Creamy Mushroom Pasta

Creamy Mushroom Pasta – the best creamy pasta recipe with garlic, mushrooms and cheese. So delicious and very easy to make.

This easy and quick creamy mushroom pasta dish is an all time favorite for my family and our go–to recipe when we want something quick, yet delicious for dinner on busy week days.

The pasta is cooked to perfection, and the sauce is made with garlic infused oil, porcini mushrooms, parmigiano reggiano cheese, and topped with dried parsley and chili flakes.

This is how Italians cook their creamy mushroom pasta! While, the original recipe does not call for cream, I added a few tablespoons of cream just to give the dish some extra richness.

Ingredients:

Pasta: Spaghetti or linguine are ideal for this dish. Always follow the cooking instructions on the pasta box.

Olive oil: I use extra virgin olive oil. Never use cooking oil when making pasta dishes.

Butter: You will only need a couple of tablespoons to give the dish its creamy texture.

Garlic: freshly crushed garlic. Always!

Mushrooms: Use any kind you like. I am using porcini mushrooms, but cremini (button), portobello, or any other kind works. Just slice them up before cooking.

Cheese: parmigiano reggiano or pecorino cheese. I get cheese blocks and grate them as needed.

Cream: few tablespoons of heavy cream to thicken the sauce. Do not use milk!

Chili flakes: totally optional depending on how hot you like your pasta.

Dried parsley: Add a teaspoon or use freshly chopped parsley.

Seasoning: salt and pepper to taste.

how to cook creamy mushroom pasta

Step 1

Start by heating up your oil in a large pan on medium heat and cook the crushed garlic for 1 minute. You can add a couple of tablespoon of pasta water to keep the garlic from burning. Then, add the mushrooms and cook for about 10–15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and stir occasionally.

Step 2

While the mushrooms are cooking, boil the pasta in a large pot with 1 tablespoon of rock salt. Follow the cooking instructions on the package to cook the pasta. This will take about 9–12 minutes, depending on the kind of pasta you are using.

Step 3

Add a tablespoon of butter to the mushrooms and stir quickly. Using a pair of tongues, remove the pasta from the pot and add it directly to the mushroom pan. Add 1/2 cup of freshly grated cheese and mix well. Pour half a cup of pasta water and cook for 1 more minute.

Lastly, add a few tablespoons of heavy cream and mix everything together so the cream and cheese mix well with the pasta and mushrooms.

Sprinkle some chili flakes and parsley on top and grate more cheese. Serve immediately.

Here are some other Italian inspired dishes for you to try,

Spaghetti Alle Zucchine
Chicken Alfredo Pasta
Tomato Burrata Salad
Bruschetta
Blueberry Mascarpone Risotto

Cooking Tips:

Cooking pasta: this really depends on the type of pasta you are using and your liking. Some people like their pasta “al dente”, which means a bit firm and has a bite to it. Others prefer it fully cooked. All you need to cook your pasta is a large pot of boiling water and tablespoon of slat. Nothing else.

Straining the pasta: many people strain their pasta and add olive oil or butter so it does not stick. You should never strain your pasta! Always cook your pasta minutes before your sauce gets ready and transfer with a pair of tongues or colander directly to the sauce.
Warm sauce will not make your pasta stick.

Cream vs milk: I find heavy cream gives a lot more richness to any sauce I am making while milk may dilute it.