Creamy Mushroom Pesto Pasta (Printable)

Sautéed mushrooms in creamy basil pesto sauce with pasta. Ready in 30 minutes. Elegant, vegetarian-friendly Italian comfort food.

# What You Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz penne or fettuccine pasta
02 - Salt for pasta water

→ Mushrooms

03 - 14 oz cremini or button mushrooms, sliced
04 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

→ Pesto Sauce

07 - 3.5 oz basil pesto
08 - ½ cup heavy cream
09 - ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
10 - Salt and black pepper to taste

→ Garnish

11 - Fresh basil leaves
12 - Extra grated Parmesan cheese

# Directions:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve ½ cup of pasta water, then drain and set aside.
02 - Heat olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add sliced mushrooms and sauté for 6-7 minutes until golden and tender. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Lower heat. Stir in pesto and heavy cream, mixing until combined. Add grated Parmesan and stir until sauce reaches smooth consistency.
04 - Toss cooked pasta into the skillet, adding reserved pasta water gradually until achieving desired creamy consistency. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
05 - Transfer to serving plates. Garnish with fresh basil leaves and extra grated Parmesan. Serve immediately while hot.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It delivers restaurant-quality flavor in less time than it takes to stream an episode of your favorite show.
  • The creamy pesto clings to every piece of pasta and mushroom like a silk scarf, rich but never heavy.
  • You can make it with pantry staples and whatever mushrooms are on sale, no fancy ingredients required.
  • It feels indulgent enough for date night but forgiving enough for a weeknight scramble.
02 -
  • Don't skip reserving the pasta water, I forgot once and the sauce turned pasty and thick instead of silky and smooth.
  • Let the mushrooms brown without moving them too much; the first time I made this, I stirred constantly and ended up with sad, grey, rubbery mushrooms instead of caramelized golden ones.
  • Add the garlic after the mushrooms are cooked, not before, or it'll burn and turn bitter before the mushrooms are ready.
03 -
  • Use a skillet large enough to toss the pasta comfortably; cramming it into a small pan makes it harder to coat everything evenly.
  • If your pesto tastes too sharp or salty, the cream will mellow it out, but start with less and add more to taste.
  • Warm your serving bowls in a low oven for a few minutes before plating; it keeps the pasta hotter longer and feels like a restaurant touch.
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