Creamy Mushroom Alfredo Pasta (Print Version)

Rich, velvety pasta with sautéed mushrooms and garlic in a luscious cream sauce. A 30-minute vegetarian comfort dish.

# Components:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz fettuccine or tagliatelle

→ Mushrooms & Aromatics

02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
03 - 1 lb cremini or button mushrooms, sliced
04 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 small shallot, finely chopped
06 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
07 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

→ Creamy Sauce

08 - 1 cup heavy cream
09 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
10 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
11 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

→ Garnish

12 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
13 - Extra Parmesan cheese for serving

# Directions:

01 - Cook pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water, then drain the pasta.
02 - While pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and sauté until golden and their moisture has evaporated, about 6 to 8 minutes.
03 - Add shallot and garlic to the skillet. Sauté for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant.
04 - Reduce heat to medium. Stir in butter, allowing it to melt, then pour in heavy cream. Bring to a gentle simmer.
05 - Add grated Parmesan and nutmeg, stirring until cheese melts and sauce thickens slightly, about 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
06 - Add drained pasta to the skillet. Toss to coat, adding reserved pasta water in small amounts if needed to achieve a silky consistency. Serve immediately, garnished with chopped parsley and extra Parmesan.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen, but you'll be done in thirty minutes flat.
  • The cream and Parmesan create a sauce so velvety it clings to every strand of pasta like a warm hug.
  • You probably already have most of these ingredients sitting in your fridge right now.
  • Mushrooms add that earthy, savory depth that makes this feel restaurant-worthy without any meat.
02 -
  • Don't crowd the mushrooms in the pan or they'll steam instead of brown, if your skillet isn't big enough, cook them in two batches.
  • Reserve that pasta water before draining, it's starchy and salty and turns a good sauce into a great one by helping everything bind together.
  • Add the garlic after the mushrooms have browned, not before, or it'll burn and turn bitter before the mushrooms are done.
  • Keep the heat at medium once you add the cream, high heat can cause the sauce to split and turn grainy instead of smooth.
03 -
  • Toast your pasta water generously, it should taste like the ocean, this seasons the noodles from the inside out and makes the whole dish taste more balanced.
  • Use a large skillet instead of a saucepan so you have room to toss the pasta directly in the sauce without making a mess.
  • Grate your Parmesan fresh from a block, the pre-grated kind contains anti-caking agents that prevent it from melting smoothly into the cream.
  • If the sauce looks too thick, add pasta water one tablespoon at a time, it loosens everything up and adds a glossy sheen you can't get from plain water.
Return