Best Creamy Mushroom Pasta Sauce

Published: 5 Sep, 2024 | Modified on: 13 Dec, 2025 | By Emilie Pullar

5 from 26 votes

This creamy mushroom pasta recipe is a restaurant quality dish made right at home. Tender golden mushrooms coated in a luscious garlic and parmesan cream sauce, simple ingredients with big flavor. Whether it’s a quick weeknight dinner or a cozy date night, this easy mushroom pasta will have everyone asking for seconds.

Cooked orecchiette pasta in a creamy sauce. Golden mushrooms on top and chopped green parsley. Fork resting on the white plate.

Hi! This is one of my favorite and most-made dishes. If I have people coming for dinner and can’t decide what to cook, this creamy mushroom pasta is often the one! I’m known for a good creamy sauce, my Creamy Chicken Pasta is the most popular recipe on my site, and if you can’t decide between chicken and mushrooms, try my Creamy Mushroom and Chicken Pasta for the best of both worlds.

I have served it with a Homemade Orecchiette but it will be perfect with any pasta shape, fresh or dried. I prefer to weigh pasta portions (check out my guide to cooking the perfect pasta) and think 200 grams dried or 300 grams fresh for two is perfect. If you feel like making some fresh egg pasta to go with it then my Homemade Pasta Dough recipe works every time.

Main ingredients

Fresh Mushrooms - Use any mushrooms you love. I usually go for cremini mushrooms (also called Swiss brown or baby bella) or white button mushrooms. A mix adds a great flavor if you have options. Portobello, shiitake, or even oyster mushrooms all work beautifully for this creamy mushroom pasta sauce.

White wine - A splash of dry white wine (like Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Gris) adds lovely depth and acidity. It doesn’t need to be fancy, just something you’d enjoy drinking. If you prefer not to use wine, a little vegetable or chicken broth works well too.

Fresh Herbs -Use fresh thyme and rosemary for flavor you can’t get from dried herbs. Sage works beautifully too, and a sprinkle of fresh parsley at the end adds color and freshness.

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 for a super silky sauce.

Cream - In the U.S., use heavy cream or whipping cream. In New Zealand or Australia, single cream works perfectly. If the sauce thickens too much, add a splash of pasta water to loosen it.

Lemon - A squeeze of fresh lemon juice lifts the richness of the cream and cheese, and a little zest on top brightens it so much. Don’t skip it, it makes the sauce shine!

Optional add ins

Chicken - this sauce is perfect with some cooked chicken thighs or breast tossed through.

Pancetta or bacon - golden pan fried bacon mixed through at the end gives such a flavor boost.

Olives - I like to use Kalamata olives but use any olives you personally love! They just go so perfectly with the earthy flavor of the mushrooms.

How to make this creamy mushroom sauce

Full ingredient list and step-by-step instructions are in the recipe card below.

Golden brown mushroom slices cooking in a stainless steel fry pan.

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.

Herbs and garlic added to the cooked mushrooms.

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. Scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan.

Cream mixed through mushrooms in 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.

Mushrooms pushed to the side of the pan and parmesan sprinkled on top of cream.

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.

Orecchiette pasta bubbling in the creamy sauce.

SIX: Add your cooked pasta straight 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.

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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.
Don't overcrowd the pan when cooking mushrooms. 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 starchy water will just be left in the pot for you to use as you need.

How to use pasta water for the perfect creamy sauce

Pasta water is liquid gold for creamy sauces. It emulsifies with the cream and cheese so the sauce clings perfectly. My go-to ratio: 400 g pasta + 2.5 quarts (2.4 L) water + 1.5 Tbsp salt. That gives the ideal starch level for silky sauces.

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!

Stainless steel fry pan with the creamy mushroom pasta, sitting on a white bench top.

White plate with fettuccine pasta in a creamy salmon sauce. Chunks of salmon and fresh chopped chives on top.

Another weeknight fave!

If you love salmon then please add this creamy salmon pasta to your list. It's fresh, zingy and delicious!

Get the recipe

Storing creamy mushroom pasta

I do have a little caveat that I don't think creamy pasta re-heats all that well. It is one of the main reasons I write recipes for two so that you can double if you need but won't be stuck with a lot of extra.

It will keep in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 2 - 3 days. I would not advise freezing.

Recipe FAQs

What mushrooms are best for a pasta sauce?

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.

What sort of cream is best for a creamy pasta sauce?

This recipe I tend to use double cream (whipping or heavy cream) but it will work with single or light cream too.

Can I leave the wine out?

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.

What protein goes well with a mushroom pasta?

Try my chicken and mushroom pasta for a protein added option. Bacon or pancetta would be great too!

More recipes 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

Creamy mushroom pasta on a white plate with a fork resting in.

Best Creamy Mushroom Pasta Sauce

5 from 26 votes

Author: Emilie Pullar

Prep time:20

Cook Time:15

Servings: 2 people

Print Recipe Pin Rate

This creamy mushroom pasta recipe is an easy, restaurant quality pasta made with golden mushrooms, garlic and a parmesan cream sauce. Ready in no time and so delicious you’ll make it on repeat!

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Ingredients

200 grams dried pasta (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. If you ever have problems with lemon curdling your sauces then add it in at the end with the pasta.
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.
It might seem too saucy in the pan but pasta dried up QUICK. You want it on the saucier side in the pan so by the time you serve, it's perfect.

Video

Notes

MUSHROOMS - I use cremini (also called swiss brown or baby bella) but use white button, portobellos or anything you like. Don't slice too thin. It will seem like a lot but they shrink down SO much when cooked. The key to cooking mushrooms is to leave them alone! Toss in the oil and butter then don't move them again until you turn them over.

PASTA - I always undercook pasta by a minute so it can gently bubble away IN the sauce at the end and not overcook.

SAUCE -It will seem really saucy but cream thickens up so much off the heat so always make sure it is really 'saucy' in the pan.

OLIVES - If you use olives, give them a little rinse first to get that super briny liquid off. I like using Kalamata olives.

Author: Emilie Pullar

Prep Time: 20

Cook Time: 15

Course: Vegetarian

Cuisine: Italian Inspired

Keyword: creamy mushroom pasta

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