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This garlic mushroom pasta recipe is easy to make and incredibly delicious! The garlic butter parmesan sauce is freshened up with a touch of lemon and parsley.
You may also like my Easy Pink Sauce Pasta or this Creamy Spinach Bacon Orzo next.
Why you’ll love it
This dish is made with simple ingredients. Garlic butter mushroom pasta is great for a quick weeknight dinner but also perfect for serving company. Lemon and mushrooms is such a good combo that you don’t see too often. Let me know how you like it!
I rarely cook with pappardelle, but whenever I do decide to use it, I think to myself that I should do it more often. It just feels fancy, but it’s not any more difficult to boil than any other pasta shape. Those ribbons go perfectly with the buttery mushroom sauce.
What you’ll need
- Pasta – I like a longer shape like pappardelle, but serve with whatever pasta you prefer
- Olive oil and butter – for sautéing and the base of the sauce
- Onion and garlic – tasty aromatics. I like using sweet onions.
- Mushrooms – I chose cremini/baby bellas
- Chicken broth – for more savory depth
- Dijon mustard and lemon juice and zest – for brightness and enhancing flavor. You don’t taste them individually.
- Parmesan – use a good-quality block and grate it yourself. It melts better and has the best flavor.
- Parsley – a pop of freshness
Pro tip
I try to eke out as much flavor as possible by making sure the mushrooms and onions get a good sear. Don’t rush this step!
How to make garlic mushroom pasta
This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
Cook the pasta. Meanwhile, sauté the mushrooms and onions in the oil and some butter in a skillet, stirring occasionally, until the water is cooked off and they’re nicely seared. Add in the remaining butter, the garlic and Dijon, and cook for a minute.
Pour in the broth, and add the lemon juice and zest. Let it bubble for another minute. Remove from the heat, and stir in the parmesan and parsley. Add a splash of pasta water to the sauce, drain the pasta, then toss it with the sauce. Season with salt & pepper.
Tools for this recipe
Check out Natasha’s favorite kitchen essentials, gadgets, and cookware!
- I use one of my fav kitchen tools to zest the lemon, my Microplane zester/grater. It’s also great for grating cheese. 😉
- This skillet is the one I use.
- A pair of kitchen tongs makes it simple to toss and serve this pasta.
Substitutions and variations
- Use vegetable broth if you’re vegetarian. Dry white wine also works great for this dish. I typically cook with either sauvignon blanc or pinot grigio. I don’t really have any brand preference.
- If you’ve got other fresh herbs on-hand, feel free to add them in!
- You can definitely try a different kind of mushroom for this recipe (white mushrooms come to mind). Just be sure to brown them well!
What to serve with mushroom pasta
- A slice of fresh crusty bread or a dinner roll is a good idea, or try Garlic Bread.
- I like this Super Simple Parmesan Arugula Salad for an easy and elegant pairing, or try spring mix with this Homemade Italian Dressing.
Leftovers and storage
- Store leftovers for 3-4 days in the fridge in an airtight container.
- The pasta can dry out over time, so you might want to add a splash of white wine or broth when reheating. Do so slowly over a low heat.
- I don’t recommend freezing leftovers.
Love mushrooms and pasta? Try these
If you made this easy mushroom pasta recipe, let me know in the comments below! Or tag me #saltandlavender on Instagram.
Garlic Mushroom Pasta
Ingredients
- 4 ounces uncooked pasta
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 tablespoons butter divided
- 1/2 medium onion chopped
- 8 ounces cremini mushrooms sliced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1/4 cup chicken broth or veg broth or white wine
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice + zest of 1/2 lemon
- 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Boil a salted pot of water and cook the pasta al dente according to package directions.
- Add the oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter to a skillet over medium-high heat. Once the pan is hot, add the onions and mushrooms. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until the water has been released from the mushrooms & cooked off and everything gets a good sear and is browned/caramelized (this gives a ton of flavor). It'll take 8-10 minutes or possibly a bit longer.
- Stir in the rest of the butter, plus the garlic and Dijon mustard. Cook for about a minute.
- Add in the broth and lemon juice + zest, and let it bubble for about a minute or so.
- Take the pan off the heat and stir in the parmesan cheese and parsley. Add a splash of the hot pasta water prior to draining the pasta (a couple tablespoons) and then toss the pasta with the sauce. Season with salt & pepper as needed and serve immediately.
Notes
- You could stretch this recipe to feed 4 people (just add more pasta) if you’re serving it with something else. This recipe can be easily doubled, but the mushrooms and onions will likely take longer to properly sear since there will be more in the pan.
- This recipe also appears in the Salt & Lavender: Everyday Essentials hardcover cookbook.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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This was absolutely delicious! I added extra garlic and mushrooms, and it was approved by my picky eating daughter. Thank you for sharing!
Fantastic!!!
I started making this sauce and half way through we realized we didn’t have pasta in the cabinet – ended up serving with spinach as a topping on toast with a fried egg on top. The soft yolk was a great addition to the flavourful. Thanks for the recipe!
Lol oh no!! I’m glad you were able to improvise at least.
Seriously amazing. I could eat this 7 nights a week. Added baked broccoli as well which went with everything well
Aww so happy to hear that, Kathryn! 🙂
Excellent flavor and very quick to fix. I’m adding this to my menu rotation for weeknight meals. Thanks for sharing!
Awesome!! Thanks, Myra. 🙂
Wow! Easy to make. I am not a cook. My wife does that. She’s working and asked me to make this. I did. I love it!!!
That’s awesome!!! So glad it worked out for you, Alan.
How many does this serve because I’m planning on making it for my family of 4 so I’m wondering if I would need to double or triple or anything
Hi! It serves 2 (it says in the recipe card but you may have missed it). I’d double it for sure. Hope you enjoy it! 🙂
Just made this and it’s wonderful. Hits all the right buttons. Added fresh sage with the garlic, oregano and spinach at the end. So yummy and even without those additions, it would’ve been delicious
Also used trofie pasta! Definitely suggest!
Great!! 🙂
This looks really nice !!
I’m gonna try it today ✨
Enjoy! Let me know how it goes. 🙂
Tried this recipe last night, and flavor-wise, it hits all the right tastebuds! One thing I would recommend is using more onions and a lot more mushrooms. Also, make sure to use a thin or flat pasta as it will allow for all of the ingrediants to mesh together perfectly, I used rigatoni and it just didn’t provide a enjoyable eating experience.
Yes, I agree, that’s why I suggested pappardelle 🙂
Yummm!!!! Love this recipe! Need to make it tonight 😀
Enjoy!!