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Home Pasta

Mushroom Pasta

By:Nagi
Published:3 Sep '20Updated:16 Apr '21
262 Comments
Recipe v Video v Dozer v

This is a mushroom pasta that’s nice and juicy, in no way dry and dull even though it’s not made with a tomato or cream sauce like this Creamy Mushroom Pasta. It’s buttery and garlicky, and it’s 6 ingredient magic at its best.

Plus my little trick to make extra buttery mushrooms using LESS butter!

Skillet with spaghetti and mushrooms

Mushroom Pasta

Anyone who has sautéed mushrooms will know that the minute mushrooms hit the skillet, the bottom layer of mushrooms soaks up the oil, leaving the top layer dry.

So I used to think that the best way to sauté mushrooms was with loads and loads of butter or olive oil. As you sauté the mushrooms, they start to leech water, creating moisture. But still! That first layer of mushrooms lucky enough to hit the skillet first stole all the butter, leaving the remaining 80% of mushrooms butter free!

In a bid to even out the butteriness of mushrooms, my solution is to reduce the amount of butter melted in the skillet, add a bit of olive oil (so you can heat the butter more without it burning and get the mushrooms browned faster). Then AFTER the mushrooms are golden (i.e. water leeched so they are no longer butter-sponges), add a small knob of butter.

Boom! A big skillet of mushrooms that look and taste WAY more buttery than if all the butter is melted at the beginning! See??

 

Close up of freshly cooked Mushroom pasta

What you need for mushroom pasta

Here’s what you need for this mushroom pasta. You can use any type of long strand or even short stand pasta you want (like orecchiette, penne, ziti, macaroni). Also, the parmesan is not just for serving. Tossing the pasta with parmesan before serving is a little trick I like to use for an extra flavour boost!

What goes in Mushroom pasta

How to make mushroom spaghetti

Here’s how to make this mushroom pasta:

How to make mushroom pasta

The two key steps here are:

  • Butter added later – Hold back some of the butter until AFTER the mushrooms are golden – for extra buttery mushrooms with less butter!

  • Pasta cooking water – Use some of the pasta cooking water to toss with the spaghetti and mushrooms. The starch in the water will emulsify (thicken) with the butter in the mushrooms, creating a slick juicy transparent “sauce” that clings to the pasta strands. Classic Italian cooking technique used for all pastas.

If you do this key step of tossing the pasta with some of the pasta cooking water, people will think you’ve made a mushroom pasta sauce. That’s how juicy and “saucy” it seems!

Mushroom pasta in a bowl, ready to be eaten

Fork twirling mushroom pasta

I know I keep going on and on about how juicy and slick this pasta is! It’s because this is hard to capture in photos and I feel like people see pastas like this one without a large pot of sauce and assume it’s dry and boring. When in actual fact, this is about as far from that as it can be!

If you’d like to add some extra greens into your meal, try this with a classic (super quick) Rocket/Arugula Salad with Balsamic Dressing. Otherwise, a juicy tomato salad, fresh crunchy cucumber salad, or have a browse through my Vegetable Sides and pick something using vegetables you have!

– Nagi x

PS If you want to indulge in a special Italian pasta meal, add a side of Garlic Bread or Cheesy Garlic Bread, and finish with Tiramisu. Sheer perfection!


Watch how to make it

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Mushroom Pasta

Author: Nagi | RecipeTin Eats
Prep: 10 minutes mins
Cook: 15 minutes mins
Total: 20 minutes mins
Pasta
Italian
4.96 from 123 votes
Servings2 -3
Tap or hover to scale
Print
  • 1652
Recipe video above. An incredible way to use mushrooms in a meal - in a mushroom pasta! The tastiness of this pasta lies in the mushrooms you use because it's all about the mushrooms. This pasta is made the proper Italian way so even though it's only made with 6 ingredients, it's saucy and juicy and so incredibly tasty!

Ingredients

CHOOSE pasta

  • 200g / 7 oz short pasta like orecchiette, penne, macaroni (Note 1)
  • 160g/6 oz long pasta - spaghetti, fettucine (Note 1)

Garlic Butter Mushrooms for pasta

  • 400g / 14 oz mushrooms , sliced 1/2 cm / 1/5" thick (Note 2)
  • 50g / 3 tbsp unsalted butter , separated
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves , finely minced
  • 1/2 tsp each salt and pepper
  • 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese (or 1/4 cup store bought grated)

To serve

  • Parsley , finely chopped
  • Parmesan cheese , grated

Instructions

Pasta

  • Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. Add the pasta into the pot when you start cooking the mushrooms.
  • Cook pasta per packet instructions minus 1 minute. RESERVE 1 mugful of pasta cooking liquid, then drain pasta.

Mushrooms

  • Melt half butter and all oil in a large skillet over heat.
  • Add mushrooms and cook until water has leeched then evaporated, and the mushrooms start to turn golden around edges - around 5 minutes.
  • Halfway through cooking, add salt & pepper.
  • Add garlic and remaining butter, cook for 2 minutes until mushrooms and garlic are golden.
  • Add pasta, about 3/4 cup of reserved pasta water and parmesan. Toss gently or until water reduces and thickens into a saucy glaze that coats the pasta. If the pasta dries out, add more pasta water.
  • Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed.
  • Remove from stove and serve immediately, garnished with fresh parsley and parmesan cheese.

Recipe Notes:

1. Pasta - you need slightly more if using short pasta for equivalent serving size. Pictured in post: spaghetti and orecchiette.
Orecchiette are shaped like mini bowls and are sold at all major supermarkets in Australia, same price as more common pastas. I like using them for mushroom pasta because I like to scoop up the pasta with the mushrooms - also fabulous with this Sausage Pasta in creamy tomato sauce.
2. Mushrooms - any slicable type fine here. Fabulous with plain button mushrooms, extra good with Swiss Brown/Cremini.
3. Variations: Thyme also goes really well with this pasta because mushrooms + thyme = best mates. Sometimes I will add a splash of cream to the mushrooms, but it's not a make or break, just a "nice to have when you're feeling indulgent".
4. Butter - I provide a range for butter quantities because - well, the more the better. But the minimum is 2 tbsp of butter + 1 tbsp olive oil, otherwise the pasta starts to get dry. No need to measure accurately, just eye ball it!
5. Reheating - Pasta always dries out when refrigerated overnight. For the best reheating option, reserve about 1/4 cup of pasta cooking water. Sprinkle cold pasta with 2 tbsp, then microwave reheat, toss well. Resurrected to near perfect juiciness!
6. Nutrition per serving, assuming 2 (generous!) servings.

Nutrition Information:

Serving: 352gCalories: 583cal (29%)Carbohydrates: 64.9g (22%)Protein: 25.5g (51%)Fat: 26.7g (41%)Saturated Fat: 12.2g (76%)Cholesterol: 121mg (40%)Sodium: 352mg (15%)Potassium: 791mg (23%)Fiber: 2.4g (10%)Sugar: 4.2g (5%)Vitamin A: 600IU (12%)Vitamin C: 10.7mg (13%)Calcium: 230mg (23%)Iron: 8.5mg (47%)
Keywords: mushroom pasta, Mushroom Recipe, mushroom spaghetti
Did you make this recipe?I love hearing how you went with my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @recipe_tin.

Originally published October 2016. Updated with sparking new photos and video! 

🍄MUSHROOM LOVE 🍄

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LIFE OF DOZER

I have a 4WD car. It’s pretty big. Dozer is bigger. 😂

Dozer head touching roof of car

And from the original publication date:

There is no such thing as a peaceful lunch in this household. Always eyes on you.

mushroom-pasta-7

A spectacular way to use mushrooms - in this tasty, juicy Mushroom pasta made the classic Italian way. 15 minute dinner! www.recipetineats.com
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Hi, I'm Nagi!

I believe you can make great food with everyday ingredients even if you’re short on time and cost conscious. You just need to cook clever and get creative!

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262 Comments

  1. Melody says

    December 13, 2023 at 7:57 pm

    5 stars
    this is a winner! so easy and so delicious, much easier on the belly than the creamy variety! x

    Reply
  2. Kelly says

    November 22, 2023 at 11:21 am

    5 stars
    So simple but SO delicious! We devoured this in minutes tonight and I’m already wanting to make it again!

    Reply
  3. Donna R Hernandez says

    October 1, 2023 at 2:38 pm

    5 stars
    DELISH! The only change I made was added pine nuts, absolutely divine. A new regular for us!

    Reply
  4. Ginny says

    August 20, 2023 at 10:12 am

    5 stars
    Another recipe added to the rotation! At this point, I don’t even look at any other sites or cookbooks. Five stars!

    Reply
  5. Jon Wadrop says

    August 12, 2023 at 12:12 pm

    Have tried many of your recipes Nagi, never a failure.
    Looking forward to making mushroom pasta this evening.
    Dozer is a delight, we have a much loved Labrador (Missy) with a similar temperament, very much part of our family.
    Thanks so much for your site.
    PS have also purchased your book.

    Reply
  6. Kerry says

    July 30, 2023 at 8:17 pm

    Made this time with fresh mushroom/truffle oil infused pasta from Sunday markets, 2 mins once boiling. Added sliced spring onions again with garlic. Delicious!

    Reply
  7. KB says

    July 3, 2023 at 8:02 am

    5 stars
    I forgot to post stars! Dang!
    5+++!

    Reply
  8. KB says

    July 3, 2023 at 8:01 am

    I didn’t have high hopes for dinner last night. I had a costco tub of mushrooms well past their prime…no good for a salad, a small chunk of dried-out parm, and some herbs in the garden. Dried pasta in the pantry…not much else…it was a bleak situation! I had zero energy to shop and almost spent a chunk of change for delivery. Then I found this recipe!! I made a delicious dinner for 4 out of stuff I probably would have put in the compost next trash day. I did have a bundle of fresh asparagus. It sounds crazy, but everyone raved over this dish!! There was plenty for lunch today. It was absolutely delicious and a reminder that fantastic food doesn’t have to cost a lot or be complicated.
    I really appreciate you, Nagi!!!!

    Reply
  9. Penny Wood says

    June 29, 2023 at 3:22 am

    5 stars
    Wilted in watercress with goats cheese. Best mushrooms I’ve ever cooked. Fantastic.

    Reply
  10. Masja says

    June 22, 2023 at 4:10 am

    4 stars
    So, me and my son made this. Really good!
    Used 150 g shiitake, 150 g forest mushrooms and ~100 g mushrooms. Turned out so good! Will definitely make again!
    Masja from Sweden

    Reply
  11. Cyndy says

    June 16, 2023 at 3:11 am

    From a tiny medieval village in Aveyron district of France. I had brought spaghetti and a jar of dried morels. We added button mushrooms (all that was available). I put the morel soaking liquid in with the pasta cooking water. I sneaked some baby spinach in because hubby won’t otherwise eat veggies. Lots of good parm. Man was this tasty!

    Reply
  12. Nat says

    May 26, 2023 at 9:31 pm

    Do you think I can add some bacon to this?

    Reply
    • Kieran Murphy says

      June 15, 2023 at 4:22 am

      Absolutely lovely quick simple very very tasty I added bacon lardons

      Reply
  13. Charmaine says

    May 18, 2023 at 8:29 pm

    5 stars
    Such a gr8 easy and healthy meal.
    We luv your recipes.

    Reply
  14. Ann Tipler says

    May 11, 2023 at 6:47 pm

    5 stars
    I wanted to try this but honestly thought it would taste bland. How
    Wrong was I! Have made it 3 times now and it is just packed full of flavour. Not only that, it is a simple recipe that delivers every time. Can’t ask more than that…

    Reply
  15. Wilhelmina Pieren says

    April 18, 2023 at 11:43 pm

    5 stars
    Hi Nagi,
    This recipe is amazing but I have one question, why does my Parmesan go gluey and not melt properly into the pasta? I’ve made this twice now and will continue to but would love to know the secret, I am using perfect Italiano grated Parmesan.

    Reply
    • Blork says

      June 14, 2023 at 10:44 pm

      Try using a larger size grater. Many recipes call for using a microplane grater, but the result is often clumping when the cheese hits the pasta. I get best results with a regular fine grater where the holes are about the width of a piece of spaghetti.

      Reply
  16. Kaz says

    March 28, 2023 at 7:41 am

    5 stars
    oh my, I loved this so much!

    Reply
  17. lyn says

    March 26, 2023 at 1:40 pm

    5 stars
    fabulous tasty easy recipe!

    Reply
  18. Sandra says

    March 12, 2023 at 6:55 pm

    5 stars
    Amazing. We’re travelling on Tassie & I got a box of fancy mushrooms & 8;cloves of local organic garlic, paired with my hand made fettuccini. Tossed some local freeze dried truffle after taking it off the heat & then drizzled with amazing local truffle oil. Can’t beat that!
    And I made the almond coconut lemon cake for afters 😋

    Reply
  19. Pam says

    January 30, 2023 at 9:57 pm

    5 stars
    Nagi, I cooked this mushroom pasta dish tonight and I have to say it is the absolute best we’ve ever eaten..hubby said if he was served it in a restaurant he would not be disappointed…truly a stunning dish and so easy

    Reply
  20. Sally says

    January 19, 2023 at 1:41 pm

    5 stars
    Oh! How lucky I am to find this amazing recipe! I was craving something cozy and this hit the spot. I used brown rice pasta to try to keep things a tiny bit healthier. Love this recipe! The butter is a must in my opinion.

    Reply
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Hi, I'm Nagi!

I believe you can make great food with everyday ingredients even if you’re short on time and cost conscious. You just need to cook clever and get creative! Read More

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