This creamy mushroom pasta recipe tosses your favorite pasta and garlicky mushrooms in a rich (but healthy!) cream sauce for an easy, flavorful vegetarian dinner

Overhead view of creamy mushroom pasta in bowl

I am so excited to share this creamy mushroom pasta recipe with you—because who doesn’t love a good creamy pasta recipe? And this one isn’t even good, it’s GREAT. The sauce is a little bit tangy, fantastically cheesy, garlic and onion add savory flavor, and all those meaty mushrooms make it extra satisfying. Best of all, the rich creamy sauce won’t leave you feeling heavy and bloated after dinner since it’s made with yogurt. Yep, it’s actually a good-for-you cream sauce!

Why You’ll Love This Creamy Mushroom Pasta Recipe

Creamy without the heavy cream. A lot of creamy pasta recipes rely on heavy cream for that velvety texture, but this recipe uses Greek yogurt and broth.
Packed with flavor. The mushrooms are sautéed with garlic and onions until they're deeply brown and irresistibly fragrant. They add a delicious umami element to the recipe!
Quick and easy to make. We love that for a busy weeknight! This recipe comes together in under 30 minutes, making it perfect for an everyday kind of meal.

Overhead view of ingredients for creamy mushroom pasta with labels

What You’ll Need

Scroll down to the recipe card to find the ingredient quantities and recipe instructions.

Pasta – You can use any shape you like, but I love ones like rotini and penne that have little nooks, crannies, and pockets for holding onto the sauce.
Olive oil
Red onion – Yellow onions or even shallots are also fine.
Garlic
Button mushrooms – Really, any type of mushroom will work in this recipe! Or use a blend of a few different varieties.
All-purpose flour – This helps thicken the sauce.
Vegetable broth – If you’re not vegetarian, you can use chicken broth.
Greek yogurt – Or plain vegan yogurt.
Parmesan cheese – Use nutritional yeast or a plant-based Parmesan to make this creamy mushroom pasta vegan.
Fresh thyme
Salt and pepper

How to Make Creamy Mushroom Pasta

Diced red onion cooking in pan — Cook the onion.

Flour added to pan of mushrooms — Cook the onion.

Cook the pasta. Follow the package instructions and cook it to al dente.
Sauté the mushrooms and aromatics. Cook the onion with olive oil in a large skillet; once it’s golden brown, add more oil, along with the garlic and mushrooms, and cook for 5 minutes.
Season. Add salt and pepper, then sprinkle flour over the mushrooms. Stir to coat.

Pouring broth into pan of mushrooms — Pour in the broth.

Mushrooms and thickened broth for mushroom pasta — Pour in the broth.

Add the broth. Slowly stream in the vegetable broth, stirring constantly.
Simmer. Bring the mixture to a low simmer and cook until the sauce thickens.

Yogurt and Parmesan added to mushroom and broth mixture in pan — Add the yogurt and cheese.

Pan of creamy mushroom sauce — Add the yogurt and cheese.

Finish. Stir in the yogurt and cheese, followed by the pasta. Season to taste, then serve with thyme, cracked pepper, and additional cheese.

Overhead view of creamy mushroom pasta in pan

Tips and Variations

Time it right. I start to cook the pasta around the same time that I add the broth to the sauce. That way, both the sauce and the pasta are done at the perfect time.
Use a large pan. You’ll be adding the pasta, so you want ample room to stir without the threat of flinging pasta onto your stovetop and making a mess!
Add protein. If you want to add some protein to this dish, feel free to toss in some cooked chicken along with the pasta.
Try different herbs. While thyme is a classic choice for this recipe, sage and rosemary also pair well with mushrooms.
Spice it up. If you like a little heat, add a pinch of red pepper flakes with the mushrooms.

Serving Suggestions

For a light dinner, pair this creamy mushroom pasta with my massaged kale salad or a bag of greens tossed with your favorite salad dressing. If you want a more filling option, this garlic Parmesan chicken would be perfect!

How to Store and Reheat Leftovers

Refrigerator: Store any leftover creamy mushroom pasta in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Freezer: This dish can also be frozen for up to 2 months in a freezer-safe container or bag.
Reheat: To reheat, either microwave individual portions or heat the pasta in a pan over medium-low heat until warmed through. You can add some additional broth if needed to thin the sauce.

Fork digging into bowl of creamy mushroom pasta

More Pasta Recipes

Prep: 10

Cook: 20

Total: 30

Ingredients

1 lb pasta of choice
3 tablespoons olive oil divided
1 red onion finely diced (about 1 cup)
3 garlic cloves minced (about 2 tablespoons)
2 lbs button mushrooms sliced
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (gf as needed)
1 ½ cups vegetable broth
1 cup greek yogurt (or vegan yogurt of choice)
1 cup parmesan cheese (or nutritional yeast)
1 tablespoon fresh thyme
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Cook the pasta according to the package instructions.**
While the pasta is cooking, prepare the sauce. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large pan. Add the shallot and saute until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Add the remaining oil, garlic, and mushrooms, and saute until the mushrooms have softened, about 5 minutes.
Season with a generous pinch of salt and pepper and stir together. Sprinkle in the flour and saute until everything is coated.
Slowly stir in the vegetable broth, making sure to stir vigorously if any clumps of flour begin to form.
Bring the mixture to a low simmer and cook until the sauce has thickened, about 5 – 7 minutes. Once the sauce has thickened up a bit, stir in the yogurt and parmesan.
Add the pasta and toss to combine. Taste and add more salt and pepper if desired.
Serve immediately and garnish with thyme, cracked pepper, and additional parmesan.

Notes

** to time everything correctly, I recommend starting to cook the pasta when you add the vegetable broth into the sauce.

Nutrition

cuisine: Italian

course: Dinner, Main Course