Start your pasta dinner with an Italian bruschetta as a starter for an authentic experience. This post contains affiliate links. When you purchase through our links, we may earn a commission. Pasta is often enjoyed with some sort of meat in North America while all it really needs is a flavourful sauce to be a complete meal. Whenever I think of a delicious sauce, mushrooms always come to mind! I am quite obsessed with them and I make no apologies. This mushroom pasta with Parmesan cream sauce is a real winner. It’s quick, inexpensive and so easy to make! I paired my mushroom sauce with the linguine but tagliatelle, fettuccine or a favourite pasta shape of your choice will do the trick. Whatever you use, this is an elevated yet simple pasta that’s perfect for almost any occasion!
Mushroom sauce for pasta
I had a truly creamy mushroom sauce in mind when I made this but also didn’t want to make anything too complicated. The answer was to reach for a classic, which fans of my Pasta Cream Sauce or Alfredo Sauce will recognise. The simplicity of the sauce is important – quick and easy is just what we need for a weeknight dinner – but doesn’t come at the sacrifice of flavour. It also works as a great base for other ingredients, including the mushrooms we are using here. Here the umami of the mushrooms and freshness of the herbs act to counterbalance the richness of the sauce, balancing the whole dish. Added together, this creamy mushroom pasta recipe is an elegantly simple recipe that lets the nutty flavour of the mushrooms come through.
Substitutions and variations
It’s easy to change the recipe to suit your tastes. The easiest way to do this is to choose different varieties of mushrooms. I used chestnut/cremini mushrooms because they were what I had at hand. Oyster mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms and even portobello mushrooms are all good options, especially if mixed together. White button mushrooms can be used as well. They don’t add a lot of flavour but cheap and easy to find is definitely a win! The other way to alter the recipe is to add a protein. Both chicken and shrimp work well in this sauce.
Serving Suggestions
As I mentioned, this vegetarian pasta is absolutely enough to satisfy most appetites. However, it’s great to add some sides to round off a meal. In this case, I recommend making our Roasted Parmesan Broccoli with Sun-dried Tomatoes, Garlic and Chillies. Such a perky side dish to balance out the creamy pasta. Or if you want something even quicker, try our Lemon Garlic Green Beans with Parmesan, or a simple Garden Salad. And of course, Garlic Bread is always a winner!
Storage and leftovers
As much as we love pasta, the truth is that it’s never as great the next day. Pasta that’s not eaten fresh is likely to lose its al dente texture and become soggier than is ideal. It will become especially soggy if it is frozen, so if you do have leftovers, keep them in a refrigerator and use within 3 days. Store it in an airtight container and reheat in a microwave.
Favourite mushroom recipes to try
Chicken Risotto with Mushrooms and Thyme Mashed Potato Casserole with Mushrooms and Caramelised Onions Creamy Tagliatelle with Bacon, Mushrooms and Truffle Oil Beef, Mushroom and Snow Pea Stir Fry
