Name: Blue Oysters and Greens
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 3
Ingredients: 1/2 pound rigatoni pasta; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 1/4 red onion; 4 cloves garlic; 3 clusters blue oyster mushrooms; 1 bunch dandelion greens; red pepper flakes; salt and pepper; butter; Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

Blue Oysters and Greens

Blue oyster mushrooms, known for their striking slate-blue caps and mild, anise-like aroma, are both visually stunning and delicately flavorful. When lightly sautéed, they develop a silky texture and subtle umami that pairs beautifully with tender greens like spinach, chard, or mustard greens.

This quick, nutrient-rich dish is perfect for cooks seeking a light, elegant side or a wholesome vegetarian main. It highlights the natural flavors of fresh, seasonal ingredients and comes together in minutes—ideal for weeknight meals or as a vibrant component in a larger spread.

Having fun with the blue oysters I’m growing in the back of our shower enclosure! So…

_{Photo by Andre Mouton via Pexels, licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0}

Courses: Dinner, Lunch, Main Dishes

Cluster of blue oyster mushrooms (Pleurotus ostreatus) with elegantly curved caps and pale gills, growing from a mossy surface under soft, diffused indoor lighting, highlighting their smooth texture and bluish-gray hues.

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Cook Time 30 mins Total Time 30 mins Difficulty: Intermediate Servings: 3

Instructions

Cook pasta

Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the pasta al dente. Try to time this so it is ready with the sauce.
Reserve some of the pasta water.

Cook mushrooms:

Heat 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil in a saute pan until barely smoking.
Add the mushrooms in a single layer.
Season with salt.
Sear on one side until golden brown then flip the mushrooms and add butter.
Toss the mushrooms in the butter until they are golden brown.
Remove the mushrooms to a plate.

Cook sauce:

Reduce to medium heat and add olive oil and the red onions.
When the onions soften add the garlic, a pinch of red pepper flakes and fresh cracked black pepper.
Cook for 30 seconds to a minute then ladle in about 4 ounces of pasta water.

Assemble:

Add the mushrooms to the sauce and add butter as wanted.
Add the greens to the sauce.
Over medium heat toss the rigatoni with the sauce until the sauce becomes slightly thick and clings to the noodle and the greens are wilted/cooked.
If the sauce seems dry, add some of the reserved pasta water.
Add olive oil if you like.
Transfer to shallow bowls and grate a generous amount of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese over the pasta. Bon apetit.

Note

You could use other mushrooms such as beech or hen of the woods.

Instead of dandelion greens use any other bitter green such as arugula, raab, or radicchio.

Blue Oysters and Greens