Creamy Mushroom Pasta with No Canned Soup

Melt butter with the oil in a large pot over medium heat. When butter begins to bubble, add onion, garlic and thyme. Saute until the onion is translucent and the garlic becomes aromatic. Add sliced mushrooms and mix well. Allow the mushrooms to cook until their size is reduced in half—you’ll see the juice ooze out of the mushrooms.

Sprinkle the flour over the mushrooms and mix well. Cook the mushrooms further for a minute. Add vegetable stock, a quarter cup at a time. (Add the first quarter cup of stock, stir to combine with the mushrooms and allow the mixture to cook over low heat until thickened. Follow by the second quarter cup of vegetable stock, mix well. Simmer the mixture until thickens and add the next quarter cup of stock. Repeat the same process until you finish with all the stock.)

Add low fat milk and continue to simmer the mixture until thickens. When the mixture resembles cream of mushroom soup, add cheese. Cook further until the sauce becomes thickened (imagine thick velvety cheese sauce). Season the sauce with salt and pepper. Toss in the cooked and drained pasta shell and mix well. The pasta is now ready to serve.

Optional: Garnish with chopped parsley, chili flakes and more freshly milled black pepper.

Adapted from original recipe found on cookingcrusade.com.