Menu
  • Home
  • Copyright
  • Contact

Feast on the Cheap

Entertaining Recipes for the Budget Gourmet

  • twitter-bird2-square-webtreatsetc-150x150
  • rss-cube-webtreatsetc-150x150
  • facebook-logo-square-webtreatsetc-150x150
  • pinterest-square150
  • 3d-transparent-glass-instagram-icon
  • About
  • Recipe Index
  • Well-Stocked
  • Links
  • Home
  • About Mary Anne and Mariel
  • Copyright
  • Links
  • Recipe Index
  • Well-Stocked
  • Contact

Whole Wheat Pasta with Mushrooms, Sweet Peppers, and Fontina Cheese

September 15, 2011 by Mary Anne Rittenhouse 19 Comments

Share this:

  • Tweet
  • Email

Mary Anne here. Hellooo autumn! Well, maybe I’m jumping the gun since the temp today was a humid 82, but the promise of the the season does put a glow in my heart. It’s the best of all weather, as the fading summer sun provides golden warmth during the day only to be replaced by cool, crackly breezes at night. Perfect sleeping weather! And as much as I adore summer (maybe because I’m a July bambino!), the fall is secretly my most favorite time of the year.

Autumn is when wild mushrooms hit their seasonal prime and begin turning up in the marketplace. And while they’re often far too pricey to indulge in for a Feast on the Cheap, this week my local green grocer had a sale on Baby Bellas and fresh Shitakes. These earthy morels were just begging to be planted atop a steaming bowl of pasta. As luck would have it, I had a large wedge of Fontina cheese in the recesses of my deli drawer, which was the perfect foil for woodsy mushrooms and al dente penne. I added sage – a favorite of mine in the herb department – while bright yellow and red peppers provided a splendid splash of autumnal color. I think some chunks of roasted acorn squash would go well, but sadly that didn’t occur to me until this very moment. That’ll have to wait ’til next time.

Print This Recipe Print This Recipe

Whole Wheat Pasta with Mushrooms, Sweet Peppers, and Fontina Cheese
Serves 6

Ingredients:
2 Tablespoons olive oil – stock
1 large Vidalia onion (about 1 lb.), sliced ¼ inch thick crosswise and then the rings cut into thirds – $0.94
1 clove garlic, minced – stock
1 lb. mushrooms ( I used Baby Bellas and stemmed, fresh Shitake) – $5.00
2 large sweet Bell peppers, either red, yellow, or orange or a combination, seeded and sliced into ¼ inch thick strips – $2.33
1 lb. whole wheat penne or rigatoni, cooked according to package directions – $1.69
1 Tablespoon fresh sage leaves, chopped – $0.99
2 cups (about 7 oz.) Fontina cheese, grated and divided – $5.29
salt and pepper to taste
Grand Total Assuming a Well-Stocked Pantry: $16.24
Total Per Serving: $2.71

Directions:
1. Over medium-high flame, heat the olive oil in a large, heavy skillet. Add the sliced onions and stirring frequently, cook until lightly browned, about 12 minutes.

2. Add the garlic to the onions and continue sautéing an additional 3 minutes.

3. Reduce the heat to medium and add the mushrooms and sweet pepper slices. Sauté until the mushrooms and peppers are soft, about 8 to 10 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, as the vegetables are cooking, cook the pasta, according to package directions, until al dente.

5. Spoon 1 cup of the pasta water into a measuring cup and set aside. Drain the pasta.

6. Add the reserved pasta water to the mushroom, pepper, and onion mixture. Stir in the fresh sage. Cook over medium-high flame for a minute or two. Toss in the drained pasta. Add 1½ cups of the Fontina, salt, and pepper, tossing well. The cheese will melt.

7. Transfer to a large serving dish and sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Mangia!

Share this:

  • Tweet
  • Email

Filed Under: Last-Minute Meals, Recipe Index, Recipes Under $20, Uncategorized, Vegetarian Tagged With: cooking, dinner, fall, family, food, healthy, Pasta, recipes, Recipes Under $20, vegetarian, winter

About Mary Anne Rittenhouse

The mother in this mother-daughter duo, Mary Anne is a registered nurse who has also worked for over two decades as a professional caterer

Comments

  1. Blog is the New Black says

    September 15, 2011 at 10:40 am

    This looks so perfect for fall! So comforting… and I LOVE fontina cheese!

    Reply
  2. recipeland says

    September 15, 2011 at 12:53 pm

    This looks so good. Love the onions, mushrooms, bell peppers, fontina cheese and whole wheat pasta. This is definitely the kind of recipe that I love to make. Thanks for sharing 🙂

    Reply
  3. kellypea @ sass & veracity says

    September 15, 2011 at 12:56 pm

    I love the combination of flavors in this — especially with the whole wheat pasta. My son calls me when the morels come in at Whole Foods. It’s the only place I’ve seen them here. It’s a treat every year to buy just a few. I think the flavor goes a long way, so the expense is worth it.

    Reply
  4. Krista {Budget Gourmet Mom} says

    September 15, 2011 at 1:17 pm

    Beautiful dish! Oh, how I love mushrooms. The combination of all these flavors is perfect!

    Reply
  5. Alison @ Ingredients, Inc. says

    September 15, 2011 at 1:28 pm

    looks fabulous for an autumn meal!

    Reply
  6. Lana @ Never Enough Thyme says

    September 15, 2011 at 3:01 pm

    What a perfect Fall dinner. We still have a bit of warm weather to go here in the deep South, but this will certainly be on our menu once the cooler days and nights settle in. Maybe November 🙂

    Reply
  7. Leslie says

    September 15, 2011 at 4:07 pm

    Oh yes please. This is my kind of pasta dinner. Healthy, easy and fast

    Reply
  8. Alison says

    September 15, 2011 at 5:03 pm

    YUM! This is right up my alley. May need to make this tomorrow.

    Reply
  9. Lynne says

    September 15, 2011 at 7:06 pm

    What a nice meatless dish! I like the combo of the whole wheat pasta with the earthiness of the mushrooms.

    Reply
  10. Jeanette says

    September 15, 2011 at 10:32 pm

    Oh that looks good! I was thinking of making a mushroom pasta today, but didn’t get around to it. Just tried spelt pasta for the first time, and my kids liked it. What kind of whole wheat pasta do you use?

    Reply
    • feastonthecheap says

      September 16, 2011 at 7:10 pm

      Hi Jeanette. Honestly, I use whatever’s on sale. This round was Stop ‘ Shop’s. When I can’t find a whole wheat pasta shape I want to use, I buy DreamFields if they have the shape, but they’re more expensive. DreamField’s isn’t w.w., but it is very low glycemic – 5 grams of carbs per serving. It’s really a great choice for diabetics who need their pasta fix, so one can justify the 2.59 for 12 oz. Most whole wheat pastas are the same in terms of fiber, glycemic level and ingredients. I’m with Rhonda in terms of the texture and nutty flavor of whole wheat – really adds body to whatever you’re topping it with! Thanks so much for writing. Cheers!

      Reply
  11. Rhonda says

    September 16, 2011 at 12:20 am

    I so could be a mouse, I love cheese. Add Fontina to anything and it’s bound to taste good. Plus I love whole wheat pasta, it’s firmness and nuttiness are perfect for an autumn soup.

    Reply
  12. Nutmeg Nanny says

    September 16, 2011 at 11:32 pm

    This pasta looks delicious! It’s the perfect fall evening meal…yum!

    Reply
  13. Megan says

    September 17, 2011 at 7:48 pm

    I love finding new, simple pasta dishes. I love the flavors in this one–perfect for fall! 🙂

    Reply
  14. Jessica @ Cajunlicious says

    September 18, 2011 at 5:59 pm

    The perfect pasta dish to welcome fall, great photo!

    Reply
  15. Marly says

    September 19, 2011 at 9:53 am

    I’m with you – so great to see mushrooms getting a little more affordable. I’m the only one in my family who likes them so I get to eat them all! Good thing they’re so healthy!

    Reply
  16. Sarah says

    October 5, 2011 at 5:10 pm

    Made this tonight, and also added some yummy feta and spinach stuffed chicken sausage, soooooooo very good!

    Reply
    • feastonthecheap says

      October 5, 2011 at 7:15 pm

      So glad you enjoyed it, Sarah! So many ways to change it up a bit – yours sounds wonderful. Cheers!

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Healthy Fall Recipe: Whole Wheat Pasta with Mushrooms, Sweet Peppers & Fontina Cheese - Bella Body Fit says:
    October 21, 2011 at 7:55 pm

    […] cooking at home on a chilly day (yes, even in Houston!). Here’s one of my faves I found on FeastOnTheCheap.Net. If you love pasta as much as I do, you’ll love this recipe! And the best part is it’s […]

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

bio5

MEET MARY ANNE & MARIEL:

A mother-daughter duo starring a professional caterer and a fledgling foodie.

Subscribe by Email


Enter your email address:

As Seen In

Archives

Categories

Top Posts

  • Orange-Mango Upside-Down Cake
  • Tuscan Sausage Soup with Shell Pasta, Spinach & White Beans
  • Savory Marsala-Infused Mushroom-Shallot Sauce
  • Pulled Pork Pasta Salad
  • Recipe Index

Pages

  • About Mary Anne and Mariel
  • Contact
  • Copyright
  • Links
  • Recipe Index
  • Well-Stocked

Follow Us

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • Instagram
  • StumbleUpon
  • RSS Subscription

Latest Posts

Grilled Watermelon with Goat Cheese and Crispy Pancetta

Slow-Roasted Soy-Glazed Beef with Fresh Tomatoes, Onions & Cilantro

Holiday Wishlist for the Design Obsessed

Copyright © 2023 · Feast on The Cheap · Built By VarickDesign

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.