This creamy mushroom pasta recipe with olives is quick, insanely delicious and will become a favourite. A luscious, creamy parmesan cheese filled sauce flavoured with herbs, garlic and toasted golden mushrooms. An easy weeknight meal or a great recipe to make for guests, you'll have them licking their plates, I promise!

Creamy Mushroom Pasta with olives
Hi! I am writing up this SUPER requested recipe that I posted on instagram! This is a spin on my original creamy mushroom sauce recipe. I am olive obsessed and I had a jar sitting in my fridge when I went to make this sauce and I really think they go with anything.
It really is such a quick and delicious dinner that comes together really easily, just take your time browning the mushrooms! Honestly what is better than a creamy parmesan sauce with some earthy mushroom flavor. Want to try some other creamy sauces? Check out my creamy roast garlic and lemon pasta sauce or my creamy nduja pasta sauce.

Main ingredients
Mushrooms - Use anything you like. I use brown or white mushrooms but a combination of anything including cremini mushrooms or shiitake mushrooms would be great too.
White wine - I usually use a sauvignon blanc or a pinot gris but use whatever you want. It doesn't have to be anything fancy.
Fresh Herbs - You can't replicate the same flavour with dried herbs. I love using a mixture of sage and thyme in this recipe.
Parmesan Cheese - It's best to use a high quality parmesan if you can as it adds a lot of flavour when you use it this way in a sauce. It needs to be really finely grated so it melts into the sauce easily. Ideally with a microplane.
Heavy Cream - I don't always use heavy cream in a creamy sauce but it works best in this dish. You can always thin it down with some starchy pasta water. You could definitely use light cream if you wish.
Olives - I like to use Kalamata olives but honestly use any olives you personally love! They just go so perfectly with the earthy flavor of the mushrooms.
How to make this creamy sauce
Full ingredient list and recipe is in the recipe card below.
- Brown the mushrooms in a large skillet over a medium-high heat until golden brown. Leave them alone after tossing in the oil and butter, turning only once or twice.
- Turn down to a medium heat and add the garlic and herbs and season with a good pinch of salt and black pepper.
- Cook your pasta in a large pot of well salted water.
- Add the white wine and let it reduce for a 2-3 minutes.
- Add the cream and bring to a very gentle simmer, you don't want the cream to boil.
- Add the grated parmesan cheese in a few lots, letting it melt in between each addition.
- Add the lemon juice and fresh parsley and mix through.
- Let it simmer gently for a few minutes to thicken slightly.
- Taste for seasoning, I love black pepper so I add a lot! Pasta always dilutes a sauce so don't be shy with the salt either.
- Add the cooked pasta and olives in and let it simmer gently for a minute or so on a low heat.
- Serve with extra parmesan, lemon zest and black pepper! A sprinkling of red pepper flakes would also be delish on top.

Tips for success
- If you like your pasta al dente like me then undercook it by a minute so it can finish cooking in the creamy sauce.
- Let the mushrooms brown on their own! Cooking mushrooms can be tricky and you don't want to overcrowd them. When you put them in the pan, toss them in the olive oil and butter then leave them alone to brown, turning once when golden. You might need to do in a couple of batches.
- Turn the heat down once you add the cream, you don't want it to be boiling.
- Add the parmesan cheese in a few lots, letting it melt between each addition.
- Before you drain your pasta reserve a good cup of pasta water. Better still just transfer your pasta straight into the sauce with a spider tool then the water will just be left in the pot for you to use as you need.

What pasta shape is best for this sauce?
Use anything you like, fresh or dried! I have used my homemade orecchiette because if you know me at all you'll know it is my favourite! If you want to make a slightly easier shape give my hand rolled gnocchi sardi a try.
If you feel like making some fresh pasta then make sure you use my easy homemade pasta dough, it works every time! Some homemade pappardelle would be delish with this sauce. any dried shape will

Recipe FAQs
Yes! Totally leave the olives out if you wish, it still has plenty of flavour without them.
This recipe I tend to use double cream (heavy cream) but it will work with single or light cream too.
You can, you don't taste it though, it just really helps to get the flavours going and adds a bit of acidity. You could add a touch more lemon juice if it needs. You could add some chicken broth or vegetable broth to replace the liquid.
Absolutely! Just do a straight double of all the ingredients, you might need slightly more cream as the more pasta there is the more the sauce will get soaked up.
Want some more sauces to try?
If you loved this easy mushroom past recipe then I know for a fact you will love my brand new creamy leek pasta. Another go to is my creamy roast garlic and lemon pasta. If you want to try a meat based sauce, my famous white pork ragu is an absolute must! Check out my recipe page for lots of other choices!



Made this recipe and loved it?
I would love love LOVE if you could leave me a review down below and let me know what you thought! I love to hear any changes or adaptions you have made too. Also if you put a photo on instagram, please tag me so I can see, it makes my day!
PrintRecipe

Creamy Mushroom Pasta with olives
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 2 people
Description
A luscious creamy mushroom pasta sauce with olives. Flavoured with garlic, herbs, white wine and lots of parmesan.
Ingredients
- Pasta of your choice, I do 150g fresh or 100g dried per person (big portions!)
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1 tbsp butter
- 350g mushrooms, I use swiss brown, each one sliced into 3
- 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh sage, finely chopped
- ½ cup white wine, I use sauv blanc or pinot gris
- ¾ cup cream
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice, plus the zest for serving
- 5o grams parmesan, very finely grated, ideally with a microplane
- ½ cup flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
- ½ cup (heaped) kalamata olives
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Get your pasta cooking in a pot of well salted water.
- Heat the olive oil and butter in a large fry pan over medium high heat.
- Add the mushrooms, toss them in the butter and oil then leave alone to brown 5 - 7 mins, turning once or twice.
- Turn the heat down slightly then add the garlic and herbs and cook for a minute or so but don't let the garlic brown. Season with a good pinch of salt and pepper.
- Add the wine and let it bubble for 3 mins or until slightly reduced.
- Add the cream, giving it a good mix. You don't want it to boil, it should just be at a nice gentle simmer the whole time.
- Move the mushrooms to one side of the pan and add the parmesan to the cream in a few lots, mixing in between each addition to let it melt.
- Add the lemon juice and then follow with the parsley and mix altogether.
- Let it gently simmer for a few mins until it thickens slightly, you want it quite saucy as the pasta will thicken it up so don't let it bubble too long.
- Taste for seasoning, I go pretty hard with pepper but you do you!
- Add your cooked pasta straight in along withe the olives and let it gently bubble away for a minute or so.
- Add a splash of pasta water if you need to loosen the sauce then serve.
- Top with extra parmesan, lemon zest and lots of freshly cracked pepper.
Notes
- I give the olives a little rinse under cold water in a sieve to get rid of a little bit of the brine they are in. It can affect the taste of the sauce so good to rinse a bit off.
- I generally like using olives with stones in my cooking but in a dish like this I use pitted ones, it's a lot easier.
- I don't like putting amounts of salt and pepper to use, just use your intuition and taste as you go.
- It may seem like a lot of mushrooms when you put them in the pan but they shrink so don't leave any out!
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 15 mins
Gretchen says
I made this for New Year’s day for a group of 8 people with dried gnocchi rigati and it was a big hit! For the recipe I went ahead and chopped the garlic even though it seems like you are supposed to throw them in whole with the mushrooms.
★★★★★
Emilie Pullar says
Hi Gretchen, so glad it was a hit! That was totally an oversight on my part, I meant to say the cloves should be finely chopped and have fixed it! Thanks for bringing it to my attention! 🙂
JM says
Use a good quality dried pasta and this recipe is a keeper!! I changed it just a bit, as you should, excellent even without parsley ?
★★★★★
Emilie Pullar says
Thanks so much for making it!! 🙂
Magali says
this recipe looks delicious! I will prepare it tomorrow. thank you so much
★★★★★
Lori Michrina says
Loved loved loved this! I made it with my handmade orecchiette, which were perfect little sauce holders. I’m hoping to be able to add some morels into the mix this spring, but other than that, I wouldn’t change a thing! Perfection!
★★★★★
Helen says
Made this last night for a dinner party - needed to be vegetarian friendly - this was a huge hit and everyone loved it! I put the pan on the table so people could help themselves, it was gone very quickly. Had some crusty sourdough on hand to mop up the last of the sauce in the pan too!
★★★★★
Meg says
This recipe was sooo yum. Everyone went back for seconds. I used regular gnocchi but will try it again using a pasta. Adding to my bi-weekly meal rotation!
★★★★★
Emilie Pullar says
Yay so glad everyone loved it! I'm definitely going to make it with gnocchi asap, you've got me craving!
Michelle says
Another sensational recipe!
I'm not typically a creamy mushroom type of person, but I absolutely loved this dish. The balance of the mellow mushroom with the smack of the olives was superb.
I made it with orechiette and loved that each little ear was hiding a surprise.
Also didn't have sage available so I used rosemary from the garden instead which was good along with fresh thyme but would love to make it again with sage.
Thank you Emilie?
★★★★★
Emilie Pullar says
Hi Michelle! Yay, so glad you enjoyed it!! Love the pop of the olives in this dish and orecchiette is my absolute fave 🙂
Sarah says
Literally my fav pasta recipe ever. So easy and sooo delish!
★★★★★
Emilie Pullar says
So glad you love it! Thank you Sarah 🙂
Carole says
Absolutely my favorite quick and easy pasta dish!! I cheat and buy fresh pasta from the farmers market and make this. ? Hits all the right notes and is the perfect comfort food!
Emilie Pullar says
It's definitely not cheating! So glad you love this recipe! 🙂
Sherry @threechicas @floureggwater says
I sincerely love this recipe. I’m a mushroom girl! This spoke to my heart. You have given me pasta sauces outside the Alfredo or tomato realm. You have gotten me to adventure into coming up with my own ideas. This sauce was the one that gave me confidence. (I did eliminate 1/2 the olives, because I’m not a true fan, but loved it at 1/2 ratio because the brinyness was spot on.)
Emilie Pullar says
Hi Sherry, this is such an amazing comment, thank you so much! Im so excited you are feeling more confident to come up with your own ideas 🙂
Katie Cooper says
The first recipe I’ve ever tried from the Burnt Butter Table and I am in love! The flavors were so amazing and I couldn’t get enough. I am hooked on your recipes.
Emilie Pullar says
Hi Katie! Yay! Welcome! So glad you loved the recipe, one of my faves 🙂
Dolores Melo says
Loved this recipe, I didn’t use olives (not a big fan) but it was so delicious that it’s on dinner rotation now at my house.
Emilie Pullar says
Hi! Thanks so much for making. Just as good without the olives, sometimes I leave them out too 🙂
E says
Just so delicious!
★★★★★
Kat Hart says
Hi Emilie! Am wanting to try this but having trouble with the parmesan amount. Is that 50G? Wish to verify before I source the rest. Thanks! kat
NOTE: Rating 5 because it looks so yummy and super easy.
Emilie Pullar says
Hi Kat! It is 50 grams, let me know if I can help with anything else 🙂
Mariah says
We absolutely loved it!! I tried this recipe today and thank you we all really enjoyed it!
★★★★★