Creamy Mushroom Pasta

Simple pantry-staple ingredients are ready in just 35 minutes. A simple, satisfying weeknight meal or elegant date-night dinner side. Versatile and delicious!

Course Main Course

Cuisine American, Italian

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 25

Total Time 35

Servings

Calories 619kcal

Author Imma

Equipment

5-quart cast iron pot, saucepan, or 12- inch skillet

Ingredients

1 8-ounce (250g) package linguine or any pasta of your choice
2-3 tablespoons (28-42ml) olive oil
2-3 tablespoons (28-42g) butter
1-1½ pounds (450-700g) cremini mushrooms, cleaned and sliced (see notes)
salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon (4g) Creole seasoning
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1 yellow onion, minced
3-4 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
2 teaspoons (2g) minced thyme
¼ -½ teaspoon (0.5-1g) chili flakes (optional)
2 teaspoons (8g) Creole seasoning or Italian seasoning
2 tablespoons (15g) all-purpose flour
1½ cups (355ml) milk
1 cup (236ml) chicken stock
½ cup (50g) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons (8g) chopped parsley

Instructions

Cook the pasta in a large pot according to the package instructions to al dente (slightly undercooked and still firm to the touch). Drain (reserving 1-2 cups of pasta water) and set it aside.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat with 1-2 tablespoons of the olive oil and butter. As soon as the butter melts and starts to bubble, add the mushrooms and season with salt, pepper, and Creole seasoning.
Cook mushrooms, stirring frequently, until slightly brown and softened, 7-10 minutes. Avoid overcrowding, so if using a small skillet, you may have to cook in batches. You don’t need to add more oil; the mushrooms will release their liquid, and you can continue cooking until most of the liquid evaporates.
Add the garlic and continue cooking until fragrant (about a minute), season with salt, and set aside.
Wipe the skillet if needed, then add the remaining olive oil and butter, followed by the onion, garlic, thyme, chili flakes, and Creole seasoning. Sauté for 2-3 minutes for the flavors to bloom.
Add flour and cook for another minute. Gently pour in the milk and stock, a little at a time. Whisk as you pour to prevent lumps. Reduce the heat and let it simmer until the mixture slightly thickens. (See notes)
Stir in the Parmesan and cooked pasta. Either add the cooked mushrooms now or serve them separately and top the pasta. I prefer to serve later, but you decide what you want.
Adjust the thickness with pasta water, but remember that cream sauce thickens as it sits.
Remove pasta from the heat and serve immediately. Garnish with Parmesan and fresh parsley if desired. Enjoy!

Notes

Feel free to use your favorite spice blends. Chili powder, Italian seasoning, and Jamaican curry are all good swaps to make dinner more interesting.
Swap out mushrooms with whatever you have on hand, or that is on sale.
If, despite all efforts, the sauce is lumpy, blitz it in the blender or use an immersion blender to make it smooth. No one will ever know.
Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on the products used in the recipe.

Nutrition