Mushroom Pesto Pasta (Printer version)

Sautéed mushrooms tossed in creamy basil pesto sauce with pasta. A quick, elegant Italian vegetarian dish ready in 30 minutes.

# 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

# Directions:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve ½ cup of 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 to 7 minutes until golden and tender. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Lower heat to medium-low. Stir in basil pesto and heavy cream, mixing until combined. Add grated Parmesan and stir until the sauce is smooth.
04 - Toss the 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 - Plate the pasta and garnish with fresh basil leaves and extra grated Parmesan cheese. Serve hot.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like restaurant quality but uses mostly pantry staples you probably already have on hand.
  • The creamy pesto coats every strand of pasta and the mushrooms add a meaty, satisfying bite that makes it feel indulgent.
  • Its flexible enough to throw in extra veggies or swap ingredients based on whatever youre craving or need to use up.
02 -
  • Dont skip reserving the pasta water, it has starch that helps the sauce cling to the noodles and creates that silky, cohesive texture you want.
  • If you add the garlic too early with the mushrooms, itll burn and turn bitter, so wait until the mushrooms are almost done before tossing it in.
  • Use low heat when you add the cream and pesto or the sauce can split and look grainy instead of smooth and luxurious.
03 -
  • Use a skillet thats wide enough to toss the pasta without crowding, this helps the sauce coat evenly and prevents clumping.
  • Taste your pesto before adding salt to the sauce, some store bought varieties are quite salty and you may not need any extra at all.
  • If your sauce looks too thick, dont panic, just keep adding pasta water a tablespoon at a time and stir until it loosens to your liking.
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