Creamy Mushroom Alfredo Pasta (Printer-friendly)

Silky fettuccine tossed with golden mushrooms and garlic in a velvety cream sauce. A luxurious 30-minute vegetarian comfort meal.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz fettuccine or tagliatelle

→ Mushrooms & Aromatics

02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
03 - 1 pound 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 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water before draining and set aside.
02 - While pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add sliced mushrooms and sauté for 6 to 8 minutes until golden brown and their moisture has evaporated.
03 - Add the chopped shallot and minced garlic to the skillet. Sauté for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant.
04 - Reduce heat to medium. Add butter to the skillet and allow it to melt. Pour in the heavy cream and bring to a gentle simmer.
05 - Stir in the grated Parmesan cheese and nutmeg. Continue stirring until the cheese melts and the sauce thickens slightly, approximately 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
06 - Add the drained pasta to the skillet and toss thoroughly to coat with the sauce. Add reserved pasta water gradually if needed to achieve a silky consistency.
07 - Transfer to serving plates immediately. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and additional Parmesan cheese.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like you spent hours on it but comes together in the time it takes to boil pasta and sauté mushrooms.
  • The sauce clings to every strand of fettuccine, creating that restaurant quality silkiness you don't expect from a weeknight dinner.
  • Mushrooms become deeply golden and concentrated, adding a savory richness that makes this feel indulgent without being heavy.
  • You probably already have most of these ingredients, which means comfort food is always within reach.
02 -
  • Don't crowd the mushrooms in the pan or they'll steam instead of brown, cook them in batches if your skillet isn't big enough.
  • Reserve that pasta water before draining, it contains starch that helps the sauce cling and creates a creamy consistency you can't replicate with plain water.
  • Use freshly grated Parmesan, the pre shredded kind contains cellulose that makes the sauce grainy instead of smooth.
  • Taste the sauce before adding salt, Parmesan is already salty and you don't want to overdo it.
03 -
  • Cook the mushrooms longer than you think you need to, they should be deeply golden and almost crispy at the edges for maximum flavor.
  • If the sauce breaks or looks oily, whisk in a tablespoon of pasta water off the heat and it'll come back together.
  • For a lighter version, replace half the cream with whole milk, it won't be quite as rich but it's still delicious.
  • Grate your Parmesan on the finest side of the grater so it melts instantly and doesn't clump.
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