Begin by bringing a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil over high heat. Once boiling, add your choice of pasta and cook it until it’s just under al dente, following the package instructions.

While the pasta cooks, heat a deep skillet over medium heat and drizzle in a generous splash of extra-virgin olive oil. Add the minced garlic, sautéing for about 1 minute until fragrant and lightly golden.

Stir in the cleaned and sliced cremini mushrooms into the skillet with the sautéed garlic. Season with salt and pepper, then cook for approximately 8 minutes until the mushrooms are golden and tender.

Once the mushrooms are ready, add the fresh spinach to the skillet, stirring it in until it wilts down, which takes around 2 minutes. Pour in the half-and-half, bringing the mixture to a gentle boil.

Allow it to simmer for about 4 minutes, stirring frequently, until the sauce thickens and becomes creamy, perfect for enveloping the pasta.

Before draining the pasta, reserve about ½ cup of the pasta water. Drain the pasta and add it directly to the skillet containing the creamy spinach mushroom sauce.

Toss everything together gently, ensuring the pasta is well-coated in the rich sauce, and then add the chopped parsley and freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

Continue to toss the pasta until everything is combined. Gradually add the reserved pasta water until the sauce reaches your desired consistency. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper as needed.