This easy Mushroom Pasta recipe is creamy yet magically made without the cream. It’s a simple pasta dinner that celebrates the pure glory of mushrooms, with their earthy flavor and meaty texture.
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Why You’ll Love This Creamy Mushroom Pasta Recipe
- Deep, Rich Flavor. If you’ve tried Sautéed Mushrooms, Mushroom Risotto, or Mushroom Stroganoff, you know mushrooms are an umami rich ingredient that shines in simple recipes. This pasta dish is abounding with rich flavors, and the mushrooms make it special and a worthy stand-alone meal. Mushroom lovers will also enjoy Mushroom Pizza.
- Creamy and Satisfying. Noodles dance in the dreamy wine sauce, picking up bits of mushroom in each luscious bite. Like Garlic Pasta and Ricotta Pasta, this creamy mushroom pasta tastes of decadence, while somehow not using heavy cream.
- Easy to Make. Like Pasta al Limone and Penne Alla Vodka, this mushroom pasta is much more than the sum of its parts, coming together with a list of kitchen staples and minimal time and effort.
5 Star Review
“It was AMAZING! Perhaps one of the best dishes I’ve not only made, but had. ”
— Dayna —
How to Make Creamy Mushroom Pasta
The Ingredients
- Mushrooms. Creminis are more mature than a white mushroom and younger than a portobello, so you could think of them as between these two flavors. Use pre-sliced mushrooms to speed along meal prep.
- Pasta. Whole wheat noodles are an easy, healthy swap, adding more protein and fiber to the dish. Use penne, ziti, fusilli, or your favorite noodle shape.
- Herbs and Aromatics. Garlic and onion are our sauce aromatics, plus thyme, chives, or parsley keep the pasta fresh.
- Wine. Marsala lasts a long time in your refrigerator and you can use it for cooking other recipes like Crockpot Chicken Marsala. If you opt for white wine, you can drink it with dinner. I recommend Sauvignon Blanc. This Garlic Shrimp Pasta is another fabulous recipe for drinking/cooking with wine.
- Broth. Chicken or vegetable broth to further build out the sauce and give flavor. Use vegetable to keep this dish vegetarian.
- Parmesan. Freshly-grated Parmesan cheese is essential.
The Directions
- Get Started. Cook the pasta. Reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water. Cook mushrooms in butter and olive oil. Remove the mushrooms to a plate.
- Sauté the Aromatics. Cook the onions with salt, pepper, and thyme. Stir in garlic.
- Deglaze. Add the wine and let it reduce.
- Cook the Flour. Add the flour, stirring constantly.
- Add the Liquid. Slowly add the broth.
- Thicken. Simmer until the sauce is creamy.
- Put It Together. Stir in the pasta and mushrooms.
- Stir in the Next Ingredients. Add the Parmesan and chives.
- Finish. Stir to combine, adding reserved pasta water as needed. Serve immediately with additional Parmesan. ENJOY!
What to Serve with Mushroom Pasta
- Salads. This Arugula Salad, Kale and Brussels Sprouts Salad, or Winter Salad would all pair nicely with creamy mushroom pasta.
- Pork. Serve Baked Pork Tenderloin or Grilled Pork Chops alongside or atop your pasta.
- Chicken. Grilled Chicken Thighs and Air Fryer Chicken Breast would also be delicious.
- Beef. Meaty, savory mushrooms are always a fantastic pairing with Air Fryer Steak.
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Clean the Mushrooms Properly. Mushrooms do need to be cleaned prior to cooking to remove any dirt, but do not run them under water or submerge them in water or they will become soggy. Instead, to clean mushrooms wipe away dirt with a damp paper towel.
- Experiment With Different Mushrooms. Different varieties of mushrooms have different flavor profiles; you can use one or a mix of varieties. Portobello mushrooms are the largest and most meaty; you’ll often see them as a meat substitute in vegetarian dishes, like Mushroom Quesadilla and Portobello Mushroom Burger. If you use portobello, just slice them up smaller. Cremini (also called baby bella) are also very flavorful and highly versatile, from Mushroom Tacos to Mushroom Soup. Shiitake are more smoky in flavor. I just do not recommend button mushrooms as they are too mild and lacking in flavor.
- Bulk It Up. I love the pure mushroominess of this pasta, but you could certainly add some spinach (stir in along with mushrooms at the end until wilted) and/or top with sliced Baked Chicken Breast for a fuller dish.
Mushroom Pasta
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 30 minutes
Total: 40 minutes
Servings: 4
This easy creamy mushroom pasta tastes indulgent, with NO heavy cream required. With rich umami flavors, butter, and Parmesan, it's a winner!
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Ingredients
- 8 ounces dry whole wheat pasta such as penne, ziti, fusilli, or your shape of choice
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 pound sliced cremini (baby bella) mushrooms
- 1 small yellow onion diced
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ¼ cup dry white wine or dry marsala wine
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup low sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
- ½ cup finely grated parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives or flat-leaf parsley
Instructions
- Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente according to package directions. Reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking liquid (DON’T FORGET!). Drain the pasta and set aside.
- In a large (12-inch) deep skillet or Dutch oven, heat 1 tablespoon of the butter and the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring often, until the mushrooms are lightly browned and the liquid has cooked off, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove the mushrooms to a plate.
- Reduce the heat to medium low. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and swirl to coat. Add the onions, salt, pepper, and thyme. Cook the onions, stirring often, until they soften and turn lightly brown, about 8 minutes. Reduce the heat as needed so the onions soften but do not get too dark. Stir in the garlic.
- Add the wine, increase the heat to medium, and let reduce for 2 minutes.
- Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until no dry white bits remain. Add the broth a few small pours at a time, stirring constantly to keep lumps from forming. Be sure to thoroughly combine everything before adding the next pour of broth. Once all of the broth and has been added, bring to a simmer over medium high. Let cook, stirring constantly, until the liquid is reduced by half, about 3 to 4 minutes.
- Turn off the heat. Stir in the pasta and mushrooms, then the Parmesan and chives. Stir to combine, adding some of the reserved pasta water to loosen the pasta as needed. Taste and add salt and pepper as you like. Serve immediately, with additional Parmesan.
Video
Notes
- TO STORE: Store leftovers in an airtight storage container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- TO REHEAT: Reheat over medium-low in a nonstick skillet with a splash of water. Alternatively, you may also warm in the microwave with a splash of water to rehydrate the pasta, covered, until steaming.
Nutrition
Serving: 1servingCalories: 419kcalCarbohydrates: 48gProtein: 15gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 33mgPotassium: 637mgFiber: 5gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 439IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 148mgIron: 1mg
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I cooked this dish last night. The only change I made to the recipe was to increase the amount from 4 to 6 servings since my husband and I plan to this as our main course meal for 2 nights with just a vegetable side. Anyhow, I am pleased to say that this recipe was wonderful and not hard to make. The sauce was super flavorful, and was a real treat for a mushroom lover like me. My only minor critique is that when I added the cooked pasta in at the end, the pasta was no longer hot, and mixing it in with the hot sauce didn’t make it hot enough. So I needed to heat up the entire dish on the stovetop for a few minutes before serving. We are really looking forward to eating our leftovers tonight! Thanks for another terrific recipe, Erin!
Hi Lorette! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Erin I love mushrooms more than anything, can’t wait to make this dish! One question — I can’t cook with wine at all — how would I substitute in this recipe, even if sacrificing little flavor.
Thank you so much!
Ps: your recipes and your book are my favorites! You are amazing!
Hi Lenka! Yes you could substitute it with vegetable broth or even water. Enjoy!
Mushrooms are my favorite and this was a winner! I made this with orzo and it was delicious. I had a wonderful piece of pecorino romano which made it wonderfully flavorful! I made it for a main dish for me and a side dish for my husband. We both loved it. I will definitely make this again!!
Hi Marilyn! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
So delicious! Have been looking for meatless dishes and this one has to be a favorite. I love to use mushrooms and I used portobellos in this dish. Very very good. Made as directed.
Hi Sandra! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Made this dish as a pre-theater dinner, and was just looking for something relatively quick and easy. Well, it was not only all of that, but it had such rich and layered flavor that it is now going to be one of my regular dinners. Amazing that it has no dairy, as it has a creamy texture to go along with the profile baby Bella mushrooms. All in all, an amazingly delicious dinner, and another home run dish from Erin!
Hi Dave! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Great Recipe , great flavors and very easy to make. Loved it
Hi Dino! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Sooo good! Even my picky 13 year old loved it. Was wondering if chicken would be good in this?
Hi Elizabeth! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review! I think chicken would be great in it! Enjoy!
I cook every day and love it. I usually read recipes for inspiration but don’t exactly followed them. I followed this one almost to a tee (vegan chicken broth and a little less flour) and it was AMAZING! Perhaps one of the best dishes I’ve not only made, but had. It did help that I used a mushroom blend of lions mane, pioppino, and king oyster from the farmers market, but WOW, this was utterly delicious!! Oh, and I love that there’s no cream – dairy and I don’t mix well. Thanks Erin!!
Yay! Thanks Dayna!
I just made this mushroom pasta. It is so good! I felt like I was eating a meal prepared by a fancy restaurant when in actuality my husband was my Sioux Chef. We had fun making this. It was easy, straightforward and so worth it. Thank you!
Yay! Thank you Lorelei!
Lovely and tasty. Finely grated cheese is key. Shredded tastes good but doesn’t work for the sauce
Glad you enjoyed it, V!
This was absolutely delicious, I added just a touch of half and half to make the sauce a little more velvety and served with some leftover chicken for lunch and it was superb!
Great to hear, thank you Tracey!
Delicious food!! Made this recipe for dinner tonight. Me and my mom enjoyed it. Thanks Erin.
So glad to hear you enjoyed it, Nicholas!
I just made this for dinner tonight. We loved it. This will definitely be on my weekly menu. Thanks for a great recipe!!
Yay! Thank you, Pamela!
Made this tonight with Sfoglini rye trumpets and it was uh-maaaazing! Lots of savory flavor and creamy without overdoing it. This is definitely one we’ll make again and again!
So glad you enjoyed it, Kiersten!
Wonderful recipe. I omitted the wine, doubled the pasta and used 1.5 lbs of mushrooms. We really enjoyed this.
Yay! Thank you Sheryl!