Creamy Mushroom and Pea Pasta

This is the creamy mushroom pasta you dream about: butter-browned wild mushrooms, a silky white-wine cream reduction, bright pops of petite peas, fresh lemon zest, and a blizzard of freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano. One luxurious pan sauce, perfectly al dente pasta, and dinner is ready in 25 real minutes.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

This dish hits every single pleasure center. The mushrooms are seared until they’re nutty and almost meaty; the sauce is rich but balanced with wine acidity and a whisper of lemon so it never feels heavy; the peas add tiny explosions of sweetness; and the Parmesan melts into a glossy, clingy emulsion that coats every strand like velvet. It’s fancy enough for a dinner party, fast enough for Tuesday night, vegetarian (easily vegan), and universally adored—even by people who “don’t like mushrooms.” Once you make it, it immediately enters your permanent rotation.

Yield: serves 4

Creamy Mushroom and Pea Pasta

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Velvety cream sauce with golden mixed mushrooms, sweet peas, white wine, garlic, lemon zest, and mountains of fresh Parmesan.

Prep Time 12 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Additional Time 5 minutes

Total Time 42 minutes

Ingredients

• 380–400 g (13–14 oz) dried pasta (linguine, fettuccine, or rigatoni)
• 500 g (1.1 lb) mixed mushrooms, sliced or torn into bite-size pieces
• 4 tablespoons salted butter, divided (60 g)
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 5 large garlic cloves, very thinly sliced or minced
• ⅔ cup (160 ml) dry white wine
• 1½ cups (360 ml) heavy cream
• 1½ cups (180 g) freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano + extra for serving
• 1⅓ cups (180 g) frozen petite peas (no need to thaw)
• Zest of 1 large lemon (microplaned) + 1 tablespoon fresh juice
• ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper + more to taste
• ¾ teaspoon sea salt (plus plenty for pasta water)
• ¼ cup finely chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh chives (optional)
• Optional luxury finish: 1 teaspoon white truffle oil or a few shavings of fresh truffle

Instructions

1. Set a huge pot of water on to boil (at least 5 quarts). Salt it aggressively — it should taste like the Mediterranean Sea. This is 90% of your final seasoning.
2. While waiting for water, prep everything: slice/tear mushrooms, thinly slice garlic, grate Parmesan on a microplane, zest lemon, measure cream and wine. Mise en place = speed.
3. Heat your widest sauté pan (14-inch is ideal) over medium-high for 2 full minutes. Add 2 tbsp butter + 3 tbsp olive oil. When butter stops foaming, add ALL the mushrooms in one layer. DO NOT STIR for 4 solid minutes — let them sear and turn golden.
4. After 4 minutes, toss mushrooms, spread again, and cook another 3–4 minutes until deeply browned and any liquid has evaporated. Now season with ½ tsp salt. Push mushrooms to the sides.
5. Drop pasta into the now-boiling water. Set timer for 2 minutes LESS than package says for al dente.
6. Add remaining 2 tbsp butter and the sliced garlic to the center of the pan. Let garlic sizzle gently 45–60 seconds until fragrant but not brown. Pour in white wine, scrape up every golden bit, and let it bubble furiously until reduced by two-thirds (about 2–3 minutes).
7. Remove pan from heat completely. Pour in cold heavy cream and stir — this tempers it so it won’t curdle. Return to medium-low heat, add frozen peas, and simmer gently 2 minutes.
8. Scoop out 2 full cups of pasta water and set aside. Drain pasta (or use tongs/spider to transfer directly). Add pasta to the sauce with ¾ cup pasta water, grated Parmesan, lemon zest, lemon juice, cracked pepper, and a big pinch of salt. Toss continuously with tongs for 2–3 minutes over medium heat. The sauce will thicken and become glossy. Add more pasta water ¼ cup at a time until it perfectly coats each strand.
9. Remove from heat. Taste and adjust — it should be highly seasoned. Add parsley, chives, and one final swirl of raw pasta water if needed. Let rest in the warm pan 4–5 minutes — sauce will settle and cling even better.
10. Twirl into warmed bowls, shower with extra Parmesan, more black pepper, an extra thread of good olive oil, and (if you’re feeling extra) a drop of white truffle oil. Serve immediately with crusty bread and the rest of that white wine.

Notes

The dish is naturally vegetarian and easily made vegan.

You can double the mushrooms and freeze half the sauce for instant future dinners.

Use the very best Parmesan you can afford — it makes or breaks the dish.

Nutrition Information

Yield

4

Serving Size

1
Amount Per Serving Calories 732Total Fat 56gSaturated Fat 32gUnsaturated Fat 24gCholesterol 483mgSodium 747mgCarbohydrates 27gFiber 9gSugar 11gProtein 23g

The recipes and nutritional information on Fungi Recipes are for informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare provider for personalized dietary advice.

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Recipe Tips and Tricks

1. Use a 14-inch sauté pan or braiser — you need surface area for browning mushrooms and room to toss the pasta at the end.
2. Salt the mushrooms AFTER they brown — salting too early draws out water and prevents caramelization.
3. Reserve 2 full cups of pasta water (not just one) — you’ll use it to control sauce thickness.
4. Cook pasta 2–3 minutes shy of al dente; it finishes perfectly in the sauce and absorbs flavor.
5. Add the cream OFF the heat first to prevent curdling, then return to gentle heat.
6. Finish with raw butter (monter au beurre) and fresh lemon zest AFTER the Parmesan — this is what makes restaurant sauces taste alive.
7. Use a microplane for the lemon zest and Parmesan — finer texture melts faster and distributes better.

Ingredients Notes

• Mixed mushrooms (500g / 1.1 lb): 250g cremini (baby bella), 150g shiitake (stems removed), 100g oyster or king trumpet — tearing some by hand gives gorgeous texture.
• Dry white wine: Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio (never “cooking wine”).
• Heavy cream (whipping cream 35–38% fat): full-fat only for proper silkiness.
• Parmesan: buy a wedge of real Parmigiano Reggiano or Grana Padano and grate it yourself.
• Peas: frozen petite peas are sweeter and more consistent than fresh.
• Pasta: 380–400g dried (exact weight matters). Long shapes (linguine, fettuccine, tagliatelle) or short (rigatoni, paccheri, orecchiette) both work beautifully.

Variations and Substitutions

• Protein: Add 300g cooked shrimp, scallops, or crispy pancetta at the end.
• Vegan: Oat cream or cashew cream + ⅓ cup nutritional yeast + vegan Parmesan.
• Spring version: Replace peas with asparagus tips + fresh mint + goat cheese crumbles.
• Truffle version: Finish with white truffle oil or fresh truffle shavings.
• Spicy: Add Calabrian chili paste or red pepper flakes with the garlic.
• Gluten-free: Use good GF pasta (Rummo or Jovial) and cook exactly to package time.

Storage Options

• Fridge: Airtight container up to 4 days.
• Reheat gently on stovetop with a splash of cream or water — never microwave (sauce will separate).
• Freezer: Freeze in portions up to 2 months; thaw overnight and reheat with extra cream.

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