Creamy Mushroom Alfredo Pasta (Printable Version)

Rich and velvety pasta featuring sautéed mushrooms and garlic in a luscious cream sauce. Ready in just 30 minutes.

# What You'll Need:

→ 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

# How To Make It:

01 - Cook pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, then drain completely.
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, approximately 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 and allow it to melt completely, then pour in heavy cream. Bring to a gentle simmer.
05 - Add grated Parmesan and nutmeg, stirring continuously until the cheese melts and sauce thickens slightly, approximately 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
06 - Add drained pasta to the skillet and toss to coat evenly. Add reserved pasta water gradually as needed to achieve a silky, cohesive sauce consistency.
07 - Transfer to serving dishes immediately. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and extra Parmesan cheese.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen, but you're eating in 30 minutes flat.
  • The mushrooms turn sweet and meaty when you cook them right, and they soak up all that garlicky cream.
  • You probably have most of these ingredients already, so it's perfect for a last minute dinner that still feels special.
  • It's one of those dishes that makes people go quiet at the table because they're too busy enjoying it.
02 -
  • Don't crowd the mushrooms or they'll steam instead of brown, and you'll miss out on all that deep, caramelized flavor.
  • Reserve that pasta water before you drain, I've forgotten more times than I care to admit and had to add plain water, which just isn't the same.
  • Add the Parmesan off the heat or on very low heat, otherwise it can get grainy and clumpy instead of smooth.
  • If your sauce looks too thick, add pasta water a tablespoon at a time, it has starch that helps everything come together instead of breaking apart.
03 -
  • Use a large skillet so the pasta has room to toss properly, a small pan will make everything clump together.
  • Grate your Parmesan fresh, the pre-shredded stuff has anti-caking agents that prevent it from melting smoothly into the sauce.
  • Taste the sauce before adding the pasta, it should be slightly over-seasoned because the pasta will dilute it a bit.
  • If you want to make this ahead, cook the mushroom sauce and store it separately, then cook fresh pasta and combine them just before serving.
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