Creamy Mushroom Pesto Pasta (Printable)

Rich and comforting pasta with sautéed mushrooms in creamy basil pesto sauce. A quick yet sophisticated Italian dinner.

# What You'll 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

# How to Make It:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve ½ cup 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 and stir in pesto and heavy cream until combined. Add grated Parmesan and stir until sauce is smooth.
04 - Toss cooked pasta into the skillet, adding reserved pasta water a little at a time until reaching desired creamy consistency. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
05 - Transfer to serving plates and garnish with fresh basil leaves and extra grated Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It feels fancy but comes together faster than ordering delivery, and you probably already have most of what you need.
  • The creaminess clings to every piece of pasta without feeling heavy, and the mushrooms add an earthy richness that makes each bite satisfying.
02 -
  • Crowding the mushrooms in the pan makes them steam instead of brown, so use a big skillet or cook them in batches if you need to.
  • The reserved pasta water is what makes the sauce silky, the starch helps everything come together instead of separating into oily puddles.
03 -
  • If your pesto tastes too sharp or oily, the cream will mellow it out, but start with less and add more if you need it.
  • Tasting the pasta water before you drain it tells you if you salted it enough, it should taste like the sea or your pasta will be bland no matter what.
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