Where are all of my one-pot pasta lovers at? This one is for you! This One Pot Creamy Mushroom Pasta is a super-rich, umami-filled delight that is, as always, easily prepared in one pot. It’s the perfect comfort at the end of a long tiring work day. And don’t forget to make a little garlic bread to serve on the side. 😉

A fork twirling creamy mushroom pasta on a plate

What Kind of Mushrooms to Use

I like baby bella mushrooms for this pasta because they are not too expensive and they have a nice deep color that adds a lot to the plate. You can use white button mushrooms if needed, but they do have a slightly more mild flavor. You could also use full-sized portobello mushrooms, just slice them into smaller pieces before sautéing.

Can I Substitute the Heavy Cream?

I use heavy cream in this recipe which creates a super-rich and luscious sauce for the pasta. Because it’s so thick, it also helps the Parmesan to melt into the sauce without clumping. Milk, which has a much higher water content, will produce a thinner sauce and you may have difficulty getting the Parmesan to melt in instead of clumping. One way I’ve gotten around this in the past is to use a combination of milk and cream cheese. The cream cheese both emulsifies the Parmesan and thickens the sauce (see how the technique is used in Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta).

What Else Can I Add?

This creamy mushroom pasta is kind of a simple pleasure, but you can add more if you’re craving something more complex. Try adding in a few handfuls of fresh spinach toward the end for a little color. You could also top the pasta with some grilled chicken for a little more oomph.

What Kind of Pot to Use

I used a 3-quart deep skillet for this pasta, but you can use any pot or Dutch oven that has a wide bottom and a lid. Make sure to use a burner on your stovetop that is similar in size to the bottom of your pot or skillet to ensure even heating.

TIPS FOR COOKING ONE POT PASTAS:

Getting one pot pasta just right can take some practice, so if you find you’re having trouble, here are a few tips:

Stir every few minutes to keep the pasta from sticking to the bottom of the pot. Replace the lid each time to prevent excessive evaporation.
Make sure the pasta is simmering the whole time. If the liquid is not simmering, the pasta will not cook. The temperature setting needed to maintain a simmer can vary depending on your stove top and cookware.
Use heavy cookware. Skillets and pots that are thin on the bottom don’t heat evenly and do not yield good results with one pot pastas because some areas of the pot will be simmering, while other areas are not.
Keep the lid in place at all times when not stirring. This holds in the steam and helps the pasta cook more evenly.
Watch the pasta. One pot pastas are a little like riding a bike. You have to observe and adjust as you go. If the liquid is almost all absorbed before the pasta is tender, add a little more water. If the pasta is almost tender, but there is still a lot of liquid, allow it to simmer without a lid for the last couple of minutes.

pasta twirled around tongs in the skillet

Close up of pasta being twirled around the tongs in the skillet

One Pot Creamy Mushroom Pasta

This creamy mushroom pasta is a rich, umami-filled delight that cooks quickly and easily in one pot. The perfect dinner for busy nights.

Total Cost $3.74 recipe / $0.94 serving

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Servings

Calories 388kcal

Author Beth – Budget Bytes

Equipment

Ingredients

4 cloves garlic $0.32
8 oz. baby bella mushrooms $1.49
2 Tbsp butter $0.20
1/8 tsp salt $0.01
1/8 tsp freshly cracked pepper $0.02
8 oz. fettuccine $0.67
2.5 cups vegetable broth $0.33
1/3 cup heavy cream $0.26
1/4 cup grated Parmesan $0.44

Instructions

Mince the garlic and slice the mushrooms.
Add the butter and garlic to a deep skillet and sauté over medium heat for one minute. Add the sliced mushrooms, salt, and pepper, and continue to sauté until the mushrooms have softened, all of their moisture has evaporated from the skillet, and the edges are beginning to brown.
Add the fettuccine to the skillet along with the vegetable broth and stir to combine. It’s okay if the broth doesn’t fully submerge the pasta.
Place a lid on the skillet, turn the heat up to medium-high, and allow the broth to come up to a boil. When it reaches a boil, give the pasta a quick stir, replace the lid, then turn the heat down to medium-low.
Continue to let the pasta simmer in the broth for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally (always replacing the lid), or until the pasta is tender. There should be a little saucy liquid left in the bottom of the skillet.
Add the heavy cream to the skillet and stir to combine. Turn the heat off then add the Parmesan and continue to stir the pasta until the Parmesan is melted. Give the pasta a taste and add salt or pepper if needed. Serve immediately.

Nutrition

Overhead view of creamy mushroom pasta on a plate with a fork

How to Make One Pot Creamy Mushroom Pasta – Step by Step Photos

Mince four cloves of garlic and slice 8 oz. baby bella mushrooms.

Add the garlic and butter to your skillet or pot and sauté over medium heat for about one minute.

Add the mushrooms to the skillet along with a pinch of salt and pepper. Continue to sauté until the mushrooms have released all of their liquid, it has evaporated from the bottom of the skillet, and the mushrooms begin to turn golden brown on the edges.

fettuccine in the skillet, broth being poured in

Add 8 oz. fettuccine to the skillet along with 2.5 cups of vegetable broth. Stir to combine. It’s okay if the pasta is not fully submerged. Place a lid on the pot, turn the heat up to medium-high, and allow the broth to come up to a boil.

Cooked Pasta being pulled to the side with a pasta spoon

When the broth reaches a full boil, give the pasta a quick stir to loosen any noodles that may have stuck to the bottom. Replace the lid, turn the heat down to low, or just above low, so that the broth maintains a simmer. Simmer the noodles, stirring occasionally and replacing the lid each time, until the pasta is tender. There should be a small amount of gravy-like broth on the bottom of the skillet.

heavy cream being poured into the skillet

Add ⅓ cup heavy cream to the pasta and stir to combine.

Turn the heat under the skillet off. Add ¼ cup grated Parmesan to the pasta and toss to combine. The residual heat from the pasta should begin to melt the Parmesan.

Finished one pot creamy mushroom pasta in the skillet

Give the pasta a taste and adjust the salt or pepper to your liking. I usually like to add a little freshly cracked black pepper on top for a little pop!