Mushroom Garlic Spaghetti
Mushroom garlic spaghetti tossed in a light garlic butter sauce with browned mushrooms and parmesan, no cream. An easy meatless pasta dinner in 25 minutes.
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Mushroom Garlic Spaghetti is my answer to those nights when the fridge looks empty but there’s a package of mushrooms and a box of spaghetti hiding in there. Sliced mushrooms get browned in olive oil and butter until they’re deep golden, then a big pile of garlic goes in, and a splash of starchy pasta water pulls it all into a glossy sauce that clings to every strand. It’s a lighter pasta that still tastes rich, and it never touches a drop of cream.
The secret to mushrooms that actually taste like something is giving them room and time. Crowd them in the pan and they steam into rubbery gray bits. Spread them out in a hot pan and leave them alone for a few minutes, and they brown and turn meaty. That browning is where the savory, almost steak-like flavor comes from, so I wait for it before I start stirring.
I keep this to one skillet and one pot, and I always scoop out a mug of pasta water before draining. That starchy water is what turns the butter and garlic into a sauce without a drop of cream, and it’s the difference between a bowl of plain noodles and a real dinner. Start to finish, it’s about 25 minutes.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Lighter than cream sauce. Olive oil, butter, and pasta water build a silky coating without the heaviness of a cream sauce.
- Deep, meaty mushrooms. Browning them properly gives the whole dish a savory, almost steak-like flavor.
- Pantry-friendly. Spaghetti, mushrooms, garlic, and a little cheese are most of the list.
- On the table fast. It comes together in about 25 minutes, start to finish.
Mushroom Garlic Spaghetti Ingredients
Grate the parmesan off a block for this one. The pre-shredded kind has anti-caking starch that keeps it from melting smoothly into the pasta water, and a smooth finish is the whole point of a no-cream sauce.
- 12 oz spaghetti
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 3 tbsp butter, divided
- 1 lb cremini mushrooms, sliced
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 tsp salt, plus more for the pasta water
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves (or 1/2 tsp dried)
- 3/4 cup grated parmesan, plus more for serving
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
Recipe Variations
- Use a mix of mushrooms if you can find them. Cremini, shiitake, and oyster together give the dish even more depth than one kind alone.
- Add a couple handfuls of baby spinach in the last minute of tossing to wilt in for extra greens.
- Stir in a spoonful of ricotta or a splash of cream at the end if you want it richer, though it’s built to be lighter than that.
How to Make Mushroom Garlic Spaghetti
- Boil the spaghetti: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the spaghetti according to the package directions until al dente. Scoop out 1 cup of the pasta water, then drain.
- Brown the mushrooms: While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms in an even layer and let them sit undisturbed for 3-4 minutes, then stir and cook another 3-4 minutes until deeply golden and any liquid has cooked off.
- Add the garlic and seasoning: Push the mushrooms to the side and add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter to the pan. Stir in the garlic, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes if using, and thyme, and cook for about 1 minute until the garlic is fragrant but not browned.
- Build the sauce: Pour in about 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water and let it bubble for a minute, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Toss the pasta: Add the drained spaghetti to the skillet along with the parmesan. Toss well, adding more pasta water a splash at a time, until the cheese melts into a glossy sauce that coats the noodles.
- Finish and serve: Stir in the parsley and lemon juice, taste and adjust the salt, and serve right away with more parmesan on top.
Why You Should Not Crowd the Mushrooms
A pound of sliced cremini looks like far too much for the pan and then cooks down to about a third of that. The instinct is to add them all at once. Do not.
Mushrooms are roughly 90% water. Piled into a pan they release all of it at once, the pan temperature drops below the boiling point, and they simmer in their own liquid. Simmered mushrooms go grey and squeaky and never develop the deep savory flavor that is the whole point of this dish.
- Two batches in a 12-inch skillet, one batch if you have a 14-inch.
- Leave them alone for the first 3 to 4 minutes. Stirring early keeps knocking the surface off the hot metal.
- Wait for the liquid to release and then fully evaporate. The browning happens after that, and it happens fast.
- Salt at the end, not the start. Salt pulls water out and gets you back to simmering.
You will know it is working when the pan sounds different, a sizzle rather than a bubble.
Recipe FAQs
What Kind of Mushrooms Work Best?
Cremini (baby bella) mushrooms are my go-to because they’re cheap and full of flavor. White button mushrooms work too, and a mix of wild mushrooms makes it even better if you want to splurge.
Do I Have to Use Pasta Water?
It really does matter here. The starch in the water is what turns the butter and cheese into a sauce that clings instead of sliding off. Plain water won’t do the same job, so scoop some out before you drain.
My Mushrooms Turned out Soggy. What Happened?
That’s almost always too many mushrooms in the pan at once. They release a lot of water, and if they’re crowded they steam instead of brown. Cook them in two batches if your skillet is on the small side.
Can I Make This Vegan?
Yes. Swap the butter for more olive oil or a plant butter, and use a dairy-free parmesan or a spoonful of nutritional yeast for that savory, cheesy note.
Can I Add Protein, and What Goes with It?
Grilled chicken, shrimp, or white beans all fold in nicely if you want to make it heartier. On its own it’s great with a green salad and garlic bread.
Cooking Tips
- Slice the mushrooms a little thicker than you think you need. They shrink a lot as they cook, and thin slices can disappear into mush.
- Don’t salt the mushrooms until they’ve started to brown. Salt early pulls the water out too soon and keeps them from getting that golden crust.
- Have everything ready before the pasta finishes. This moves fast once the noodles are drained, and warm pasta tossed right away soaks up the sauce best.
Storage and Freezing
To store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
To freeze: Freezing isn’t great for this one. The mushrooms and pasta both turn soft and watery after thawing, so it’s best made fresh.
To reheat: Warm it in a skillet over medium-low heat with a splash of water or broth to loosen it back up, stirring gently. The microwave works too in short bursts.
How to Serve Mushroom Garlic Spaghetti
Mushroom Garlic Spaghetti is a full meal with just a crisp green salad and some warm crusty bread to mop up the pan. It’s one of the meatless pastas in our Pasta Recipes collection, and it sits nicely next to a brighter option like our Lemon Ricotta Pasta when you want a lighter dinner.
Loved This Recipe?
Mushroom Garlic Spaghetti is the lighter, garlicky pasta I come back to whenever mushrooms are in the fridge and time is short.
Leave a star rating in the comments below, it helps other people find this recipe. Made it? Tag @allwellfed on Instagram, I love seeing this one in other people’s kitchens.
More like this: Meatless pasta that still fills everybody up. These three belong on the same rotation. Try Creamy Parmesan Spinach Mushroom Pasta, One-Pot Creamy Garlic Pasta, or One-Pot Creamy Tomato Pasta.
Mushroom Garlic Spaghetti
Ingredients
- 12 oz spaghetti
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 3 tbsp butter divided
- 1 lb cremini mushrooms sliced
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 tsp salt plus more for the pasta water
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes optional
- 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves or 1/2 tsp dried
- 3/4 cup grated parmesan plus more for serving
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley chopped
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
Instructions
- Boil the spaghetti: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the spaghetti according to the package directions until al dente. Scoop out 1 cup of the pasta water, then drain.
- Brown the mushrooms: While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms in an even layer and let them sit undisturbed for 3-4 minutes, then stir and cook another 3-4 minutes until deeply golden and any liquid has cooked off.
- Add the garlic and seasoning: Push the mushrooms to the side and add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter to the pan. Stir in the garlic, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes if using, and thyme, and cook for about 1 minute until the garlic is fragrant but not browned.
- Build the sauce: Pour in about 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water and let it bubble for a minute, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Toss the pasta: Add the drained spaghetti to the skillet along with the parmesan. Toss well, adding more pasta water a splash at a time, until the cheese melts into a glossy sauce that coats the noodles.
- Finish and serve: Stir in the parsley and lemon juice, taste and adjust the salt, and serve right away with more parmesan on top.
Notes
If you made this, leave a star rating down in the comments. It takes about ten seconds, and it’s how other cooks decide whether a recipe is worth trying.
