Creamy Mushroom Pasta

Ready in less than 30 minutes, this creamy mushroom pasta is the perfect dish for a quick and easy vegetarian meal. Not to mention, it keeps incredibly well in the fridge so you can store leftovers for healthy lunches days to come.

How to Make Creamy Mushroom Sauce

To make a creamy mushroom sauce, I used a combination of heavy cream, parmesan cheese, and pasta water. To make this creamy pasta sauce you’ll need:

• Mushrooms
• Butter
• Olive Oil
• Shallots
• Garlic
• Heavy cream
• Parmesan cheese
• Parsley

While the recipe does use cream, it doesn’t call for much as the inclusion of pasta water in the sauce helps to ensure the pasta has a creamy texture without using excess cream. Plus, the parmesan cheese adds the perfect touch of salt and a velvety texture. If you’d like to reduce the fat content or calorie content of the recipe, simply use a table cream or half-and-half instead of heavy cream.

To make the creamy mushroom sauce you’ll need to:

1. Sauté the mushrooms in a skillet in a combination of butter and olive oil,
2. Once browned, remove the mushrooms from the skillet,
3. Sauté the shallot and garlic in the remaining butter and olive oil,
4. Add the pasta cooking water and scrape up any tasty bits from the bottom of the pan,
5. Add the cream and parmesan cheese and whisk until smooth and creamy,
6. Season with salt and black pepper to taste,
7. Return the cooked mushrooms to the sauce and stir to combine.

Once the creamy mushroom sauce is ready, add the cooked pasta and gently toss the noodles in the mushroom sauce until well coated, and top with additional parmesan cheese and fresh herbs to serve!

Which mushroom is best for pasta?

When it comes to mushroom pasta, there are so many different types of mushrooms to choose from. While I used classic cremini white mushrooms, you can use any mixture of mushrooms; portobello, shiitake, chanterelle, morel, porcini, and oyster mushrooms would all work particularly well. For the best results, pick a mushroom that is a similar size or cut into a similar shape and thickness as your selected pasta to ensure they fit together nicely in every bite. And, if you’re using dried mushrooms, be sure to rehydrate them well before using them in the recipe as they act like sponges for flavor in the sauce.

Which pasta is best with mushroom sauce?

In Tuscany, the pappardelle noodle is traditionally served with mushroom pasta sauce made from wild porcini mushrooms and cream in a dish known as pappardelle ai funghi e panna, however, you can truly use any cut of pasta for mushroom pasta.

I personally think long-strand pasta pairs best with mushrooms and, therefore, opted to use fettuccini noodles but pappardelle, linguine, tagliatelle, and spaghetti would all work well in this recipe. From a nutrition perspective, all cuts of pasta are equivalent sources of complex carbohydrates and can (and should!) be consumed in a healthy diet.

How to Add Protein:

This creamy mushroom pasta works equally well as a main course or a side dish. While the recipe does provide 20 grams of protein per serving, you could certainly add some grilled chicken or steak to the dish, or enjoy it as a side, to help boost the overall protein content. My top protein suggestions include:

• Grilled steak
• Roasted chicken thighs
• Baked chicken breast
• Seared scallops
• Pan fried shrimp
• Broiled salmon
• Roasted whole fish

In addition to adding protein to the dish, serving the pasta with a simple green salad or a side of asparagus or broccoli would help to increase the overall fiber content of the meal and create a well-balanced meal that is equally delicious as it is nutritious. Regardless of which route you choose, the creamy mushroom pasta is sure to be a hit with the whole family.

More Healthy Pasta Recipes:

• Chicken Pesto Pasta
• Spinach Ricotta Pasta
• Tomato, Spinach and Bacon Pasta

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