Whether for Valentine’s Day or any special date night at home, this Creamy Bacon Mushroom Linguine is easy and fast but still has enough of a special flair to qualify for those moments when you want something a little dressier than the normal fare.
Since I married a meat and potatoes man, I pair this with a bacon-wrapped chicken breast, but the baby portobello mushrooms and bacon add enough bite that you could easily serve this as a main dish without any additional meat.
For the wine, you need a dry white wine like a Chardonnay, but if you choose to not use wine, you could substitute chicken broth.
Also, if you do not have heavy cream, you can substitute 4 ounces of cream cheese with 2 cups of half and half.
And one more thing… This would be amazing with a balsamic vinegar reduction as a sauce drizzled over the top. Delicious!
Creamy Bacon Mushroom Linguine
- 16 ounces linguine
- 4 slices bacon, chopped
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 2 shallots, diced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 8 ounces baby portobello mushrooms, sliced
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 5 ounces 4 cheese blend
- 2 cups baby spinach, coarsely chopped
- Salt and pepper
Cook linguine according to package directions.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add bacon and cook, stirring, until browned. Drain on paper toweling leaving some drippings in the skillet.
Place skillet back over heat. Add olive oil to skillet, followed by the pepper, shallots, and garlic. Stir in the mushrooms. Heat until the peppers are softened slightly.
Add the wine, scraping the bottom of the skillet to remove any flavorful bits. Stir in cream and heat until boiling.
Reduce heat to medium, and allow to simmer slowly for about ten minutes, stirring as needed. Add the four cheese blend and stir until melted. Taste sauce and add salt and pepper to your preference.
Place spinach in pot with linguine that has been cooked and drained. Pour sauce over spinach and toss together.
Garnish with additional cheese and bacon.
We need to try this. My family loves bacon and mushrooms.
Love how you included baby spinach in this recipe. Delicious. #SITSSharefest
What a lovely combo of YUM and healthy additions too! Love this – thanks for sharing at Weekend Potluck. =)