Creamy Mushroom Alfredo Pasta (Printable)

Sautéed cremini mushrooms and garlic in a silky cream sauce, tossed with perfectly cooked fettuccine. Vegetarian comfort in 30 minutes.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz fettuccine or tagliatelle

→ Mushrooms & 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

# How-To Steps:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to package instructions 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 sliced mushrooms and sauté for 6-8 minutes until golden and their moisture has evaporated.
03 - Add shallot and garlic to the skillet. Sauté for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
04 - Reduce heat to medium. Stir in butter and let it melt, then pour in heavy cream. Bring to a gentle simmer.
05 - Add grated Parmesan and nutmeg, stirring continuously until cheese melts and sauce thickens slightly, about 2-3 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
06 - Add drained pasta to the skillet. Toss thoroughly to coat, adding reserved pasta water a little at a time if needed to achieve a silky sauce consistency.
07 - Transfer to serving dishes immediately. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and extra Parmesan cheese.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It tastes like a restaurant splurge but comes together in the time it takes to boil pasta.
  • The sauce clings to every strand without feeling heavy or overly rich.
  • Mushrooms become deeply savory and almost meaty when you let them brown properly.
  • You can make it with pantry staples and whatever mushrooms are on sale.
02 -
  • If you stir the mushrooms too early, they'll steam instead of browning and the dish will taste flat.
  • Always reserve pasta water before draining, it's the only thing that will loosen the sauce without breaking it.
  • Add the Parmesan off the heat or over very low heat, high heat makes it clump and turn grainy.
03 -
  • Use the widest skillet you have so the mushrooms have room to brown instead of crowding and steaming.
  • Grate your own Parmesan from a block, the pre-grated stuff contains cellulose that prevents smooth melting.
  • Taste the sauce before adding the pasta, it should be slightly over-seasoned because the noodles will dilute it.
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