Creamy Mushroom Alfredo Pasta (Print Version)

Rich, velvety pasta with sautéed mushrooms, garlic, and a luscious cream sauce. Easy weeknight comfort food ready in 30 minutes.

# What You Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 ounces fettuccine or tagliatelle

→ Mushrooms and Aromatics

02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
03 - 1 pound 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

# Steps:

01 - Cook pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water before draining.
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, then pour in heavy cream. Bring to a gentle simmer.
05 - Add grated Parmesan and nutmeg, stirring until 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. Toss thoroughly to coat, adding reserved pasta water gradually if needed to achieve a silky consistency.
07 - Transfer to serving plates immediately. Garnish with chopped parsley and additional Parmesan cheese.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It feels fancy but comes together faster than ordering takeout, with just one pan doing most of the work.
  • The mushrooms get deeply golden and almost meaty, turning this into a dish that satisfies even the most devoted carnivores.
  • You can make it richer or lighter depending on your mood, and it never loses that silky, crave-worthy texture.
02 -
  • Crowding the mushrooms in the pan will steam them instead of browning them, so use a large skillet or cook them in batches if needed.
  • Adding the pasta water gradually is crucial, too much at once and the sauce goes soupy, but just enough creates that restaurant-quality cling.
  • If the sauce looks thin, let it simmer another minute before adding the pasta, it'll thicken as the cheese melts and the cream reduces slightly.
03 -
  • Reserve more pasta water than you think you need, it's easier to add than to fix a sauce that's gone too thick.
  • Grate your Parmesan fresh from a block, pre-grated cheese contains anti-caking agents that can make your sauce gritty instead of smooth.
  • If you want deeper flavor, let the mushrooms cook undisturbed for the first few minutes, that's when the browning magic happens.
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