Where are my pasta lovers? You’ll love this! This creamy mushroom pasta is rich, full of umami, and can be prepared easily in just one pot. This is the perfect comfort food to end a tiring day at work. Remember to schedule some Garlic Bread on the side.
What kind of mushrooms should I use?
Baby Bella mushrooms are great for this dish because they’re not expensive and have a rich color. They add a lot of flavor to the pasta. If you need to, white button mushrooms can be used. They have a milder flavor. You can also use portobello mushrooms full-size, but you will need to cut them into smaller pieces.
Can I substitute the heavy cream?
This recipe uses heavy cream to create a rich and creamy sauce for pasta. Its thickness also allows the Parmesan cheese to melt and blend into the sauce. With its higher water content, the milk will result in a thinner sauce, and you might have trouble getting the Parmesan to melt into it instead of clumping. In the past, I have used a mixture of cream cheese and milk to get around this problem. The cream cheese emulsifies and thickens the Parmesan and the sauce.
What else can I add?
If you want something more complex, you can always add more. Add some fresh spinach at the end to add a bit of color. You could top the pasta dish with some grilled rotisserie chicken for a little extra flavor.
What kind of pot should I use?
You can use any Dutch oven or pot with a broad base and lid. I used a 3-quart skillet. Use a burner that has a similar size as the bottom of the pool or skillet you are using to ensure an even heat.
Tips for cooking one-pot pasta:
Try these tips if you are having difficulty getting the perfect one-pot pasta.
Stir the pasta every few minutes to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pot. To avoid excessive evaporation, replace the lid every time.
Make sure that the pasta simmers the entire time. The pasta will only cook if the liquid simmer. The heat setting required to maintain a gentle simmer will vary depending on the stovetop and cookware.
Use heavy cookware. The bottom of a thin pot or skillet will not heat evenly, and you won’t get good results when cooking one-pot pasta.
When not stirring, keep the lid on. The top will help to evenly cook the pasta by retaining the steam.
Watch the pasta. It’s like riding a bicycle. It’s essential to watch the pasta and make adjustments as you go. Add a little water if the pasta has almost absorbed the liquid before it is ready. If the pasta is nearly tender but still has a lot of liquid, let it simmer for a couple of minutes without the lid.
Ingredients
Four cloves of garlic ($0.32)
Eight 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)
Parmesan, 1/4 cup grated (0.44)
Instructions
Slice the mushrooms and mince the garlic.
Sauté the garlic and butter in a large skillet over medium heat for a minute. Add the salt and pepper to the mushrooms and sauté until they are softened.
Stir the fettuccine into the pan with the vegetable stock. The pasta doesn’t have to be completely submerged in the broth.
Put the lid on the pan, increase the heat to medium-high, and let the broth come to a rolling boil. Once it comes to a boil, mix the pasta quickly, replace the lid, and then reduce the heat to medium-low.
Continue to simmer the pasta in the broth, stirring it occasionally (replacing the lid every time) for 10 minutes or until the pasta becomes tender. You should have a small amount of liquid in the bottom.
Stir to combine the heavy cream with the pasta in the pan. Add the Parmesan, turn off the heat, and stir the pasta for a few minutes until it melts. Taste the pasta and season with salt or pepper, if necessary. Serve immediately.
