This creamy, insanely good mushroom pasta is perfect for special occasions when you want to serve a restaurant-quality meal at home without putting in too much time! It comes together in 30 minutes or less, and the results are totally decadent.
Every now and then, when I make pasta, I like to go all out. I’m talking epic, restaurant-quality decadence at home (but without restaurant-level skill required). Cream, butter, cheese, the works. It’s not for a calorie counting day, and it’s the type of dish meant to be saved for special occasions.
If this is already sounding like too much, here’s a thought to keep in mind: pasta doesn’t have to be served as a main course! Serve it as a side dish alongside a protein like fish, chicken, or steak. Instead of 4 servings, you can think of this recipe as 8 side dish portions, similar to how you might serve risotto.
Ready to dive in?
How to Make Mushroom Pasta
Step 1: Clean & Quarter The Mushrooms
You can halve the smaller ones. I typically remove the stems and then wipe off any dirt with a damp paper towel.
If you don’t want to wipe each mushroom individually (I get it), and would prefer to quickly rinse the them, don’t do this until RIGHT before cooking or they’ll get slimy. Dry the mushrooms thoroughly after rinsing. It’s harder to brown mushrooms when they’re damp.
Step 2: Brown The Mushrooms
In a flat-sided skillet or heavy-bottom saucepan, brown the mushrooms in olive oil over medium or medium-high heat. You want to avoid starting on a lower heat to keep the mushrooms from releasing their water, which will cause them to steam first instead of browning (they’ll still eventually brown, but it will take longer).
Step 3: Add The Shallots
Lower the heat and add the shallots (and a bit of butter or some more oil, if the pan seems dry). Add a pinch of salt. Cook until the shallots are soft and fragrant, glazing and deglazing a few times along the way if you really want to amp up the flavors. Add garlic and cook for another minute.
Add some white wine to deglaze, letting it reduce to just a tablespoon or two.
Step 4: Add Heavy Cream
Add the cream, parmesan, 1 tablespoon of butter, black pepper, truffle oil (if using), parsley, cooked pasta and reserved pasta water, stirring to combine all the ingredients. Once the cheese is melted, the pasta is ready. Taste and adjust seasoning, if desired. Serve immediately, topping with additional parmesan for garnish.
It’s pretty epic.
Recipe Notes and Substitutions
You can make this recipe with any type of mushroom you have on hand. Button mushrooms are the least flavorful, but I still use them sometimes and they turn out great (just make sure to get them nice and caramelized). My top picks for mushroom pasta are cremini, baby bella (or portobello), shiitake, or one of those gourmet blends.
I used bucatini pasta, which is kind of like spaghetti but much thicker and a bit more toothsome. You can use any type of pasta with this recipe, but the bucatini is fantastic. Sauce clings to it very well.
I know some people think truffle oil is pure evil, but I don’t. When used in small quantities, I think it adds a ton of umami to recipes. You don’t have to use it, but I have a firm “don’t yuck other people’s yum” rule around here.
Also, I recently discovered a truffle oil that’s actually made from real truffles. It’s not cheap, and I can’t taste a huge difference, but you might want to check it out: Urbani Truffle Oil
More Pasta Recipes
If you love this recipe, be sure to check out my Creamy Pumpkin Pasta with Sage and Parmesan, Penne alla Vodka, and Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta.
You can also see my full archive of pasta recipes here!
Creamy Mushroom Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 pound bucatini (or pasta of your choice)
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 - 1 1/2 pounds mushrooms, quartered (see notes)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 1 cup sliced shallots (2 medium)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup dry white wine (such as Chardonnay)
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus more for garnish
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste
- Optional: 1 teaspoon truffle oil
- 1/2 cup Italian flat-leaf parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the bucatini until about 2 minutes below al dente, reserving 1 cup of pasta water at the end. The pasta will finish cooking with the other ingredients. You can either drain the pasta, or if this is timed right, you can use kitchen tongs to transfer the pasta directly to the saucepan.
- While the water is heating up, start the mushrooms. In a flat-sided skillet or heavy-bottom saucepan, brown the mushrooms in olive oil over medium or medium-high heat, 3-5 minutes. If the bottom of the pan looks like it’s getting too dark at any point, add 1-2 tablespoons of water, scraping up the brown bits with a spatula and stirring them into the mushrooms.
- Once the mushrooms are caramelized, turn the heat to medium-low. Add 1 tablespoon butter, the shallots, and a pinch of salt. Cook until the shallots are soft and translucent or lightly caramelized, 2-5 minutes, then add the garlic and cook for an additional minute. Add the wine and allow the liquid to reduce down to around 1 or 2 tablespoons.
- Add the cream, parmesan, 1 tablespoon of butter, black pepper, truffle oil (if using), parsley, cooked pasta and reserved pasta water, stirring to combine all the ingredients. Once the cheese is melted, the pasta is ready. Taste and adjust seasoning, if desired.
- Serve immediately, topping with additional parmesan for garnish.
Notes
Please read my full post for additional recipe notes, tips, and serving suggestions!
Nutrition
Recipe Troubleshooting
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Mmmm, this looks fantastic, Jen! I love a creamy mushroom pasta, and truffle oil on top? Swoon.
Made this last night. I happened to have all the ingredients – don’t always have heavy cream, but had some leftover and was looking for a way to use an unopened container of baby bella mushrooms. The pasta is delicious. I was appreciative of the way the directions indicate when to start various parts of the recipe so the pasta and sauce are done at the same time.
This looks phenomenal. I love mushrooms, cream and pasta so I can already tell it will be a winner. I have some shiitake mushrooms I’ll need to reconstitute with boiling water in the house. I’m sure they’ll work for this recipe. Thank you!
I was looking for a simple pasta dish and this was perfect! We will definitely make it again.
Made this for the family and it was a hit!