The protein cooking time listed in this recipe has been updated.
As of December 2025, we’ve revised cooking times for all our proteins to reflect improved food safety guidance.
Check out the latest recommended times in our Cooking Guidelines.
Balsamic Mushroom & Kale Penne
If you need fresh inspiration for pasta night, try this: brown rice penne with kale, carrot, pine nuts and mushrooms. This dish is full of vitamins, but a dash of silky cashew cream makes it feel like a treat too.
Ready in 20
4 of 5 a day
Low sat fat
Serving size
Ingredients
- 240g chestnut mushrooms
- 40g kale
- 10g pine nuts
- 200ml cashew cream (Nuts) (water, cashew (7%), sunflower oil, stabiliser (arabic gum, xanthan gum), sea salt)
- 2 garlic clove
- 2 tsp maple syrup
- 1 handful of fresh thyme
- 1 courgette
- 120g brown rice penne (Eggs)
- 1 carrot
- 1 shallot
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar (Sulphites) (Wine Vinegar, Concentrated Grape Must)
- 1 tbsp tamari (Soya) (Water, Soybeans, Salt, Spirit Vinegar)
Nutritional Information
Calories: 512
Protein: 12g
Carbs: 64g
Fat: 23g
Ingredients
- 120g brown rice penne (use half) (Eggs)
- 1 tbsp tamari (use half) (Soya) (Water, Soybeans, Salt, Spirit Vinegar)
- 1 shallot (use half)
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar (use half) (Sulphites) (Wine Vinegar, Concentrated Grape Must)
- 1 handful of fresh thyme (use half)
- 40g kale
- 1 tbsp maple syrup (use half)
- 1 carrot
- 1 garlic clove
- 240g chestnut mushrooms (use half)
- 200ml cashew cream (use half) (Nuts) (water, cashew (7%), sunflower oil, stabiliser (arabic gum, xanthan gum), sea salt)
- 15g pine nuts (use half)
Nutritional Information
Calories: 550
Protein: 12g
Carbs: 69g
Fat: 25g
Balsamic Mushroom & Kale Penne
If you need fresh inspiration for pasta night, try this: brown rice penne with kale, carrot, pine nuts and mushrooms. This dish is full of vitamins, but a dash of silky cashew cream makes it feel like a treat too.
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Cooking Instructions
- Boil a kettle. Finely slice the shallot. Cut the carrot into 1cm thick discs (peel optional). Thinly slice the courgette into half-moons. Finely chop or crush the garlic. Remove the thyme leaves from their stalks and roughly chop. Heat a large frying pan with 1 tbsp oil on a high heat and add the carrot and courgette. Season with sea salt and black pepper then fry for 2-3 mins until golden brown.
- Meanwhile, heat a medium saucepan filled with salted boiling water on high heat. Add the penne and boil for 7-8 mins, until cooked, then drain.
- Add the shallot, garlic and thyme to the golden veg and fry for another 2 mins, then add the tamari and maple syrup. Simmer for 2 mins then stir in the cream and simmer for a final 4-5 mins, until thickened slightly.
- Quarter the mushrooms. Heat a dry frying pan on medium heat. Toast the pine nuts for 2-3 mins, tossing regularly, until golden brown. Remove and set aside. Add 1 tbsp oil to the pan on a high heat, add the mushrooms and kale then fry for 2-3 mins until golden brown and softened. Pour in the vinegar, toss to coat and fry for a final 1 min. Season with sea salt and black pepper.
- Stir the pasta into the cream sauce, season with sea salt and black pepper (to taste) and serve in bowls. Top with the mushrooms, kale and pine nuts.
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