Mushroom Pesto Pasta (Print Version)

Rich and comforting pasta with sautéed mushrooms, creamy basil pesto sauce. Ready in 30 minutes, serves 4.

# Components:

→ 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

# Preparation Steps:

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 to medium-low. Stir in basil pesto and heavy cream, mixing until combined. Add grated Parmesan and stir until sauce is smooth.
04 - Toss cooked pasta into the skillet, adding reserved pasta water gradually until reaching desired creamy consistency. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
05 - Divide pasta among serving plates. Garnish with fresh basil leaves and extra grated Parmesan. Serve immediately while hot.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like you spent all day in the kitchen but comes together in the time it takes to boil pasta.
  • The earthy mushrooms and bright pesto balance each other in a way that feels both comforting and elegant.
  • Its flexible enough to adapt with whatever greens or vegetables you have on hand.
  • You get that creamy, restaurant quality sauce without any fussy technique.
02 -
  • Dont skip reserving the pasta water, its the only thing that will loosen the sauce without making it greasy or broken.
  • Cook the mushrooms in a single layer and resist the urge to stir them constantly, they need contact with the hot pan to caramelize.
  • Add the pesto off the heat or on very low heat, high heat can make it taste dull and lose its bright green color.
03 -
  • Use a mix of mushroom varieties like shiitake or oyster for deeper, more complex flavor.
  • Toast some pine nuts in a dry pan and scatter them over the top for crunch and richness.
  • If your pesto is very thick, thin it with a tablespoon of pasta water before adding it to the skillet.
  • For a vegan version, swap the cream for cashew cream and use nutritional yeast instead of Parmesan.
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