Description
This Creamy Garlic Mushroom Pasta is a rich and flavorful dish featuring tender pappardelle pasta tossed in a luscious sauce made from garlic, sautéed mushrooms, creamy heavy cream, and Pecorino Romano cheese, finished with fresh Italian parsley for a bright touch. Perfect for a comforting weeknight dinner, it balances savory mushroom umami with a smooth, cheesy cream sauce.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 1 pound pappardelle pasta
Sauce
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 10 cloves garlic, sliced or chopped
- 1 pound mushrooms, sliced
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 cup Pecorino Romano cheese, grated
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 cups pasta water (reserved, most likely not all needed)
- 1/2 cup minced flat-leaf Italian parsley
Instructions
- Boil the Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pappardelle until 1 minute less than al dente, reserving at least 2 cups of the pasta cooking water before draining.
- Sauté Garlic and Mushrooms: While the pasta cooks, heat a large pan over medium heat and add olive oil. Add the sliced or chopped garlic to the pan and cook until it turns golden and fragrant. Then, add the sliced mushrooms and increase the heat to medium-high. Cook the mushrooms until they release their water and begin to brown, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Create the Creamy Sauce: Lower the heat back to medium and pour in the heavy cream along with the grated Pecorino Romano cheese. Stir and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, allowing the cheese to melt into the sauce.
- Combine Pasta and Sauce: Add the drained pasta into the sauce pan along with 1 cup of the reserved pasta water. Toss everything together thoroughly to coat the pasta in the creamy mushroom sauce. Continue cooking until the pasta reaches al dente texture. If the sauce appears too thick, gradually add more pasta water to achieve your desired consistency.
- Finish and Serve: Remove the pan from heat and stir in the minced flat-leaf Italian parsley for a fresh, herbaceous note. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed. Serve immediately and enjoy your creamy garlic mushroom pasta.
Notes
- Reserve pasta water to adjust the sauce consistency as needed; the starch helps bind the sauce and pasta.
- Use fresh Pecorino Romano cheese for the best flavor and meltability.
- Cooking the garlic until golden ensures a mellow, rich garlic flavor without bitterness.
- This dish can be adapted to gluten-free pasta if needed.
- For a lighter version, substitute heavy cream with half-and-half, but sauce will be less rich.
Keywords: Creamy Garlic Mushroom Pasta, Pappardelle Recipe, Mushroom Pasta, Italian Creamy Pasta, Garlic Mushroom Sauce, Easy Pasta Dinner