving uses 75g dry Penne, contributing 15g protein from pasta alone at the supplier’s 20g per 100g dry figure. No complete meal nutrition calculation has been established.
Allergens: BELLY Penne contains wheat (gluten) and lupin; its supplier ingredient list also includes oat fibre. Check the current pack and every other ingredient label. This is not a gluten-free recipe.
Swap chestnut mushrooms for shop-bought button mushrooms. Fusilli can replace Penne; follow its pack instructions. Frozen spinach needs its own pack cooking instructions and excess water removed before adding.
The base recipe has no cream or cheese. If adding a topping, check its allergens and suitability for your diners. Follow shorter ingredient use-by dates when storing leftovers.
Understand dry-weight pasta nutrition · Plan your mushroom pasta dinner
BELLY Penne is currently sold out. Register your interest in the next Penne drop.
Sources checked 2026-10-16
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