Recipe

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This garlic mushroom pasta is a simple and delicious recipe made without cream, coming together quickly for a perfect weeknight meal.

When you want pasta but don't want anything heavy, this garlic mushroom pasta feels light and is loaded with mushrooms in every bite.

Simple Mushroom Pasta

Mushroom garlic pasta is my husband's favorite, and it comes together so fast that I don't mind making it on a weeknight. While the pasta boils, the mushrooms and garlic are sautéed in a pan, filling the kitchen with a heavenly aroma.

The simple sauce is made with a bit of reserved pasta water, no cream needed, unlike my mushroom Alfredo. It's proof that a meatless pasta night can still be full of flavor and totally satisfying.

Ingredients

Grab your favorite pasta shape to make this recipe. Pick one type or combine your favorite mushrooms, such as Shitake, button, or Portobello, and give them flavor with onion and garlic. You’ll season them with salt, pepper, oregano, and thyme (other herbs and fresh options are listed in the recipe card), along with chopped walnuts to make the base earthy. They’re sautéed in both olive oil and butter for a rich flavor without using cream, and the sauce itself is made with a little cornstarch, reserved pasta water, and Parmesan.

How to Make it

You’ll find the detailed instructions in the recipe card, but first, here is a simple overview of how to make this mushroom pasta:

Cook the pasta, and before you drain it, reserve the pasta water.
Sauté the onions and garlic first, then add the herbs, mushrooms, and walnuts until they’re soft.
Make the sauce by adding a little cornstarch to the mushroom base, then add the pasta water and simmer it.
Combine the mushroom sauce with the pasta, add the Parmesan, and toss to mix everything well. If needed, add a little more pasta water to adjust the sauciness to your liking.

How to Serve It

This pasta can be a meal on its own, or you can serve it with an everyday side salad, these spicy green beans, or add a protein, such as pan-seared chicken or baked salmon.

Mushroom Garlic Pasta

Servings: 4

Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 20

Total Time: 25

This garlic mushroom pasta is a simple and delicious recipe made without cream, coming together quickly for a perfect weeknight meal.

5 from 3 votes

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Ingredients

8 ounces of pasta
¼ cup olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
1 small onion, minced
4 garlic cloves, grated or minced
16 ounces mushrooms*, sliced
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon thyme
½ teaspoon oregano
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
⅓ cup chopped walnuts, optional
1 teaspoon cornstarch, optional
½ cup Parmesan

Instructions

Cook the pasta:

Cook the pasta according to the box instructions. Reserve 1 ½ cups of pasta water, then drain the pasta and set it aside. You'll need about 1 cup; a little extra is always a great idea.

Sauté:

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil and butter over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté until it has softened, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic, mushrooms, and chopped walnuts (if using) and stir.
Add the seasonings to the mushroom mixture, stir to combine, and continue cooking the mushrooms for 8 to 10 minutes, until they've turned a darker color and softened. You'll see some of the mushroom moisture being released in the pan.
Sprinkle the cornstarch over the mushrooms and toss to distribute it. Add 1 cup of the reserved pasta water, stir, and bring the sauce to a low simmering boil.
Reduce the heat to the lowest setting and simmer the sauce for 5 minutes.

Combine:

Add the cooked pasta to the mushroom sauce. Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese over the top, and toss to combine. If you want this to be more saucy, add a little more reserved pasta water to the skillet.
Serve warm, topped with a little more Parmesan.

Notes

Use 1lb (16 ounces) of your favorite mushrooms. Simple button mushrooms, Shitake, chopped Portabello, anything goes.
Other herbs that work well are Italian seasoning, poultry seasoning, oregano, thyme, and rosemary. Use 1 teaspoon to 1 ½ teaspoons of dried herbs, and 2 to 3 teaspoons of finely chopped fresh herbs.