Creamy Mushroom Linguine (Printable)

Tender mushrooms in silky cream sauce paired with perfectly cooked linguine. Elegant and ready in under 30 minutes.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 14 oz linguine

→ Mushrooms

02 - 14 oz mixed mushrooms (cremini, shiitake, or button), sliced
03 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
04 - 1 tbsp olive oil

→ Aromatics

05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 1 small shallot, finely chopped

→ Sauce

07 - 3/4 cup + 1 tbsp heavy cream
08 - 1/4 cup vegetable broth
09 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
10 - 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
11 - 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
12 - Salt, to taste

→ Garnish

13 - Extra chopped parsley
14 - More Parmesan, shaved

# How to Make It:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook linguine according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, then drain.
02 - While pasta cooks, heat butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and sauté for 6-8 minutes until golden and any liquid has evaporated.
03 - Add shallot and garlic to the pan. Cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring, until fragrant and softened.
04 - Deglaze with vegetable broth, scraping any brown bits from the pan. Reduce heat to medium-low.
05 - Stir in heavy cream, Parmesan, pepper, and a pinch of salt. Simmer gently for 2-3 minutes until slightly thickened.
06 - Add drained linguine to the sauce, tossing to coat. Add reserved pasta water as needed for a silky sauce.
07 - Stir in chopped parsley. Taste and adjust seasoning.
08 - Serve immediately, garnished with extra Parmesan and parsley if desired.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It tastes like a fancy restaurant dish but uses ingredients you probably already have tucked away.
  • The sauce clings to every strand of pasta without feeling heavy or overdone.
  • You can have it on the table faster than delivery would arrive, and it actually tastes better.
  • It works as a weeknight rescue or something impressive enough for company.
02 -
  • Do not skip reserving the pasta water, its starch is the only thing that will bring the sauce together without making it greasy or broken.
  • Let the mushrooms cook without stirring them constantly, crowding or moving them too much releases moisture and steams them instead of browning them.
  • Add the garlic after the mushrooms have browned, raw garlic burns fast and turns acrid in a hot pan.
  • Taste the sauce before serving because the saltiness of Parmesan varies wildly by brand.
03 -
  • Use a large skillet so the mushrooms have room to breathe and brown instead of steaming in their own moisture.
  • Grate your own Parmesan instead of buying pre-grated, the texture is smoother and the flavor is sharper and more alive.
  • Toss the pasta in the sauce off the heat for a minute before serving, it gives the noodles time to drink up the cream and marry the flavors.
  • If the sauce breaks or looks greasy, a tablespoon of pasta water whisked in vigorously will bring it back together.
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