DinnerVegetarianPasta

Creamy Garlic
Mushroom Pasta

Deeply golden mushrooms, mellow garlic and a silky Parmesan cream sauce, tossed through ribbons of pasta. A comforting weeknight dinner on the table in 30 minutes.

By [Author name] · Updated [Publish date]

Prep
10 min
Cook
20 min
Total
30 min
Serves
4
Level
Easy
Jump to Recipe
Creamy garlic mushroom tagliatelle in a shallow bowl, topped with parsley and grated Parmesan Hero photo: finished dish, 45°

This is the kind of pasta that makes a plain Tuesday feel a little special. The secret is patience with the mushrooms: give them space in a hot pan and leave them alone long enough to turn deeply golden. That browning builds the savory flavor the whole sauce depends on.

A splash of wine lifts the pan juices, cream and cheese turn them silky, and a little starchy pasta water helps everything cling. A squeeze of lemon at the end keeps it bright rather than heavy.

Why you’ll love it

  • Ready in 30 minutesThe sauce comes together while the pasta cooks, so nothing sits around waiting.
  • Pantry-friendlyBeyond the mushrooms and cream, it relies on staples you probably already have.
  • Easy to adaptSwap the pasta shape, stir in greens, or make it dairy-free with simple changes.

Ingredient notes

Mushrooms
Wipe rather than wash them so they brown well, and slice about 5 mm thick for an even cook.
Pasta
Long, flat ribbons like tagliatelle or fettuccine hold creamy sauces best, but penne or rigatoni work well too.
Wine
Any dry white you would drink is fine. Vegetable stock with a squeeze of lemon makes a good alcohol-free alternative.
Cheese
Grate it finely so it melts smoothly into the sauce instead of clumping.

Step-by-step photos

Mushrooms browning in a frying pan
Brown — mushrooms in a single layer until deeply golden.
Cream sauce simmering with mushrooms
Simmer — the cream until it lightly coats a spoon.
Pasta being tossed with sauce in the pan
Toss — pasta with sauce and a splash of cooking water.
Recipe

Creamy Garlic Mushroom Pasta

Prep 10 min · Cook 20 min · Total 30 min · Easy

4 servings

Ingredients

Tick items off as you gather them. Metric measures; 1 tbsp = 15 ml, 1 tsp = 5 ml.

Method

  1. Step 1: Prepare

    Bring a large pot of water to the boil and season it generously with salt. While it heats, slice the mushrooms, finely chop the garlic and parsley, and grate the cheese.

  2. Step 2: Brown the mushrooms

    Heat the olive oil and butter in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms in a single layer (in two batches if your pan is small) and leave them undisturbed for 3 minutes. Stir, then cook for 5–6 minutes more until golden and any liquid has evaporated. Season with a pinch of salt.

    8–9 min

  3. Step 3: Cook the pasta

    Meanwhile, cook the pasta in the boiling water according to the packet instructions until al dente (usually 9–11 minutes). Before draining, scoop out 250 ml (1 cup) of the cooking water.

    9–11 min

  4. Step 4: Add garlic and thyme

    Reduce the heat under the mushrooms to medium. Add the garlic and thyme and cook, stirring, for 1 minute until fragrant — don’t let the garlic brown.

    1 min

  5. Step 5: Deglaze

    Pour in the wine or stock and let it bubble for about 2 minutes, scraping up the browned bits, until reduced by half.

    2 min

  6. Step 6: Make the sauce

    Stir in the cream and simmer gently for 2–3 minutes until slightly thickened. Take the pan off the heat and stir in the grated cheese.

    2–3 min

  7. Step 7: Toss and serve

    Add the drained pasta and 60 ml (¼ cup) of the reserved cooking water. Toss over low heat for 1–2 minutes, adding more water a splash at a time until the sauce coats the pasta. Stir in the lemon juice and parsley, season to taste, and serve with extra cheese.

    1–2 min

Equipment

  • Large pot for the pasta
  • Large frying pan or sauté pan (about 30 cm)
  • Colander and a heatproof jug
  • Fine grater

Recipe notes

  • Don’t crowd the mushrooms — they’ll steam instead of brown.
  • Add pasta water a little at a time; the sauce thickens as it sits.
  • Traditional Parmesan uses animal rennet. Use a vegetarian hard cheese to keep this vegetarian.

Nutrition

[Per-serving nutrition to be calculated from the final tested recipe. Values are estimates and will vary with the brands and quantities used.]

Substitutions & variations

Dairy-freePlant-based cream

Use an oat- or soy-based cooking cream and plant butter, and replace the cheese with 2 tbsp nutritional yeast.

Gluten-freeGluten-free pasta

Cook it according to the packet and add the pasta water gradually, as gluten-free pasta can absorb sauce quickly.

Add greensSpinach or kale

Stir two large handfuls of baby spinach into the sauce with the cream and let it wilt for a minute.

Alcohol-freeStock and lemon

Use 120 ml vegetable stock plus 1 tsp lemon juice instead of the wine.

Extra proteinWhite beans or chicken

Fold in a drained 400 g can of cannellini beans, or leftover cooked chicken, with the pasta.

LighterCrème fraîche

Use half-fat crème fraîche instead of cream and keep the sauce at a gentle simmer so it doesn’t split.

Storage &
reheating

Fridge

Cool leftovers quickly and keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Reheat

Warm gently in a pan with a splash of water or milk, stirring, until piping hot throughout.

Freezer

Not recommended — cream sauces can turn grainy and the pasta softens once thawed.

Your questions

Can I make it without cream?

Yes. Replace the cream with an extra 100 ml of reserved pasta water and increase the cheese to 75 g, tossing vigorously so the sauce emulsifies. It will be lighter and less rich, but still glossy.

Which mushrooms work best?

Chestnut (cremini) mushrooms have a deeper flavor than white button mushrooms. A mix with oyster or shiitake mushrooms is lovely too — keep the total weight the same.

Is this recipe vegetarian?

It is when you use a vegetarian hard cheese. Traditional Parmigiano Reggiano is made with animal rennet, so check the label if this matters to you.

Can I make it ahead?

It is best eaten straight away. You can brown the mushrooms up to a day ahead and keep them in the fridge, then finish the sauce while the pasta cooks.

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