Vegan Mushroom Pasta

Vegan mushroom pasta is creamy, chewy, earthy, a little garlicky, and so delicious you'll take seconds.

This recipe is a variation of an Italian pasta dish with mushrooms and cherry tomatoes. We replace the butter in the original recipe with dairy-free butter. It works wonderfully!

The recipe is quick and simple, perfect for weeknights. However, thanks to its rich and gourmet-like flavors, it's also great if you have guests, especially vegan or vegetarian ones.

You can make our vegan creamy mushroom pasta with most mushroom varieties available in your local grocery store. Our favorites are easy-to-find white mushrooms combined with portobello mushrooms.

We promise you that our recipe is simple! We prefer not to add ingredients like tamari or soy sauce, vegan cream, coconut milk, cashew cream, or other plant-based cheese or cream alternatives.

The most important tip is: brown the mushroom on the hot pan to boost their flavor. It's easier than it sounds, and we'll show you how in a second.

For us, this is classic Italian comfort food at its best!

Pasta

You can use any pasta type for this recipe, but we recommend long-shaped pasta like spaghetti, linguine, bavette, and egg-free tagliatelle.

We love egg-free tagliatelle because they are irresistibly chewy and hug the mushroom and the tomatoes like they are best friends.

To make the recipe gluten-free substitute gluten-free pasta for wheat pasta.

Mushrooms

We use white mushrooms mixed with portobello mushrooms.

You can use other fresh mushroom varieties such as cremini mushrooms, oyster mushrooms, brown mushrooms, chanterelles, and more. We don't recommend shiitake mushrooms in this recipe.

Tomatoes

Pick small tomatoes like cherry, plum, or grape tomatoes. Their naturally sweet taste goes well with the mushrooms, and they look great with the tagliatelle.

Parsley

We prefer flat-leaf parsley over other fresh herbs because that is what is commonly used in Italian mushroom pasta recipes, and because, of course, it tastes awesomely good with mushrooms.

You can replace it with a couple of sprigs of fresh thyme.

White wine

We use dry white wine to deglaze the pan with the mushrooms and add a touch of acidity and flavor.

You can replace white wine with vegetable broth if you prefer not to cook with wine.

Garlic

Finely minced garlic or mashed with a garlic masher.

Olive oil

We use olive oil for cooking mushrooms because it's more stable at high temperatures than vegan butter.

Vegan Butter

We add a couple of tablespoons of vegan butter to the mushrooms and to the pasta to create a velvety and creamy mouth feel.

If you don't have vegan or dairy-free butter, you can easily replace it with more olive oil.

Salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes

We use sea salt, freshly ground black pepper, and red pepper flakes to add taste and heat.

Tip: remember to save a cup of pasta cooking water before you drain your pasta. We add some to the sauce. Pasta cooking water contains starch, which will help us make the sauce creamy.

Step 1: Make the mushroom sauce

Clean and chop the mushrooms if they are not pre-chopped. To clean the mushrooms, rub the dirt off with a paper towel if they are not too soiled. It's best not to wash the mushrooms with water because they'll absorb it and get soggy.

Cook the chopped mushrooms on high heat on a large skillet with a drizzle of olive oil, salt, and pepper for about 5 minutes.

In general, mushrooms will release water while you cook them. So keep cooking them until all the water is gone and the pan is dry.

Lower the heat to medium, and keep cooking the mushrooms to brown them.

Stir occasionally, and remember that brown color equals flavor with mushrooms (and most other foods).

Next, add cold, dry white wine to the hot pan, stir, and let the wine evaporate completely.

This step is called deglazing and adds a ton of flavor to our mushroom pasta.

When the wine is gone, add minced garlic, half of the vegan butter, and halved cherry tomatoes.

Cook on medium heat for another 5 minutes or until the tomatoes are soft and release their juices.

Stir occasionally, then when the sauce is ready, add the chopped parsley.

Step 2: Cook and toss the pasta

Add the pasta to a large pot with salted boiling water and cook as per package instructions minus one minute (al dente).

When the pasta is done, reserve one cup of the cooking water, drain the cooked pasta and add it to the pan with the mushrooms sauce.

Add the remaining vegan butter, one ladleful of reserved pasta water, and freshly ground black pepper.

Toss the pasta on medium-high heat for one to two minutes. Add more reserved pasta water if necessary.

Serve the pasta in a cozy bowl with a sprinkle of finely chopped parsley and red pepper flakes.

You can serve this vegan mushroom pasta to your family and friends as the main meal, and they'll be perfectly fed and happy.

However, if you feel like adding some greens to your meal, have a peek at those delicious side dishes:

• Simple side salad with fresh leafy greens
• Crunchy kale chips with lemon and garlic
• Chickpea salad for a protein-rich side dish
• Braised artichokes - Italian style on the stovetop with mint and lemon
• Steamed artichokes - tender, meaty, and creamy
• Cucumber and tomato salad for a lighter side dish
• Brussels sprout salad made with crunchy shaved brussels sprouts
• Roasted broccoli with lemon and garlic
• Roasted Brussels sprout with maple syrup
• Oven-baked veggie tray

Are you looking for more quick and delicious vegan pasta recipes? Check out our:

• Lentil pasta - you'll be amazed by this comforting bowl of pasta
• Boscaiola Pasta - the best vegan creamy pasta!
• Spaghetti Cacio e Pepe - with store-bought vegan cheese
• Penne all arrabbiata - a classic, naturally vegan
• Pasta Pomodoro - spaghetti with a rich tomato sauce
• Lemon Pasta with spinach - zested lemon and creamy spinach
• Pasta salad with lemon vinaigrette
• Homemade trofie pasta with vegan basil pesto

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