Simple Mushroom Pasta

Here's an easy mushroom pasta recipe that you and your family will love! This creamy mushroom pasta is actually made without cream. The pasta is loaded with an umami taste and velvety parmesan sauce. 

Looking to upgrade your sauteed mushrooms into a full meal? Don't sleep on this mushroom pasta recipe. This pasta is made of easy ingredients you can find in your pantry. It's a comforting dish that is quite healthy too. 

This recipe was inspired by my mushroom broccoli pasta recipe.

Jump to:

• Why this recipe works 
• Ingredients 
• How to Make Mushroom Pasta 
• Tips and Variations 
• Storage
• How to Reheat
• FAQ 
• 📖 Recipe

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Why this recipe works 

• Creamy but not too heavy. The rich sauce is made of parmesan cheese and starch pasta water. No cream was added. 
• Meatless. Mushrooms have a meaty texture with an earthy and savory flavor, also known as umami. That makes them the perfect choice for a satisfying, meatless meal. 
• Quick. You can prepare this pasta dish in less than 30 minutes. 

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Ingredients 

• Mushrooms. In this recipe, I used baby Bella mushrooms, also known as cremini mushrooms. 
• Onion. I used diced yellow onion to add an extra layer of flavor to the sauce. 
• Garlic. It's one of the main ingredients for the sauce. So please do not skip. 
• Fettuccine. You can use either fresh or dried fettuccine. 

• Parmesan Cheese. Do not use pre-shredded grated parmesan cheese. Instead, you should buy a block of parmesan cheese and grate it at home. 
• White wine. I used white wine to deglaze the pan and to add complex flavors to the finished dish. 
• Lemon. Use fresh lemon juice and lemon zest. You just need a small amount of lemon juice to give the pasta a fresh and clean taste. The acidity also helps to reduce the greasiness in the sauce. 
• Thyme. It's one of my favorite spices to pair with mushrooms. 

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How to Make Mushroom Pasta 

You can make mushroom pasta at home in three easy steps. 

Now let's go into details... 

1. Cook the Pasta 

• In a large pot, bring water to a boil and season with salt. 
• Cook the pasta until al dente, according to the product packaging. 
• Drain the pasta in a colander and reserve at least ½ cup of pasta water for the sauce. 

2. Make the Mushroom Sauce

• Melt butter in a large deep skillet. 
• Add onion, mushrooms,  a pinch of salt, and a pinch of black pepper.  Cook until browned for 8-10 minutes over medium-high heat. Stir often.

• Add garlic and thyme. Keep stirring for a minute or until fragrant. 
• Add the white wine and deglaze the pan. Make sure that you gently scrape the browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a spatula. Simmer until the wine is almost gone. 

3. Combine 

• Add the cooked pasta, pasta water, butter, lemon zest, lemon juice, and parmesan cheese to the pan. 
• Reduce the heat to medium-low. Toss well to make sure that pasta is fully coated. 
• Give the mixture a taste. Add salt, black pepper, and parmesan cheese if necessary. 

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Tips and Variations 

• Cut the mushrooms into thick slices. Make sure that you cut the mushrooms into at least ½-inch thick slices. Mushrooms will shrink during cooking, and thicker slices will hold their shape better and give a nice "meaty" texture to your pasta. 
• Properly Cook the Mushroom. Mushrooms have a ton of liquid in them. Be patient and take your time. Saute until the mushrooms release their juices and cook in their own liquid for maximum flavor and the best texture.
• Wipe mushrooms with damp paper towels.  Do not soak the mushrooms in water because they will absorb all liquid and be difficult to fully dry. If you want to clean off the dirt, use damp paper towels and make sure they are dry before cooking. 

• Use the right heat. You need to cook the mushrooms on medium-high heat to give the mushroom liquid enough time to evaporate while they are caramelizing. 
• Do not throw away pasta water. Keep some for cooking the sauce and some for reheating the leftovers. 
• Add more seasoning. You can use any of your favorite spices, such as Italian seasoning, oregano, or rosemary. For extra heat, add some red chili pepper flakes. 
• Salting your pasta water. You should add a generous amount of salt to the boiling water. Salting the pasta water will ensure the pasta is evenly seasoned in and out. 
• Other types of pasta. This mushroom pasta works well with any type of pasta, long or spiral, such as Fussili, Gemelli, and Spaghetti.  
• Lemon. Use lemon juice sparingly to avoid extremely acidic pasta. 

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Storage

Discard any leftover mushroom pasta that has been left out for more than 2 hours at room temperature or 1 hour when the temperature is above 90°F. You can learn more here.

• Let the pasta cools down to room temperature before refrigerating.
• Transfer the leftovers to an airtight container.
• Store the leftovers for 3-5 days in the fridge or for 3 months in the freezer.

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How to Reheat

You can reheat this mushroom pasta in a microwave, skillet, or oven. Here's how:

Option 1. In the microwave

• Place a single serving of pasta in a microwave-safe bowl.
• Drizzle the pasta with a small amount of water.
• Cover the dish with a microwave-safe lid.
• Cook for 1 minute at medium heat.
• If the pasta isn't warmed throughout, stir it, and cook it again in 15-second increments until completely heated.

Option 2. In the skillet

• Place the cooked pasta in a skillet.
• Drizzle the pasta with a small amount of water.
• Reheat the pasta over medium-low heat for a few minutes until the pasta is heated through and the liquid is fully absorbed.

Option 3. In the oven

• Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• Drizzle the pasta with a small amount of water.
• Cover the baking dish with foil.
• Reheat for about 15 minutes or until heated through.

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FAQ 

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Check Out More Easy Pasta Recipes

• Bratwurst Pasta
• Canned Tuna Pasta
• White Sauce Pasta
• Creamy Lemon Chicken Pasta
• Easy Lemon Pasta
• Rotini Pasta with Broccoli and Shrimp

I hope you'll enjoy this recipe and share it with friends! If you try it and don’t mind, please leave me a comment and/or give this recipe a rating. Be sure to subscribe to receive weekly recipes and follow me on Pinterest.

📖 Recipe