A big hearty pasta dish with incredible flavours, my blue cheese pasta with spinach, mushrooms and walnuts is the perfect dish for those who are bored of plain old pasta.
The flavours in this recipe are out of this world! Rich and creamy blue cheese meets crunch toasted walnut, fresh peppery spinach and earthy mushrooms... a match made in heaven!
Why you'll love this recipe
- If you love blue cheese, this is the perfect pasta recipe for you
- The toasted walnuts bring a wonderful crunchy texture
- It's extremely easy to make
Equipment you'll need to make this recipe
There are some important items you'll need when making this blue cheese pasta recipe:
- Large pan – a quality saucepan is needed for this recipe
- Pasta tongs – the best way to serve up your creamy blue cheese pasta
How to make blue cheese pasta
Toast the walnuts.
Cook the spaghetti according to the manufacturer's instructions.
Brown the mushrooms in the butter. Remove from the pan.
Fry the spinach until wilted.
Add chunks of blue cheese.
Pour in the cream and let it all melt, while stirring.
Add the mushrooms back into the sauce.
Mix the sauce in with the spaghetti. Sprinkle the toasted walnuts on top. Serve immediately with a green salad on the side. Enjoy!
What to serve with blue cheese pasta
Sides
Green salad
An ideal pairing with pasta is a light and fresh green salad. There's something about the healthy tasty character of a revitalising salad that works well on the side of a rich and creamy pasta dish.
Try a pumpkin and beetroot salad or a rocket salad, either would be perfect when served with blue cheese pasta.
Bread
Creamy pasta with a side of crusty bread makes for a big hearty match made in heaven. It's an Italian tradition!
Regular garlic bread, cheesy garlic bread or pesto stuffed bread are all good pairing options. You could also go with my homemade chia bread for a lighter alternative.
Mains
If you want to make this dish part of a filling feast, you can serve it as a side to a main. I recommend going for something meaty, like grilled chicken breast or steak.
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Wine pairing
This is a heavy, creamy blue cheese pasta dish and as such needs a wine that can stand up to the fragrant aromas and rich creaminess. I recommend an Italian or German Riesling, or even an Italian Pinot Grigio, all of which would pair perfectly with this blue cheese pasta.
Dessert
Feeling indulgent? Go for a classic Italian dessert such as a cannoli filling, or make it zesty and make yourself a deliciously decadent limoncello cheesecake!
For something on the lighter side, go for some zesty lemon drizzle cupcakes.
Variations to this recipe
- This recipe is perfectly adaptable – you can use many different types of pasta, so feel free to go for your favourite. The likes of penne, tortellini, tagliatelle and fettuccine are ideal.
- You can use dried pasta or fresh pasta. To cook pasta that's fresh is a lot quicker – it takes about 5 minutes, whereas dried pasta takes 10-15 minutes.
- There are many different types of blue cheese that can be melted to create an incredible blue cheese sauce that goes fantastically well with pasta. I've gone for gorgonzola in this recipe as it is absolutely delicious. However, there are many other types of crumbled blue cheese or creamy blue cheese that can be used to make the sauce, including stilton, roquefort, Danish blue and cambozola.
- Feel free to add any other variety of vegetables to this pasta dish, including sun dried or cherry tomatoes, asparagus, broccoli, broad beans or peas.
- You can also add black olives – they complement the flavour of blue cheese pasta sauce perfectly.
- You can add a touch of richness to the sauce with a splash of white wine, which you can add to the pan before the cream. Make sure you burn off the alcohol, which should take 30 seconds or so.
Popular substitutions
- It might be the case that you don't like walnut pasta or can't get hold of walnuts. In this instance, there are plenty of good alternatives that you can use. Toasted pine nuts are a great alternative to toasted walnuts and go really well with the blue cheese flavour. Other alternatives are cashews, almonds and pistachios.
- If you prefer your pasta sauces a little less creamy, you can substitute the butter for olive oil.
- Replace double cream with creme fraiche for a less heavy pasta sauce.
- This recipe calls for fresh spinach, but you can also use frozen spinach – just make sure you thaw it before you use it or you'll end up with a watery blue cheese pasta sauce.
- Mushrooms can be replaced with beans, courgettes, aubergines, onions, shallots or any vegetables of your choice.
- Feel free to add fresh herbs to this blue cheese pasta dish, such as fresh parsley, thyme, oregano, basil, sage or something similar.
- Add chicken to the pasta if you fancy a meatier dish.
Top Tip
Reserve some pasta water when you drain the pasta. This can be used to thicken the creamy sauce and also help the sauce to stick to the pasta.
What is the best blue cheese for melting?
There are many different types of blue cheeses that you can use for this pasta dish. Here are some suggestions:
Gorgonzola
A strong cheese from northern Italy, gorgonzola is made from unskimmed cow's milk and is one of the oldest types of blue cheese in the world. When it's young, gorgonzola is soft and creamy with a hint of acidity. It becomes more of a crumbled blue cheese with a firm texture as it matures.
Cashel blue
Ireland's best-loved blue cheese, Cashel Blue is a creamy and relatively mild kind of blue cheese that is perfect for melting into a sauce. It's far less pungent and salty than most blue cheeses, which makes it perfect for those who are put off by the overpowering nature of blue cheese.
Danish blue
A semi-soft crumbly cheese, Danish blue has a pungent, mildly bitter, sharp taste. It's most similar to gorgonzola, which makes it a suitable alternative if you can't find the Italian cheese.
Stilton
Another strong pungent blue cheese, stilton is the U.K.'s most popular blue cheese. Stilton has a rich and mellow flavour that is milder than gorgonzola, Danish blue and roquefort.
Roquefort
A French goat's cheese with an extremely pungent, strong taste, roquefort is not for the faint hearted! Of all the popular blue cheeses, it's the one with the strongest taste and smell. If appeals to you, roquefort would be great as the star attraction to this blue cheese pasta recipe.
How do you store blue cheese pasta leftovers?
Keep your blue cheese pasta in an airtight container in the fridge. It will stay fresh for up to three days. I wouldn't recommend freezing blue cheese pasta, as the sauce will lose taste and texture quality.
Can you reheat blue cheese pasta?
Yes. Reheat your blue cheese pasta leftovers in a saucepan on a medium heat until piping hot. Add a little water to the pan to prevent it from sticking.
More pasta recipes
If you enjoy making this blue cheese pasta, try another one of these delicious pasta dishes!
- Chicken and leek pasta bake – an extremely simple, delicious pasta bake that’s perfect as a quick and easy midweek meal. With simple ingredients and fantastic flavours, this is a one pot wonder.
- Sausage pasta bake – another fantastic pasta bake, this is a simple deliciously comforting dish. Once you've got the hang of this sausage bake recipe you'll be making it again and again.
- Chicken pesto pasta – a fresh, fabulous flavoured pasta, this easy chicken pesto dish is an excellent recipe for a simple lunch or dinner at any time of year.
- Gluten free spaghetti bolognese – gluten free meals don't get much more delicious than this! Rich, tasty and extremely easy to make, this is a gluten free recipe that is the perfect remedy for those who are fed up with feeling bloated after eating pasta.
- Cajun chicken pasta – this is a chicken pasta recipe with a difference. With sensational smoky flavours, this dish is very quick to make and tastes out of this world.
📖 Recipe
Blue Cheese Pasta with Spinach, Mushrooms and Walnuts
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Indulge in this flavorful Blue Cheese Pasta with Spinach, Mushrooms, and Walnuts. It's a harmonious blend of rich, earthy, and nutty flavors in every bite!
Ingredients
- 45g (6 tbsp) walnuts
- 600g (21oz) spaghetti
- 28g (2 tbsp) butter
- 250g (2 ½ cups) mushrooms, sliced
- 250g (8 cups) spinach, washed
- 375ml (1 ½ cups) double / heavy cream
- 150g (5oz) Gorgonzola cheese
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Toast the pine nuts by adding them to a hot, dry frying pan and stir continuously until golden brown. Set aside.
- Cook the pasta according to package instructions. Drain. Set aside.
- Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large pan over a medium heat.
- Fry the mushrooms until browned, which should take about 3 minutes.
- Tip in the spinach and stir around for about 2 minutes or until wilted.
- Pour in the cream and let it heat through for 2 minutes.
- Break the cheese up in pieces and stir it into the sauce, making sure it melts completely.Â
- Tip the cooked pasta into the pan and mix until the pasta is completely covered in sauce.Â
- Season to taste. Sprinkle the walnuts on top and serve immediately with your favourite crusty bread. Enjoy!
Notes
- You can use any type of pasta you prefer - penne, tortellini, tagliatelle, fettuccini - you name it!
- Feel free to experiment with other types of blue cheese to make the sauce, be it stilton, roquefort, or cambozola.Â
- If you don’t like walnuts or can’t get hold of them, pine nuts make an excellent alternative. Don’t forget to toast them before cooking starts!
- Want to make the meal even more substantial? Serve it with a grilled chicken breast or steak!
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Pan Fry
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 664
- Sugar: 4.7 g
- Sodium: 353.3 mg
- Fat: 28.5 g
- Saturated Fat: 15.4 g
- Trans Fat: 0.4 g
- Carbohydrates: 80.3 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 22.9 g
- Cholesterol: 66.2 mg
Renil M. George
I love spinach spaghetti. This is amazing.
Carrie
Don't get discouraged. I know different strokes for different folks, but I have lost 30 lbs using WW as my guide. I, like you, still try to choose natural over anything processed. WW is great for helping with portion control so I can eat healthy & natural but know when to say when! Good Luck! By the way, they are right about running. Now, I'm going to go make my gorgonzola & spinach spaghetti. I haven't figured out the points yet! Ha!
Italian language course
I'm Italian, I love pasta, I often eat spaghetti!
Absolutely great post!!
campodifragole
This recipe is fabulous!! But shouldn't be out your sight? 🙂 Good luck with your diet! I suggest running too and avoiding fatty cheeses, pre-cooked food and sugary drinks. Baci, daniela
Mrs.W
This recipe is right on time! I have some lovely gorgonzola in the fridge just begging--BEGGING to be used on pasta. What a great recipe!
amanda
I know this will taste wonderful, I've had similar here in Italy with rucola in place of the spinach.
As for Weight Watchers good luck, I've tried the English version as well as nearly every other diet on earth all with little success, none of them really work because you can't stay on them for ever.
The one thing that works for me is running. Buy the shoes and get outside or on a treadmill and run. Start with 10mins or so each session and build it up It's fantastic escapism from babyitus too and pretty soon you'll see the weight come off. Promise.
Pixie
Well captured photo of pasta- sounds delish and am pleased it's not a ww recipe. 🙂
Ann
Love gorgonzola with pasta. Great photos!
Lori Lynn @ Taste With The Eyes
Spinach & Gorgonzola, that sounds excellent.
Great photos!
Joanne
That looks wonderful and the recipe is very inviting, both for the end result and the time involved. Thanks for sharing!
Susan from Food Blogga
This is a superb weeknight supper--easy, filling, and delicious.
Kevin
This sounds simple and yet so tasty!
Maryann
Thanks for joining us!
Marie
Michelle, Thanks for this delicious dish you're bringing to our Festa, this will be a great addition to our table. Thank you for joining us, can't wait to try it!!
andreea
hi hi. had to laugh at your take on WW - good on you! natural is still the best and WW could be used for inspiration only 🙂
Ruth
The pasta looks awesome and thanks so much for sharing with Presto Pasta Nights. I love it.
As far as diets go...the only one I found helpful, because it really (after the first 10 days) focuses on eating healthy choices is South Beach Diet. WWW was too much counting 😉
Katie
I saw this on tastespotting and thought it looked really good! Thanks for sharing. I will have to try it soon.
Mochachocolata-Rita
I love spinach & cheese combo, but if they ended up on my hands, the cheese will be a dominatrix, and the diet will fail miserably.
good luck with ww, michelle! you CAN do it! gogogo! go michelle! go michelle! (doing a little cheerleading dance here and burnt 10 cal, then drank a cup of creamy, sweet coffee and gained 100 more) 🙂
RecipeGirl
This looks amazing! Gorgonzola in anything is ok by me 🙂
Good luck with the WW thing. Hard to lose it for us foodies when everything looks so good, huh?
Michelle
Meeta: For a stinky, blue cheese Gorgonzola sure is very versatile!
Heather: As long as you drain the thawed spinach thoroughly I don't see why the cheese sauce won't work. Happy eating!
Heather
This recipe looks fabulous. Living on my own, I use frozen spinach, because it keeps so much longer. Is there any other difference I should make to the recipe to use it other than thawing and draining it?
Thanks very much,
Heather
Meeta
This looks grand. I simply adore the gorgonzola and spinach combo and have it on things like pizza, salad and best of all with pasta. Nice one!