This creamy Mushroom Pasta recipe features savory mushrooms, aromatic garlic and shallots, and a decadent cream sauce finished with Parmesan and fresh herbs. Simple, delicious, and satisfying, it’s a surefire hit for any occasion, whether it’s a quick family dinner or a dish to impress your guests!
Looking for more easy pasta recipes? Make sure to try my Chicken Alfredo Bake, Chili Mac and Cheese and this scrumptious Chicken and Noodles recipe!
Mushroom Pasta Recipe
This creamy Mushroom Pasta is cozy, quick to make and completely crave-worthy – sure to be a hit with the whole family! This easy mushroom pasta recipe is packed with hearty mushrooms and tossed with a rich and velvety cream sauce. A touch of fresh herbs, garlic and white wine make this pasta dish delicious and memorable.
This recipe is all about hearty flavors and simple ingredients that come together quickly and easily. The sauce comes together effortlessly while the pasta cooks – ideal for nights when time is at a premium. Flavorful and satisfying, this recipe is the perfect choice for busy weeknights or a cozy family dinner.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
This simple yet impressive dish is a mouthwatering combination of earthy mushrooms, a creamy white wine sauce and hearty pasta. It’s perfect any night of the week from casual family dinners to a cozy date night in. Here are some of the reasons we love this recipe so much:
- Easy to Make: With simple steps and easy-to-find ingredients, this recipe is accessible for cooks of all levels.
- Rich and Flavorful: The combination of golden mushrooms, creamy sauce and savory aromatics creates a dish that’s bursting with flavor.
- Customizable: You can adapt this recipe to suit your preferences or dietary needs, making it as versatile as it is delicious.
Ingredients and Substitutions
This creamy, dreamy Mushroom Pasta is packed with flavor and SO easy to make! With hints of white wine, garlic, and thyme, it’s a gourmet meal made simple and calls for ingredients you likely have on hand. Let’s take a look at what you’ll need and, as always, you can find the full printable recipe in the recipe card at the end of this post.
Mushrooms
Provide an earthy, umami-rich flavor that’s the star of the dish.
To use dried mushrooms: reconstitute them in hot water until fully bloomed, squeeze out excess water back into the bowl you used to rehydrate the mushrooms.
Pre-sliced mushrooms can be used in this recipe if you cannot find whole mushrooms.
Other Ingredients
- Pasta: Acts as the foundation of the dish, soaking up all the creamy goodness. Gemelli, fettuccine, or your favorite dried pasta works well.
- Butter and Olive Oil: Create a flavorful base for sautéing the mushrooms and shallots. You can use coconut oil, avocado oil, canola oil, or any oil you prefer.
- Shallot and Garlic: Add a depth of flavor and aromatic notes. If you can’t find shallots, use a yellow or red onion instead.
- Thyme: Fresh thyme brings a subtle freshness that elevates the dish. If you can’t find thyme or prefer other herbs, feel free to replace it with rosemary, oregano, tarragon, or any other herbs you like.
- Chili Flakes: Add a touch of heat that balances the creaminess of the sauce. Totally optional if you’re concerned with spiciness.
- White Wine: Helps deglaze the pan and adds a bright, slightly tangy note to the sauce. Chicken stock can be used if you prefer.
- Chicken Stock: Enhances the savory flavor of the sauce.
- Heavy Cream: Creates a rich, velvety sauce that ties the dish together. If you are lactose intolerant, coconut cream, plant based non-dairy creamers with no sugar, or any other thick dairy-free and sugar free “milk” could be used instead.
- Pasta Water: Helps thicken the sauce and ensure it coats the pasta evenly.
- Parsley and Parmesan: Add freshness and a nutty finish for the perfect garnish.
How To Make Mushroom Pasta
Say hello to your new favorite weeknight pasta! Creamy and delicious, this easy pasta recipe is bursting with the flavors of mushrooms and garlic. This simple dish is finished with Parmesan and parsley for a meal that’s both easy and elegant.
As always, you can find the full printable recipe card at the end of this post.
- Cook pasta according to package directions. Reserve ½ cup of pasta water.
- Heat butter and olive oil in a large skillet. Add mushrooms, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and saute until golden brown.
- Add the shallots and saute until translucent, about another minute.
- Stir in the garlic, thyme, and chili flakes and saute one more minute.
- Deglaze the pan with the white wine and chicken stock. Let cook until the alcohol has been cooked off.
- Pour in heavy cream and ¼ cup of the pasta water into the sauce to thicken.
- Add the pasta and the remaining butter.
- Toss into the sauce, stirring until fully melted and incorporated.
- Garnish with roughly chopped parsley, freshly grated parmesan cheese, and more chili flakes if desired.
Storage Information
- Refrigeration: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat gently on the stove, adding a splash of cream or milk to refresh the sauce.
- Freezing: This dish is best enjoyed fresh, but you can freeze the sauce separately for up to 2 months in an airtight, freezer safe container. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat before tossing with freshly cooked pasta.
- Make Ahead: The sauce can be made a day in advance and stored in the refrigerator. Simply reheat and toss with cooked pasta when ready to serve.
Variations To Try
- Up the protein with the addition of cooked chicken, shrimp, sausage or crispy pancetta.
- Vegetarian? Simply swap chicken stock for vegetable broth.
- Feel free to add spinach, asparagus, kale, or any other dark leafy green to the mix! Just saute along with the mushrooms.
- Substitute thyme with rosemary or sage for an herbaceous twist.
- Replace the butter, chicken broth and heavy cream with vegan alternatives if you wish!
Can I use other types of mushrooms?
Absolutely! Cremini, shiitake, or a mix of wild mushrooms all work beautifully in this recipe.
Can I skip the wine?
Yes, you can substitute white wine with additional chicken stock or vegetable broth for a non-alcoholic option.
What’s the best way to reheat this dish?
Reheat gently on the stovetop over low heat, adding a splash of cream, milk, or broth to loosen the sauce as needed.
Trish’s Tips
- If you want a richer mushroom flavor, try using wild mushrooms such as shiitake mushrooms, porcinis, chanterelles, or morels.
- Cutting the mushrooms into thick slices helps maintain the structure and will hold up to stirring and cooking better than thin sliced mushrooms.
- Sauté mushrooms in batches if necessary to ensure they brown evenly.
- Adding pre-cooked and cubed chicken is a great way to add extra protein to this dish. Shrimp sauteed in garlic and butter would also be a great addition. Italian sausage cut into small cubes and browned is another great protein.
- Adding salt and pepper to the mushrooms as they cook enhances their natural flavor.
- Make sure to scrape up all the flavorful bits when adding the wine and stock, that’s where a lot of the flavor comes from.
- If the sauce gets too thick, use the reserved pasta water to loosen the sauce to your desired consistency.
- Fresh thyme, garlic and Parmesan make a big difference in flavor.
- Pasta water is the key to achieving the perfect sauce consistency.
- This dish is best enjoyed fresh, as the sauce may thicken too much upon sitting.
- I recommend buying dried pasta vs. fresh. The dried pasta will hold up better to the sauce.
More Pasta Favorites
Mushroom Pasta
Ingredients
- 12 ounces pasta we used gemelli, but any dried pasta is fine
- 1 pound mushrooms sliced thick
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium shallot minced
- 5 garlic cloves minced
- 4 sprigs thyme leaves removed and minced
- ½ teaspoon chili flakes
- ⅓ cup white wine Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc are good choices
- ¼ cup chicken stock
- 1 cup heavy cream
- salt and pepper to taste
Garnish
- parsley roughly chopped
- parmesan cheese freshly grated
- chili flakes optional
Instructions
Pasta
- Cook pasta according to package directions. Save ½ cup of pasta water.12 ounces pasta
Mushroom Sauce
- While the pasta is cooking, heat 4 tablespoons of butter and the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and saute until golden brown, making sure the majority of the water has been released, around 5 minutes.1 pound mushrooms, 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper
- Add the shallots and saute until translucent, about another minute. Next, add the garlic, thyme and chili flakes and saute one more minute.1 medium shallot, 5 garlic cloves, 4 sprigs thyme, ½ teaspoon chili flakes
- Turn the heat to high and deglaze the pan with the white wine and chicken stock. Scrape up any brown bits on the bottom of the pan. Let cook until the alcohol has been cooked off, approximately 30 seconds to a minute.⅓ cup white wine, ¼ cup chicken stock
- Return the heat to medium, then pour in the heavy cream, stirring to coat the mushrooms. Pour about ¼ cup of the pasta water into the sauce to thicken. If it’s not thick enough, add a little more of the pasta water at a time, making sure to cook the liquid down to thicken the sauce.1 cup heavy cream
- Once the pasta sauce has thickened, turn off the heat and toss the pasta and the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter into the sauce, stirring until fully melted and incorporated.
To Serve
- Serve immediately into bowls or plates. Garnish with roughly chopped parsley, freshly grated parmesan cheese, and more chili flakes if desired. Season with salt and pepper to taste.parsley, parmesan cheese, chili flakes
Notes
- Refrigeration: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat gently on the stove, adding a splash of cream or milk to refresh the sauce.
- Freezing: This dish is best enjoyed fresh, but you can freeze the sauce separately for up to 2 months in an airtight, freezer safe container. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat before tossing with freshly cooked pasta.
- Make Ahead: The sauce can be made a day in advance and stored in the refrigerator. Simply reheat and toss with cooked pasta when ready to serve.
Please see post above for more information, recipe tips and frequently asked questions.
Leave a Reply