Dinner · Western

Quick and Comforting Creamy Mushroom Pasta Dinner

Name: Quick and Comforting Creamy Mushroom Pasta Dinner
Prep time: 8 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Western
Ingredients: 0.5 cup low sodium chicken or vegetable broth; 10 oz mushrooms, sliced 1/8" (1/3 cm) thick; 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped; 6 oz fettuccine or linguine; 2 tbsp unsalted butter; 0.5 tbsp olive oil; 0.5 cup dry white wine; 0.75 cup heavy or thickened cream; 0.3333333333333333 cup parmesan, finely grated; 0.5 tsp each salt and pepper; 0 Extra parmesan; 0 Roughly chopped parsley

A hot skillet and melted butter turn the sliced mushrooms golden before a splash of white wine goes into this Creamy Mushroom Pasta.

By Ally
Updated August 27, 2026 · Why trust this?

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A steaming bowl of creamy mushroom pasta. — Photograph by the CookingMyRecipes kitchen

Total

20 min

Prep

8 min

Cook

12 min

Serves

Level

Medium

Sliced mushrooms shrink in a hot skillet before white wine and heavy cream build a pan sauce. A Quick and Comforting Creamy Mushroom Pasta Dinner coats 6 ounces (160 g) of flat noodles with melted parmesan. A splash of reserved cooking water brings the dish together right in the pan.

The mushrooms

Swiss brown and cremini mushrooms offer more flavor than white button mushrooms. You can use white button mushrooms as a substitute. You need 10 ounces (300 g) of fresh mushrooms for the skillet. They shrink a lot during cooking. Cut them about 1/8 inch (1/3 cm) thick so they cook evenly.

Melt the butter and heat the olive oil together in the pan. The oil stops the butter from burning over high heat. Cook the mushrooms without crowding the pan. A crowded skillet makes the mushrooms steam instead of turning golden brown. You must cook the mushrooms in multiple batches if you scale up the recipe.

The pasta and cream sauce

Wide, flat dried noodles like fettuccine or linguine have broad sides that easily catch creamy sauces. You can substitute any dried pasta shape you like. A typical portion of uncooked pasta equals 2.8 ounces (80 g) per person.

Pour the dry white wine into the skillet with the golden mushrooms. The hot pan will get very steamy. The wine helps deglaze the skillet and flavors the sauce. Let the wine simmer until almost all of the liquid cooks away. The sharp alcohol smell will disappear.

Heavy cream and fresh parmesan finish the sauce. Powdery or shaved store-bought parmesan prevents the cheese from melting smoothly. Finely shredded store-bought parmesan works as a substitute. Light cream can replace the heavy cream. You will just need to use extra starchy pasta water to thicken the sauce.

Boil the noodles and stop 1 minute before the package instructions indicate. Scoop out 1 cup of the cooking water. Drain the pasta and transfer it directly into the skillet. Toss everything together for 1 to 2 minutes. The sauce will thicken and coat the noodles. Mix in a splash of the reserved cooking water if the liquid becomes overly heavy.

For Serving

Serve the pasta immediately. You can garnish the plates with extra parmesan and roughly chopped parsley.

Offset the richness of the creamy sauce by adding a crisp salad on the side.
Provide a side of bread seasoned with garlic, or add baked cheese to the slices, to accompany the pasta.

Leftover pasta

Store leftover pasta in the refrigerator for up to three days. Reheat the leftovers in the microwave. Add a splash of water to the bowl before you heat it. The water loosens the cold sauce.

The Recipe serves 2 · 20 min

Quick and Comforting Creamy Mushroom Pasta Dinner

Serves 2

Ingredients

0.5 cup low sodium chicken or vegetable broth
10 oz mushrooms, sliced 1/8" (1/3 cm) thick, white, cremini, or swiss brown
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
6 oz fettuccine or linguine
2 tbsp unsalted butter
0.5 tbsp olive oil
0.5 cup dry white wine, or rose; substitute more broth if needed
0.75 cup heavy or thickened cream
0.33 cup parmesan, finely grated
0.5 tsp each salt and pepper

For Serving

Extra parmesan
Roughly chopped parsley, optional

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Method

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta about halfway through cooking the mushrooms. Boil the noodles, stopping 1 minute before the package instructions indicate. Scoop out 1 cup of the cooking water. Drain the pasta. Timer 1 min

Set a large skillet over high heat. Melt the butter and heat the olive oil together in the pan.

Toss in the mushrooms and cook them with a good stir. Once they begin to release their moisture, sprinkle in a pinch of salt and pepper.

Let the mushrooms cook for about 4 to 5 minutes until they turn pretty golden. Add the chopped garlic and keep cooking until the mushrooms and the garlic are entirely golden. Timer 5 min

Pour the white wine into the skillet. Stand back because the hot pan will get very steamy. Stir the liquid and scrape the bottom of the skillet. Let the wine simmer until almost all of it cooks away. The sharp alcohol smell will disappear.

Pour the chicken broth and heavy cream into the skillet. Add the grated parmesan and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt and pepper. Stir the mixture well so the cheese melts. Let the sauce simmer and stir it for 2 minutes. Timer 2 min

Transfer the drained pasta directly into the skillet. Toss everything together for 1 to 2 minutes until the sauce thickens and coats the pasta. If the liquid becomes overly heavy, mix in a splash of the reserved cooking water. Timer 2 min

Serve the pasta immediately. Garnish the plates with extra parmesan and the roughly chopped parsley.

Nutritionper serving

893

Calories

24g

Protein

67g

Carbs

58g

Fat

Nutrition Facts

Amount per serving

Calories 893Calories from fat 522

% Daily Value*

Fat 58g74%

Saturated fat 33g165%

Cholesterol 237mg79%

Sodium 1117mg49%

Carbohydrates 67g24%

Fiber 4g14%

Sugar 5g10%

Protein 24g48%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000-calorie diet (FDA daily values) and are computed automatically.

Nutrition is estimated and provided for convenience. Source: Edamam.

Cook's notes

Substitutions

Cremini and Swiss brown mushrooms will give this Quick and Comforting Creamy Mushroom Pasta Dinner a deeper flavor than standard white button mushrooms.

You can swap the heavy cream for light cream as long as you rely on a little extra starchy pasta water to help thicken the sauce.

Storage

Store any remaining pasta in the refrigerator for up to three days, and when reheating a portion in the microwave, stir in a little water to thin out the cold sauce.

Serving

Balance the richness of the cream sauce by offering a crunchy green salad or some warm garlic bread on the side.

Common mistakes

Avoid using powdery or shaved store-bought parmesan because it will not melt smoothly into the hot liquid.

Do not crowd the skillet when initially cooking the mushrooms or they will steam instead of developing a beautiful golden brown color.

Techniques

If you are scaling up the recipe to feed more people, cook the mushrooms in multiple batches so they have enough room to brown.

Always salt your pasta boiling water generously so the noodles absorb seasoning from the inside out.

Let your mushrooms sear undisturbed for a few minutes before tossing them so they can develop a deep, savory crust.

Make ahead, store & reheat

Store: Store any remaining pasta in the refrigerator for up to three days, and when reheating a portion in the microwave, stir in a little water to thin out the cold sauce.

Frequently asked

Can I make this without alcohol?

Yes, you can easily omit the dry white wine or rose. Simply substitute an extra splash of low sodium chicken or vegetable broth to help deglaze the skillet.

Does it matter what kind of pasta I use?

Flat and wide dried pastas such as fettuccine or linguine are great choices because their broad shapes give the creamy sauce plenty of room to grab onto the noodles. If you prefer, you can easily substitute whatever dried pasta shape you already keep in your kitchen.

Why does the recipe use both butter and olive oil?

The olive oil protects the butter and stops it from burning over high heat. This combination allows you to safely achieve a golden brown color on the mushrooms while keeping the rich flavor of the butter.

How do I know when the wine has cooked down enough?

Let the wine simmer until almost all of the liquid has evaporated from the bottom of the skillet. You will know it is ready to move on when the sharp smell of alcohol completely disappears.

Why should I undercook the pasta by a minute?

Boiling the noodles slightly less than the package directions leaves them firm enough to finish cooking directly in the skillet. This allows the pasta to absorb the creamy sauce without becoming overly soft or mushy.

Can I freeze this creamy pasta dish?

Freezing is not recommended for this Quick and Comforting Creamy Mushroom Pasta Dinner. Cream sauces often separate and develop a grainy texture when they are frozen and reheated.

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