Description
Creamy mushroom pasta whisks home cooks into an Italian culinary paradise with silky sauce and earthy woodland flavors. Comfort meets elegance on your plate, inviting you to savor each luxurious, herb-infused bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta and Main Ingredients:
- 12 ounces (340 grams) pasta (fettuccine, penne, or spaghetti)
- 8 ounces (226 grams) mushrooms (cremini, button, or shiitake), sliced
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
Fats and Liquids:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup vegetable or chicken broth
Seasonings and Herbs:
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Boil pasta in generously salted water at rolling boil for 8-9 minutes until perfectly tender, maintaining a slight bite. Carefully extract 1/2 cup starchy cooking liquid before draining.
- Warm olive oil and butter in expansive skillet over medium-high heat until butter melts and begins to shimmer.
- Introduce minced garlic, allowing aromatic oils to release for 30-45 seconds without browning.
- Incorporate sliced mushrooms, spreading evenly across pan surface. Allow mushrooms to caramelize and release moisture, developing deep golden edges for approximately 5-6 minutes.
- Stream chicken broth into skillet, gently reducing liquid by one-third to concentrate flavors.
- Whisk heavy cream, grated Parmesan, Italian seasoning, kosher salt, and cracked black pepper into developing sauce, creating luxurious, velvety consistency.
- Simmer sauce for 2-3 minutes until slightly thickened, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching.
- Fold cooked pasta into creamy mixture, ensuring each strand becomes thoroughly coated. Adjust sauce consistency using reserved pasta water if needed.
- Finish dish with freshly chopped parsley and optional red pepper flakes for subtle heat and vibrant color.
- Serve immediately while sauce remains glossy and pasta retains optimal temperature.
Notes
- Choose high-quality mushrooms like cremini or shiitake for deeper, richer flavor profiles that elevate the entire dish.
- Reserve pasta water strategically to control sauce consistency, adding splashes gradually for perfect creamy texture without becoming too thin.
- Experiment with alternative dairy options like cashew cream or coconut milk for lactose-intolerant or vegan dietary needs, maintaining the luxurious sauce’s silkiness.
- Toast herbs and red pepper flakes briefly in butter before adding to intensify their aromatic qualities and create more complex layered taste sensations.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 376 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 367 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 11 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 36 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 13 g
- Cholesterol: 55 mg