Mushroom Pesto Pasta (Printable)

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

# What Goes In:

→ 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 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 6-7 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 - Plate pasta immediately and garnish with fresh basil leaves and extra grated Parmesan cheese. Serve hot.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like you spent an hour in the kitchen but only takes 30 minutes start to finish.
  • The mushrooms get golden and meaty, soaking up all that herby, creamy sauce in a way that feels indulgent without being heavy.
  • You can use store bought pesto and still impress yourself and anyone else at the table.
02 -
  • Don't skip reserving the pasta water, it has starch that helps the sauce stick to the noodles instead of sliding off.
  • Let the mushrooms brown without stirring them constantly, that caramelization is where all the deep, savory flavor comes from.
  • Add the garlic after the mushrooms are mostly cooked so it doesn't burn and turn bitter in the hot pan.
03 -
  • Use a hot pan and don't overcrowd the mushrooms, they need space to brown instead of steam.
  • Taste the sauce before tossing in the pasta and adjust the seasoning then, it's easier to fix before everything is mixed together.
  • If your pesto is very thick or salty, start with less and add more to taste, you can always add but you can't take away.
Return