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Mushroom Alfredo Pasta Recipe

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★★★★★

4.7 from 123 reviews

A creamy and flavorful Mushroom Alfredo Pasta featuring tender rigatoni tossed in a rich Parmesan and garlic cream sauce with perfectly sautéed mushrooms, enhanced by herbs and a touch of balsamic vinegar.

Ingredients

Scale

Pasta

  • 14 ounces rigatoni

Mushrooms and Seasonings

  • 14 ounces mushrooms, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon dried onion
  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tablespoon chopped parsley, plus more for serving

Sauce

  • 1 ½ cups heavy cream
  • ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Instructions

  1. Prepare Ingredients: Grate the Parmesan cheese, mince the garlic cloves, chop the mushrooms and the parsley. Have all ingredients ready before cooking.
  2. Cook Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the rigatoni and cook until al dente according to package instructions. Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of the cooking water for later.
  3. Sauté Mushrooms: Heat a large nonstick skillet over high heat until hot. Add the chopped mushrooms in a single layer and cook for 1 minute. Stir and continue cooking until the mushrooms release their moisture.
  4. Brown Mushrooms and Season: Add the olive oil to the skillet and cook until the mushrooms are golden brown. Season with salt, black pepper, dried thyme, dried onion, and balsamic vinegar. Stir well to combine.
  5. Add Garlic and Cook Sauce Base: Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 2 minutes until fragrant. Pour in the heavy cream and bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat.
  6. Finish Sauce: Reduce the heat to low and stir in the grated Parmesan cheese, chopped parsley, and unsalted butter. Stir continuously until the butter has melted and the sauce thickens slightly, about 1 minute.
  7. Toss Pasta with Sauce: Add the cooked rigatoni to the skillet with the sauce. Toss together, adding ¼ cup of the reserved pasta cooking water to loosen the sauce if needed. Adjust seasoning with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
  8. Serve: Garnish with additional chopped parsley and more freshly ground black pepper. Add more cooking water if necessary to achieve desired sauce consistency. Serve immediately for best flavor and texture.

Notes

  • Reserve some pasta water to help adjust the sauce consistency without diluting flavor.
  • Use freshly grated Parmesan cheese for best melting and flavor.
  • Do not overcook the pasta; al dente texture is ideal to hold the sauce well.
  • For a lighter version, substitute heavy cream with half-and-half, but the sauce will be less rich.
  • Make sure to sauté mushrooms until golden brown for optimum flavor development.

Keywords: Mushroom Alfredo Pasta, creamy pasta, rigatoni recipe, vegetarian pasta, garlic cream sauce, easy pasta dinner

Find it online: https://bakedbylisa.com/mushroom-alfredo-pasta-recipe/