Herbed Portobello Pasta

September. Megan is back in the classroom and she comes home exhausted and energized at the same time, which is a combination I didn't think was possible until I watched her do it. She talks about her students the way I talk about beer — with passion and specificity and the occasional frustration that only comes from caring too much. There's a kid named Marcus who won't sit still. A girl named Lily who reads three grade levels ahead. A boy named Jaylen who brought Megan an apple on the first day, which made her cry in the supply closet after class. She loves these kids already. It's been one week.

I'm settling into fall at the brewery. The Oktoberfest is almost ready. The leaves are starting to turn in the parks along the lakefront. The light is changing — that golden, amber light that only happens in September when the sun sits lower and everything looks like a painting. I love fall in Milwaukee more than any other season, and I will argue this with anyone.

Made Babcia's mushroom barley soup this week. It's a fall soup — earthy, thick, with dried mushrooms that you soak overnight and then simmer for hours until the broth is dark and rich. You add barley because barley is the most underrated grain in the world and I will die on this hill. A bowl of mushroom barley soup with a piece of crusty bread is a complete meal. It's also a hug in a bowl, which is what September needs.

Megan and I have been dating for five months. We haven't said "I love you" yet. I want to. I think about it constantly — in the morning when she's getting ready for school and she has toothpaste on her chin, at night when she falls asleep on the couch during Jeopardy, when she laughs at something I said that wasn't that funny. I am in love with Megan O'Brien. I just haven't said it out loud. Kowalski men and their words. We're working on it.

Tom asked about Megan this week. He said, "That girl still around?" I said, "Yeah." He said, "Good. She's got sense." From Tom, this is a review that belongs in a frame.

I know I said the soup was the move this week — and it was — but not every night has four hours and a bag of dried mushrooms waiting for it. On the nights when Megan came home with chalk dust on her sleeves and that particular tired-but-wired look she gets, I needed something that hit the same earthy, autumnal note without the all-day simmer. This herbed portobello pasta is that recipe: big mushroom flavor, fresh herbs, done in forty minutes, and good enough that she stopped talking about Marcus for a solid three bites. I’ll take it.

Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 25 min | Total Time: 40 min | Servings: 4

Ingredients

12 oz penne or linguine pasta
4 large portobello mushroom caps, stems removed, sliced 1/4 inch thick
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 small shallot, finely diced
1/2 cup dry white wine or vegetable broth
1/2 cup vegetable broth (additional)
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)
2 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped, plus more for garnish
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
Salt and black pepper to taste
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Instructions

Cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water before draining. Drain and set aside.
Sear the portobellos. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the sliced portobello mushrooms in a single layer — work in batches if needed. Cook undisturbed for 3–4 minutes until deeply browned on one side, then flip and cook another 2–3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and transfer to a plate.
Build the sauce base. Reduce heat to medium. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to the same skillet. Add shallot and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes until softened. Add garlic, thyme, rosemary, and red pepper flakes (if using) and cook 1 minute more until fragrant.
Deglaze and simmer. Pour in the white wine (or broth) and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the additional 1/2 cup vegetable broth and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook for 3–4 minutes until slightly reduced.
Combine. Return the seared mushrooms to the skillet. Add the drained pasta and toss to coat, adding splashes of reserved pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce to a silky consistency. Remove from heat and stir in butter and Parmesan until melted and glossy.
Finish and serve. Stir in the fresh parsley. Taste and adjust seasoning. Divide among bowls and top with additional Parmesan and a pinch of fresh parsley. Serve immediately with crusty bread.

Nutrition (per serving)

Herbed Portobello Pasta — When Mushrooms Are the Closest Thing to a Hug