This creamy mushroom pasta recipe 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!
HI! I am giving this creamy mushroom sauce recipe a bit of an overhaul as it is one of my true favorites and it needed some process shots. It's never a chore to have to re-make this pasta dish. This is fantastic as is or if you add some olives in, I am olive obsessed but I understand not everyone loves them.
I have a few similar recipes you have to add to your list. My Creamy Mushroom and Chicken Pasta is great if you want to add some protein next time. The most popular recipe on my website is my fantastic weeknight Creamy Chicken Pasta.
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Main ingredients
Fresh Mushrooms - Use anything you like. I use cremini mushrooms (also known as swiss brown or baby bella mushrooms) or white button. A combination of anything including portobello 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 rosemary and thyme in this recipe. You could use fresh sage too.
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 creamy sauce easily. Ideally with a microplane.
Cream - I prefer to use a single or light cream as the parmesan and heat thicken it up. You could use heavy cream if you prefer as you can thin it out with pasta water.
Lemon - I always add lemon juice to a rich creamy pasta sauce as it freshens it up and cuts through that richness. I also finish the dish with lemon zest.
OPTIONAL 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 creamy mushroom pasta
Full ingredient list and recipe is in the recipe card below.
ONE: 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 the heat down if browning too quick.
TWO: Turn down to a medium heat and add the herbs and garlic and a big pinch of salt. Let it cook for a minute.
THREE: Add the wine and let it reduce slightly for 2-3 minutes. Scrap up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan.
FOUR: Add the cream and bring to a very gentle simmer. Turn the heat down to a low heat, it should barely be bubbling.
FIVE: Push the mushrooms to one side and add the parmesan cheese in 2 or 3 seperate lots, letting it melt in between. Add the black pepper and lemon juice and whisk in quickly.
SIX: Add your cooked pasta into the creamy parmesan sauce, toss well and let it gently bubble away to thicken for 2 - 3 minutes. Add a splash of pasta water if you need to loosen. Toss through the parsley right before serving.
Expert tips
- If you like your pasta al dente like me then undercook it by a minute so it can finish cooking in the parmesan cream sauce. Check out my guide on How to Cook the Perfect Pasta.
- 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 if you don't have a large pan.
- Turn the heat down once you add the cream, you don't want it to be boiling.
- Before you drain your pasta reserve a good cup of the pasta cooking 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.
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To olive or not to olive
I was once making this delicious meal for dinner and I had a jar of olives in the cupboard so I added them in. The briny salty olives really do work with the earthy mushroom flavor so give it a try!
Olives add so much to a pasta dish, check out my Cacio e Pepe with Basil and Olives or my Lamb Ragu with Olives. For a classic try my Italian Puttanesca Sauce, simple ingredients in a perfect marriage.
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 favorite! If you want to make a slightly easier shape give my hand rolled gnocchi sardi a try.
If you feel like making some fresh egg 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 be great!
How to cook the perfect pasta
Ever wondered the what the perfect salt to water ratio is? This guide is a must for you!
Recipe FAQs
My preference is a cremini mushroom(or swiss brown, baby bella). White button mushrooms will work well, honestly use whatever type of mushrooms you love.
This recipe I tend to use double cream (heavy cream) but it will work with single or light cream too.
Yes, you can, you don't taste it though, it just really helps to get the flavors 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.
Some more sauces to try
If you loved this easy mushroom pasta recipe then check out my recipe section for all sorts of delicious dishes. Here are a few suggestions to get you started.
Did you make this recipe?
I would LOVE it if you could leave a review and star rating down below. Also please tag me on Instagram if you share a photo of the dish!
Recipe
Best Creamy Mushroom Pasta (with optional olives)
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Ingredients
- Pasta of your choice Either 200 grams dried or 300 grams fresh
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 300 grams mushrooms sliced, see notes
- 4 garlic cloves finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leave finely chopped
- ½ cup white wine I use sauvignon blanc or pinot gris
- ¾ cup cream
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice plus the zest for serving
- 50 grams parmesan very finely grated, ideally with a microplane
- ½ cup flat leaf parsley finely chopped
- ½ cup heaped kalamata olives OPTIONAL
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Get your pasta cooking in a pot of well salted water. Reserve a cup of pasta water before draining incase you need it.
- 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.
- 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 2 - 3 seperate lots, mixing in between each addition to let it melt.
- Add the lemon juice and black pepper and whisk in quickly.
- Let it gently simmer for a 2 - 3 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.
- Add your cooked pasta straight in (along with the olives if using) 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 toss the chopped parsley through and serve.
- Top with extra parmesan, lemon zest and lots of freshly cracked pepper.
Char says
I found yr site by inputting best olive & mushroom recipes. No cream 4 me so I subbed in herbal goat cheese for tang & more pasta water, just a sprinkling of good parmesan. I'm a garlic girl so I added 6 cloves near the end 4 killer flavor. Thx for a lip-smacking delight. Now I'll check yr other recipes!
Emilie Pullar says
Hi Char! Love the idea of the goats cheese!! So glad you enjoyed and thanks so much for making 🙂
Erica McQueen says
Undoubtedly thee most delicious pasta dish I ever eaten/made. The balance of the creamy sauce and the salty olives it perfection. I throw this together regularly now, it’s become a fast favourite. Highly recommend you give this a go!
Emilie Pullar says
Thank you so much!!! So glad you loved it 🙂
Magda says
I tried this recipe already twice and I loved it! I really enjoyed making it and it tasted amazing! Thank you : )
Emilie Pullar says
Yay so great to hear Magda, thank you so much!