Creamy Mushroom Pasta

Posted on by Ben | Havocinthekitchen
Creamy Mushroom Pasta

This Creamy Mushroom Pasta with shallot, thyme, garlic is a simple yet flavourful and tasty meal that will be ready in about 30 minutes from start to finish. It is creamy and rich but not overly heavy because instead of cream the sauce calls for cream cheese and sour cream.

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Creamy Mushroom Pasta

Hello folks – how are you doing? I hope January has been treating you well so far. Also, can you believe that 2/3 of January are already gone?! Crazy, right?

I must admit that I have not photographed any single recipe yet (of course, I still cook). In fact, the last recipe I photographed was something for the holidays, at the beginning of December. It is going to change though, as I finally feel like grabbing my camera next weekend; please wish me luck :)

But even though I have not prepared any new recipes for my blog yet, no worries – I have a plenty of unpublished recipes from winter and fall 2023. Bonus: you are going to see Daisy often as last winter was nasty for Daisy’s liking, so she was spending a lot of time at home. And apparently, eagerly participated in my photo shoots.

Creamy Mushroom Pasta

This Creamy Mushroom Pasta is one of those recipes I made and photographed last winter.

I cannot say this recipe is something unique or something different from other mushroom pasta recipes you have tried. But is absolutely hearty and tasty, so I thought one more idea will not hurt the Internet. And the method may be a tad different from your regular pasta with mushrooms.

First, I did not use any cream for sauce here (and I generally don’t add cream to our pasta often). Instead, some cream cheese melts and turns into a rich and silky sauce. I also stirred a little of sour cream. While it is an unusual ingredient for pasta sauce, it worked nicely – added some tang and freshness. You can definitely skip it.

Secondly, I always cook out water out of mushrooms – that is especially important when you wash them (and yes, you should wash them.) To do this, you will need to cook them in a pan without adding any fat over high-medium or high heat until the liquid has been released and they start browning. Now, you can decrease the heat, add some oil (butter or both) as well as aromatics and cook slowly cooking until nicely browned and crisp. This extra step will take less than 10 minutes, but the result will be amazing!

If you have not tried this method before, please give it a try!

More Pasta Recipes for Winter

Looking for more hearty pasta recipes to enjoy this winter? Be sure to check some of the recipes below:

Veal Mushroom Pasta

Sun-Dried Tomato Veal Pasta

Veal Ragù Pasta

Pasta alla Genovese

Sicilian Style Pasta with Cauliflower

I hope you like this Creamy Mushroom Pasta, and you will give it a try shortly. If you make it, let me know in this post or send me an Instagram message or share your photos adding the hashtag #havocinthekitchen.

Cheers!

Creamy Mushroom Pasta
Creamy Mushroom Pasta
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Creamy Mushroom Pasta

Recipe by Ben | HavocinthekitchenCourse: Main
Servings

4-6

servings
Prep time

10

minutes
Cooking time

30

minutes

This Creamy Mushroom Pasta with shallot, thyme, garlic is a simple yet flavourful and tasty meal that will be ready in about 30 minutes from start to finish. It is creamy and rich but not overly heavy because instead of cream the sauce calls for cream cheese and sour cream.

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. (450 gr.) button mushrooms, preferably brown – rinsed/washed, dried, and sliced

  • 1 tbsp. olive oil

  • 1 tbsp. butter (substitute 1 tbsp. olive oil, if desired)

  • 1 large shallot, sliced

  • 2-4 garlic clove, minced

  • 1 tbsp. fresh thyme

  • 5-6 tbsp. (75-85 gr.) cream cheese

  • 1-2 tbsp. (15-30 gr.) sour cream, optional

  • 1/2 to 2/3 tsp. salt + more for salting water

  • black pepper, to taste

  • 1 lb. (450 gr.) pasta of your choice

Directions

  • Place a large preferably heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high to high heat. Do not add any fat yet. Place the mushrooms and cook for about 7-10 minutes until they have released most of the liquid and then it has mostly evaporated. During this step, toss them occasionally with a spatula. The step may take a few minutes longer depending on how well you have washed the mushrooms.
  • Once the water has evaporated and the mushrooms start turning brown and aromatic, reduce the heat to high-low to low-medium. Add the butter and olive oil and season with a little of salt and pepper. Cook for about 7-10 minutes until nicely browned.
  • Add the shallot, garlic, and thyme and cook for just 2-3 minutes until softened and fragrant.
  • In a meantime, cook the pasta in a large pot of well-salted boiling water, according to the package instructions, until al dente. Drain reserving about 1 cup of the pasta water.
  • Add about 1/2 to 2/3 cup of the hot pasta water to the pan with mushrooms (step 3). Stir in the cream cheese and if using, sour cream. Let it simmer for a minute or so, until the cream cheese has melted and incorporated.
  • Transfer the al dente pasta, gently stir, and let it simmer for about 2 minutes to finish cooking the pasta and mingle the flavours. Try and season with some salt and pepper, if necessary. If the sauce gets too thick, add some of the reserved pasta water more. Sprinkle with more fresh thyme if desired; some shredded cheese like parmesan will also be a nice addition. Enjoy immediately!

30 thoughts on “Creamy Mushroom Pasta”

  2. Anjan says:

    I like pasta dishes, This is the perfect recipe for my taste, We will try this mushroom pasta recipe at my home. Thank you for sharing this useful information.

    Reply
  3. Eva Taylor says:

    Dry sauté-ing the mushrooms certainly will intensify their flavour and is my favourite way to cook mushrooms. Using sour cream instead of cream is traditional Hungarian mushroom soup! We just love the tang. This looks like the perfect winter meal.
    Sorry for not commenting or being around, just getting over a horrid stomach flu I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy.

    Reply
  4. CookappliHub says:

    This Creamy Mushroom Pasta recipe looks absolutely delightful! I appreciate the unique twist on the sauce, using cream cheese and sour cream instead of traditional cream. It’s a clever way to achieve richness without the heaviness. The method of cooking the mushrooms to release their moisture and then browning them adds a depth of flavor that I’m eager to try. The addition of shallots, garlic, and thyme further enhances the dish’s aromatic profile.

    Your detailed instructions make it seem accessible for both experienced and novice cooks. I’m excited to give this recipe a try and savor the hearty and flavorful outcome. Thanks for sharing, and I’ll definitely let you know how it turns out when I make it!
    CookappliHub recently posted…GE Blender reviewMy Profile

    Reply
  9. Liz says:

    Oh, boy, this looks like my kind of pasta! The hubby does not like mushrooms, so I plan to make this some night when he has a dinner meeting! It looks delicious!!

    Reply
  10. sherry says:

    i love mushrooms but i have to agree with Tandy about washing them. I’ve always just brushed them off; well to be honest, i mostly just give them a quick wipe with a paper towel. This does sound delicious Ben.

    Reply
    • Ben | Havocinthekitchen says:

      Yeah, there are two category of folks: who disagree about washing and who insist on it! I personally in the middle – if the mushrooms appear clean, I don’t normally bother washing, if not – well a good rinse will not hurt :)
      Ben | Havocinthekitchen recently posted…Veal OrzoMy Profile

      Reply
  12. Jeff the Chef says:

    All you have to do is put the word “creamy” together with the word “mushroom,” and you pretty much have me. Adding the words “pasta,” “shallot,” “thyme,” and “garlic,” and now you’re just sealing the deal!

    Reply
  13. Michelle says:

    Creamy mushroom pasta is definitely a winter favorite over here — my eldest loves it so much! Love your tip on cooking the mushrooms out first so the flavor concentrates :)

    Reply
  14. David @ Spiced says:

    I always think of mushroom pasta dishes like this in the winter. I don’t know why…maybe it’s the earthy flavor of the mushrooms and the creamy texture of the pasta? Either way, this is great comfort food for cold nights!
    David @ Spiced recently posted…Slow Cooker QuesoMy Profile

    Reply

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