This creamy mushroom pasta recipe is one of those comforting pasta dishes I always turn to when I want something simple but satisfying. Made with caramelised sautéed mushrooms, pasta and a flavourful, rich, creamy sauce.
If you love simple, quick pasta dinners like us, you will definitely enjoy our readers' favourite Tofu Pasta and Spicy Chicken Pasta recipes.
A Creamy Pasta Dish We Make Again and Again
Simple pasta dishes like this are perfect when you need dinner on the table quickly. When mushrooms are cooked to perfection, they release a deep savoury flavour that pairs beautifully with garlic, butter, and cream.
Once the sauce comes together, it turns silky smooth and coats every strand of pasta perfectly.
It's one of the best mushroom pasta recipes that everything comes together in under 30 minutes, which our whole family loves! It’s creamy, full of umami mushroom flavour, and perfect for busy weeknights.
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- Pasta: spaghetti, fettuccine, or penne
- Mushroom: Portobello, baby Bella mushrooms, regular button mushrooms, shiitake, oyster, porcini, or any meaty mushroom.
- Butter
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- Garlic & onion
- Parsley
For Creamy Mushroom Sauce
- Heavy cream ( double cream )
- Grated parmesan cheese or a choice of grated hard cheese
- Pasta cooking water
Please scroll and see the measurements and printable recipe on the recipe card.
Khin’s Kitchen Tips for the Best Creamy Mushroom Pasta
- Brown the mushrooms properly for a deeper flavour.
- Use freshly grated Parmesan for a smoother, richer sauce.
- Keep the cream at a gentle simmer, not a rapid boil.
- Do not skip the pasta water. The starch helps loosen the sauce and gives your mushroom pasta with creamy sauce a glossy, silky finish.
- You can adjust the sauce consistency with pasta water instead of extra cream.
- Pasta should be cooked 'Al Dente', firm and a bit chewy. Avoid overcooking.
Some Variations We've Tried
Instead of double cream or heavy cream, try cream cheese or mascarpone. If you have evaporated milk in your pantry, you can reduce it and add it as well.
To make the mushroom and pasta sauce without cream, omit the double cream and add more olive oil.
Extra protein or veggies: Add small pieces of bacon, sausage, grilled chicken, or prawns. For extra veggies, broccoli, green beans, mangetout, carrots, and bell peppers go well too.
For a spicy kick: add some dried red pepper flakes to the sauce.
How to Make this Creamy Mushroom Pasta
- Start by bringing a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until al dente, then reserve about half a cup of pasta water before draining.
- In a large pan over medium heat, heat butter and olive oil. Add the chopped onions, saute for a few seconds, then add the sliced mushrooms, and cook them slowly until golden brown and slightly caramelised. Season with salt and pepper.
- Next, add minced garlic and cook until fragrant. Pour in the cream and the reserved pasta water, then allow it to simmer. Let it gently simmer until slightly thickened.
- Add the cooked pasta to the pan and toss everything together. If the sauce feels too thick, add a splash of reserved pasta water and stir until it reaches your desired consistency. Finish with grated parmesan and chopped parsley.
Yes, You can Reheat and Store Leftovers
Leftover mushroom pasta can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can reheat it over the stovetop or in the microwave by adding a splash of water or heavy cream.
Cream-based pasta dishes are best enjoyed fresh and are not ideal for freezing.
Pairing Suggestions
This pasta and mushroom dish is great on its own, but you can also pair it with garlic bread, garlic-butter prawns, honey-garlic butter salmon, Honey Butter Chicken, steamed vegetables, or fresh salads.
For added flavour, top with extra-grated Parmesan cheese, chopped fresh parsley, and a drizzle of chilli oil.
Most Asked Pasta Questions
Can you freeze it?
I do not recommend freezing creamy mushroom pasta. The frozen creamy sauce can become grainy and separate, and the texture of the mushrooms may change when you reheat it.
Can you make it dairy-free?
Yes, plant-based or non-dairy cream and cheese are great alternatives for dairy-free mushroom pasta sauce.
How to adjust the thick pasta sauce?
If the pasta sauce is too thick, you can add reserved pasta water, warm water, or broth to loosen the sauce a bit. To thicken the sauce, add more grated cheese.
More Tasty Pasta Recipes
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📖 Recipe
Creamy Mushroom Pasta
Equipment
- Large pasta boiling pot
- Large pan or skillet
Ingredients
- 150 gram Spaghetti Linguine, tagliatelle, penne, or choice of pasta. ( 2 servings - about 5.3 oz )
- 250 gram Portobello mushroom White button mushroom or choice of mushroom. ( About 8.8 oz ), cut thin slices
- ½ Onion Finely chopped
- 200 ml Double cream Or heavy cream
- 2 tbsp Unsalted butter
- 1 tbsp Olive oil Add more olive oil if needed
- 2-3 cloves Garlic Finely chopped
- 6 tbsp Grated parmesan Or choice of grated hard cheese
- ½ tsp Salt to taste
- ½ tsp Black pepper or to taste
- handful Parsley Finely chopped
Garnish
- Grated parmesan
- Chopped parsley
Instructions
Boil Pasta
- Bring the water to boil in a large pot. Season the water with a good amount of salt. Cook the spaghetti in the boiling water by the packet instructions.
- Reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water for later use. Then drain the water out. Meanwhile, the spaghetti is cooking you can prepare mushroom and creamy sauce.
Cook Mushroom and Cream Sauce
- In a large pan, heat the butter and olive oil over medium heat. Add chopped onions and saute for a few seconds.
- Add the mushroom slices and saute for 3-4 minutes until brown. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Follow with chopped garlic and stir for a few seconds until fragrant. Pour in pasta water and double cream and bring it to simmer.
Combine Pasta and Mushroom Cream Sauce
- Once the sauce starts to get thicken add the cooked spaghetti, and grated cheese. Finish with chopped parsley and combine everything well.
- Transfer to serving plate and garnish with parsley and grated parmesan. Serve immediately.
Video
Notes
- Mushroom - We usually use portobello mushrooms, feel free to use white button mushrooms or mushrooms of your choice. Wash the mushrooms and pat dry with a paper towel or kitchen towel to remove excess water, before slicing them.
- What type of cream to use? Double cream ( heavy cream ) or any thick cream of your choice. You can also use evaporated milk and reduce it until thick.
- Grated cheese - Add grated parmesan or choice of grated hard cheese. For vegetarians or to make it halal, use vegetarian parmesan.
- Freezing - Do not recommend freezing but you can store it in the fridge for a couple of days if you have any leftovers.
- Can you make it spicy? If you want a kick of heat, add a dash of chilli pepper flakes for a hint of spice.
- Can you make it without cream? You can simply omit double cream and add chicken broth or vegetable stock and make it a no-cream garlic mushroom pasta.
Carol says
It was really good but how much garlic? Recipe doesn’t say.
Khin says
Hi Carol, you will need, 2-3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped. Edited on the recipe card. Thank you so much.
Pete says
Made it yesterday for my family and it was a great hit. Added some bacon and steamed broccoli on the side. I also want to cook this from my friend who is vegan. Do you have any vegan cream recommendations? Thank you.
Khin says
Hi Pete, so glad that you enjoyed this pasta recipe. Sounds so good with steamed veg and extra protein. You can use vegan cream like Elmlea, cashew cream, or oat cream but the flavour might be a bit different.