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This Mushroom Lovers Pasta recipe is tossed with the most heavenly balsamic butter sauce, a generous handful of Parmesan, and whatever kinds of mushrooms you love most.
Have any fun plans for Valentine’s this year?
I’m going to be living vicariously through all of you Americans on Instagram tomorrow, because Valentine’s Day isn’t really celebrated here in Barcelona. Instead, they have Sant Jordi Day — a holiday here in April when everyone gives each other books and roses and celebrates the story of a princess who was rescued from being eaten by a dragon, no less! So we have that to look forward to. (Can’t wait!)
But otherwise, tomorrow will probably just be a regular day here in Spain. I’ve got work, a haircut, and Spanish class on the agenda. Then we’ll probably settle in for a low-key date night here at home afterwards with some Netflix. And, of course, pasta and chocolate. Because no Valentine’s is complete in my book without some kind of indulgent pasta and chocolate for dessert. ♡♡♡
So to that end, I’m planning to make another round of these Dreamy Chocolate Lava Cakes and some kind of big green salad. And then for our main course, my husband has requested this pasta. We’ve been making various versions of it this past year, especially since good mushrooms are in such abundance here in Spain. And oh my goodness, it hits the spot every time.
I love it because we use twice the amount of mushrooms as pasta in the dish, which adds tons of flavor and makes it nice and hearty. (Feel free to use whatever kinds of mushrooms you love most.) But this savory sauce — simmered with rosemary, white wine, garlic, balsamic, veggie stock, crushed red pepper flakes — is absolutely divine. It’s total vegetarian comfort food. And if you’re looking for a showstopper of a dish this Valentine’s Day, we can’t recommend it enough.
So gather up all of your favorite kinds of mushrooms, and let’s make some pasta!
Mushroom Pasta Ingredients:
Alright, grocery list time. To make this Mushroom Lovers Pasta recipe, you will need:
Pasta: Just about any shape or kind of pasta will work in this dish. I used pappardelle, which we loved.
Butter: We will use half to cook the mushrooms and half for the sauce.
Fresh mushrooms: A full two pounds, please, but the types of mushrooms are totally up to you! I used a combo of baby bellas (which I thickly-sliced), shiitake (which I halved) and oyster mushrooms (which I chopped into bite-sized pieces). But any other kinds of mushrooms that you love would be delicious! Just be sure that they are similarly sized so that they will cook evenly.
Garlic: And lots of it. ;)
Balsamic vinegar: To give the sauce an extra savory kick.
Dry White wine: I love the flavor this adds. But if you prefer not to cook with wine, you can replace this with extra veggie stock (plus maybe a good squeeze of lemon juice at the end, to brighten the flavor up).
Veggie stock: For the sauce.
Fresh rosemary: Which we will simmer in the sauce.
Crushed red pepper flakes: To help bring out all of these flavors. If you would like an extra kick, feel free to sprinkle on extra crushed red pepper flakes when serving the pasta.
Parmesan: The more the merrier, if you ask me. We will stir some into the pasta itself, but then I sprinkling much more on top for serving.
Pine nuts: I love the butter flavor and crunch that pine nuts add to this dish. But feel free to omit them if you have a nut allergy. Or you could substitute chopped walnuts instead.
How To Make This Pasta:
To make this pasta, simply:
Cook the pasta. Nice and al dente, please, in a large stockpot of generously-salted water. Reserve 1 cup of the starchy hot pasta water and set it aside. Then drain the pasta. Meanwhile, as the pasta is cooking…
Make the sauce. Sauté the mushrooms in half of the butter until they are lightly browned and tender. (To get them nice and golden, be sure that your heat is high enough, and resist the urge to stir them too often.) Add the garlic and sauté for an extra minute. Then add the butter, wine, veggie stock, balsamic vinegar, rosemary, crushed red pepper flakes, and a generous pinch of salt and pepper, and stir to combine. Bring the sauce to a simmer, then let it cook until the liquid has reduced by about half. Remove and discard the rosemary sprigs (or you’re welcome to just leave them in there).
Combine everything. Then once the pasta and sauce are both ready to go, combine them with the Parmesan cheese and pine nuts, and toss the entire mixture until combined.
Season. Don’t forget to give the pasta a quick taste here, and season with extra salt, pepper and/or crushed red chili flakes if needed. Also, if you would like a saucier pasta, just add in some of that reserved starchy pasta water.
Serve warm. Garnished with the extra pine nuts, and lots and lots of Parmesan cheese. I insist. ;)
Possible Variations:
Make it creamy: We also tested a batch of this pasta with an extra 1/2 cup (or you could add more) of heavy cream. And as you could imagine, it tasted ultra-decadent and delicious.
Make it gluten-free: Just use your favorite kind of gluten-free pasta. (And of course, double-check that your other ingredients are certified GF too.
Omit the wine: I really, really love the flavor of the white wine in this sauce. But if you prefer not to cook with wine, you can substitute extra vegetable stock for the wine (maybe with a splash of lemon juice at the end).
Use different herbs: Feel free to use a few sprigs of fresh sage or thyme instead of (or in addition to) fresh rosemary. Or you can also add chopped fresh basil in with the pasta at the very end, just before serving.
Add a protein: If you would like to add some extra protein to this dish, chicken or shrimp would be delicious!
Add some greens: This recipe would also be delicious with some wilted baby spinach added in.
More Vegetarian Pasta Recipes:
Looking for more vegetarian dinner inspo? Here are a few of my faves:
This Mushroom Lovers Pasta recipe is tossed with the most heavenly balsamic butter sauce, a generous handful of Parmesan, and whatever kinds of mushrooms you love most.
Ingredients
Scale
1 pound uncooked pasta (I used pappardelle)
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, divided
2 pounds mushrooms, cut into bite-sized pieces (I used a combo of baby bellas, shiitake and oyster mushrooms)
6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 cup dry white wine
2/3 cup vegetable stock
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2–3 large sprigs of fresh rosemary
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or more/less to taste
2/3 cup freshly-grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
1/2 cup toasted pine nuts, divided
Instructions
Cook pasta* in a large stockpot of generously-salted water al dente, according to package instructions. Reserve 1 cup of the starchy pasta water, and set it aside. Then drain the pasta.
Meanwhile, as the pasta is cooking, melt 1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) of the butter in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook, tossing every minute or so, for 3-4 minutes or until lightly browned and softened. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute, stirring occasionally.
Add the remaining butter, wine, veggie stock, balsamic vinegar, rosemary, crushed red pepper flakes, and a generous pinch of salt and pepper, and stir to combine. Continue cooking until the sauce reaches a simmer. Then let it continue to simmer for 5 more minutes, or until the liquid has reduced by about half. Remove and discard the rosemary sprigs (or you’re welcome to just leave them in there).
Once the pasta and sauce are both ready to go, pour the sauce into the stockpot with the cooked pasta. Add the Parmesan cheese and 1/4 cup pine nuts, and toss the entire mixture until combined. Taste and season with extra salt, pepper and/or crushed red chili flakes if needed. And if you would like a saucier pasta, just stir in some of the reserved starchy pasta water.
Serve immediately, garnished with the remaining pine nuts, plus lots and lots of extra Parmesan cheese.
Notes
*For timing purposes, I recommend adding the pasta to the boiling water once the mushroom sauce reaches a simmer.
I’m so hungry right now! This looks delicious! I make a similar variation but with heavy cream instead of butter and balsamic. But I’m going to have to try with balsamic and butter soon!!
Samantha Baxter —
This was delicious! Working with what I had on hand, I used whole wheat spaghetti, omitted the wine and balsamic and swapped them for chicken broth and apple cider vinegar.
Would make this again in heartbeat!
This is amazing!!! My husband and I made it tonight for valentines dinner and it did not disappoint! Good thing we made plenty because our three young girls ate it too! We did add half and half because you always need to live a little ;) thanks for the great recipe!!!
My husband and I both absolutely loved this dish. He doesn’t normally like to eat leftover pasta but he ate this dish a second night and loved eating it a second time.
Liked it. I used spinach linguine. If I make it again gonna omit the wine, add 2-3 Tbls of flour along with “the rest” of the butter to create a creamy sauce.
I made this recipe tonight. I absolutely love it!
This so fare is mi favorite dish. I will make it over and over again. I made my pasta with walnuts instead of pine nuts.Delicious!
Thanks for the recipe!
I loved this! I subbed 3/4 cup apple juice and 1/4 cup vinegar for the wine and paprika for the red pepper flakes. I am deleting all other mushroom pasta recipes from my recipe box because this one is more delicious and has more flavors!
My husband and I have made this dish every other week since discovering it. We add chicken for some protein and oh my goodness… this recipe is delicious! Friends love it, too!
I made this because we love mushrooms. It has a unique taste that’s addictive! 2 weeks later I’m making it again.
But this time with a roasted pork tenderloin. We made chicken the last time and everyone said it would’ve been better with pork or beef.
OMG…made this last night for just myself, cut recipe in half. Used wheat spaghetti, all criminis, chicken broth, and dried rosemary (what I had), about 1/2 cup of the pasta water at the end..SO ADDICTIVE !!! It was quick and easy and freaking delicious and was afraid I was going to eat the half a pound of pasta in one sitting ! Weird thing was, it was “rich” tasting, without really tasting heavy…weird in a good way. :)Dreaming of it all night and all day today. Thank you for the wonderful recipe…warmed up wonderfully at lunch, without even adding any extra parm. Can’t wait till dinner !!
Just made this tonight and it was delicious. Perfect on a cold night like we are having tonight. Served with some homemade ciabatta still warm from the oven. I plan to take some leftovers for my daughter who is a vegetarian. Will definitely make again
it was delicious! impressive and simple! AND i used gluten free pasta – no kidding! fresh fettuccine- oyster mushrooms and half butter half olive oil – everything else like you said – excellent- thank you!!
The flavors in this dish were superb! The balsamic added just enough of a different taste..what a pleasant surprise! This is going into the Keeper File!
This is an amazing recipe! Restaurant quality! I impressed my husband with this one! Balsamic and red pepper Flavors really came through. This made 4 nice servings. I can’t wait to make it again!
I am eating it right now and it is delicious!
I skipped the wine, red pepper and added spinach. Mmmmm!!! Will keep the recipe on hand to repeat it for sure. Ah! We are doing work in the house, part in the kitchen and it was easy and fast. A keeper!
Just discovered this recipe. Delicious! I added a few bits of previously steamed asparagus and cut back a wee bit on the vinegar. Yum, will make again for sure. Thnaks!
Really yummy mushroom rosemary sauce! The balsamic with the dry white wine is a must. It almost made it taste a bit like Marsala.. so delicious! Didn’t have pine nuts but it was delish none the less. Made it for a homemade paparadelle pasta. Thank you for the great recipe!
Made this last night and it was incredible! I regret not making more! I used cremini mushrooms, spinach/chive linguine for the pasta, and left out the white wine. I used more balsamic vinegar (which was a game changer), olive oil, with a splash of lemon juice. I topped with walnuts and Parmesan and everything came together so wonderfully! Cant wait to make this again.
Extremely good recipe . Balance was great. Thought I would add protein, but glad I didn’t. NOT NESSASARY.
Will definitely keep it in my rotation.
THANKS
This was beyond delicious! My husband doesn’t typically love creamy sauces, and my 3 young girls definitely resist the allure of mushrooms, but EVERYONE loved this! I used only 1/4 stick of butter total, but did add a half cup of heavy cream and a cup of reserved pasta water at the end (after reduction). Particularly good with Trader Joe’s spinach and chive linguini. A keeper.
I made this and I have to say it was good. I want to leave out the balsamic next time and add some heavy cream and thyme. THE PINE NUTS!!! YES!!! I had a “huge” assortment of mushrooms that I debated but I went for it. I used crimini, trumpet, maitake, alba clamshell, button and pioppini.
Question: Only have a pound of fresh mushrooms (portobello and generic white button) but have some dried shiitakes. Would it be ok to use rehydrate shiitakes in the dish? Also: I LOVE your recipes!
Like the previous reviewer, I think the sauce would be better thicker. I also think the murshrooms would be better in larger pieces. The flavors are good, and it comes together quickly.
Delicious!!! I’ve made this a few times and it’s turned out sooo good every time.
I love the fact that it’s pasta…but with grown up flavor that my kids also enjoy. My picky eaters love this!
It’s the perfect meal – can easily be considered “fancy” restaurant quality, or just at home in pajamas type comfort food!
I had some mushrooms on hand to use up, so I used this as a base recipe. I had only half a pound of white mushrooms, so I chopped them fine. Other substitutions were dry sherry for the white wine, beef stock for the vegetable broth, minced dried garlic for fresh, and frozen tortellini. It still made a delicious dish, although the sauce was really only mushroom-flavored, of course. I am definitely hanging onto this recipe and one day will make it with lots more mushrooms (a more flavorful assortment) and fresh garlic and pasta, as intended.
Amazing! Restaurant quality meal with little effort! I subbed basil for rosemary because it’s what I had on hand. I also added lots of spinach and half a cup of barista style oat milk (similar to cream). So delicious!!
I really liked the flavor, however it was really soupy. Perhaps the heat wasn’t high enough when I was doing the mushrooms because they released a ton of water (I brush mine off I do not rinse them)… the liquids cooked down a little and I was hoping the starch in the pasta water would thicken it a bit but it really didn’t. Regardless we did enjoy eating it. My other thought was maybe it was the butter I used, perhaps that had a higher moisture content.
I made this per the recipe last night, with the exception of using dried rosemary, and it was exceptional. Thank you for bringing a recipe-on-repeat it to my household.
I was lucky enough to find some King Oyster mushrooms so sliced them up into long strips as the primary mushroom in this dish. It turned out really great! My husband thought it could use a bit more acidity so next time I might bump up the balsamic or even finish with lemon. Thanks for a great recipe.
Have made this several times, killer recipe! One suggestion for modifying the instructions, the 3-4 minutes to sweat and brown the mushrooms is not long enough. Rather than using a set time, cook the mushrooms until they have released and evaporated all of their liquid and caramelized on the outside. The maillard reaction adds sooo much more flavor!
Thanks for the inspiration!
My version was (for 2):
– Extra virgine olive oil in the pan
– Add the garlic (three cloves, finely chopped)
– Add the union (1 finely chopped)
– Add 250 grams of mushrooms (or more… :D )
– Bake until mushrooms are slightly brown and the union lightly transparent
– Add 1/2L vegetable stock
– Let it simmer for 15 minutes
– Add 1 glass of dry white wine
– Add 1 sprig of rosemary
– Let simmer until thickened.
– Add peper and salt (to own taste, carefull with the salt)
– Add mediteranian herbs (thyme, oregano, basil)
– Add a bit of grated parmigiano reggiano
-Stir it.
– Add the cooked pasta (I used Penne), keep the pasta water!
– Keep stirring it.
– Add 5 tablespoons of pasta water and keep stirring on a low heat until it becomes creamy.
– Serve with grated parmigiano reggiano and grated dry mozzarella.
I’m so hungry right now! This looks delicious! I make a similar variation but with heavy cream instead of butter and balsamic. But I’m going to have to try with balsamic and butter soon!!
This was delicious! Working with what I had on hand, I used whole wheat spaghetti, omitted the wine and balsamic and swapped them for chicken broth and apple cider vinegar.
Would make this again in heartbeat!
That looks delicious! Comfort food recipes will always find a way to me eventually, I love trying new things.
https://www.puro.pk/
That sauce sounds divine! Love balsamic vinegar, but don’t think I’ve ever thought to make a sauce like this with it!
This is amazing!!! My husband and I made it tonight for valentines dinner and it did not disappoint! Good thing we made plenty because our three young girls ate it too! We did add half and half because you always need to live a little ;) thanks for the great recipe!!!
Delicious!!!!! The leftovers were equally satisfying.
Thank you for your wonderful recipes.
I want it right now. This pasta looks amazing!
Oh my goodness, this was amazing. I will be making this again. My husband loved it!
My husband and I both absolutely loved this dish. He doesn’t normally like to eat leftover pasta but he ate this dish a second night and loved eating it a second time.
I made this as soon as I saw this recipe. I love it.. very very tasty and I am making it again
Liked it. I used spinach linguine. If I make it again gonna omit the wine, add 2-3 Tbls of flour along with “the rest” of the butter to create a creamy sauce.
I made this recipe tonight. I absolutely love it!
This so fare is mi favorite dish. I will make it over and over again. I made my pasta with walnuts instead of pine nuts.Delicious!
Thanks for the recipe!
I loved this! I subbed 3/4 cup apple juice and 1/4 cup vinegar for the wine and paprika for the red pepper flakes. I am deleting all other mushroom pasta recipes from my recipe box because this one is more delicious and has more flavors!
My husband and I have made this dish every other week since discovering it. We add chicken for some protein and oh my goodness… this recipe is delicious! Friends love it, too!
So yummy!
I made this because we love mushrooms. It has a unique taste that’s addictive! 2 weeks later I’m making it again.
But this time with a roasted pork tenderloin. We made chicken the last time and everyone said it would’ve been better with pork or beef.
OMG…made this last night for just myself, cut recipe in half. Used wheat spaghetti, all criminis, chicken broth, and dried rosemary (what I had), about 1/2 cup of the pasta water at the end..SO ADDICTIVE !!! It was quick and easy and freaking delicious and was afraid I was going to eat the half a pound of pasta in one sitting ! Weird thing was, it was “rich” tasting, without really tasting heavy…weird in a good way. :)Dreaming of it all night and all day today. Thank you for the wonderful recipe…warmed up wonderfully at lunch, without even adding any extra parm. Can’t wait till dinner !!
So fresh- allows all of the great mushroom flavors to come through. Super recipe that’s super easy!
Just made this tonight and it was delicious. Perfect on a cold night like we are having tonight. Served with some homemade ciabatta still warm from the oven. I plan to take some leftovers for my daughter who is a vegetarian. Will definitely make again
Awesome! Great change of pace with all the mushrooms.
Big hit with our family! Thank you for sharing!
We roasted the pine nuts and added fresh baby spinach to the simmering mushroom sauce before tossing it in with the pappardelle!
it was delicious! impressive and simple! AND i used gluten free pasta – no kidding! fresh fettuccine- oyster mushrooms and half butter half olive oil – everything else like you said – excellent- thank you!!
The flavors in this dish were superb! The balsamic added just enough of a different taste..what a pleasant surprise! This is going into the Keeper File!
This is an amazing recipe! Restaurant quality! I impressed my husband with this one! Balsamic and red pepper Flavors really came through. This made 4 nice servings. I can’t wait to make it again!
I am eating it right now and it is delicious!
I skipped the wine, red pepper and added spinach. Mmmmm!!! Will keep the recipe on hand to repeat it for sure. Ah! We are doing work in the house, part in the kitchen and it was easy and fast. A keeper!
Just discovered this recipe. Delicious! I added a few bits of previously steamed asparagus and cut back a wee bit on the vinegar. Yum, will make again for sure. Thnaks!
Really yummy mushroom rosemary sauce! The balsamic with the dry white wine is a must. It almost made it taste a bit like Marsala.. so delicious! Didn’t have pine nuts but it was delish none the less. Made it for a homemade paparadelle pasta. Thank you for the great recipe!
Awesome recipe
Oh gosh, this is my new favorite mushroom technique!! I used less than half the butter recommended and it still turned out beautiful.
Made this last night and it was incredible! I regret not making more! I used cremini mushrooms, spinach/chive linguine for the pasta, and left out the white wine. I used more balsamic vinegar (which was a game changer), olive oil, with a splash of lemon juice. I topped with walnuts and Parmesan and everything came together so wonderfully! Cant wait to make this again.
Extremely good recipe . Balance was great. Thought I would add protein, but glad I didn’t. NOT NESSASARY.
Will definitely keep it in my rotation.
THANKS
This was beyond delicious! My husband doesn’t typically love creamy sauces, and my 3 young girls definitely resist the allure of mushrooms, but EVERYONE loved this! I used only 1/4 stick of butter total, but did add a half cup of heavy cream and a cup of reserved pasta water at the end (after reduction). Particularly good with Trader Joe’s spinach and chive linguini. A keeper.
delicious pasta! thanks for the recipe ! I added grill chicken and extra wine to mine…and it was to die for ! ;-)
It was really good! I added broccoli that was made with the airfryer. Delicious!
Made it just as prescribed, minus half of the pepper flakes, and it was AWESOME! Definitely a keeper! Thank you so much!
This was sooo tasty! And easy to make too. It was a perfect Sunday night dinner with a glass of wine.
I made this and I have to say it was good. I want to leave out the balsamic next time and add some heavy cream and thyme. THE PINE NUTS!!! YES!!! I had a “huge” assortment of mushrooms that I debated but I went for it. I used crimini, trumpet, maitake, alba clamshell, button and pioppini.
Absolutely delicious !
Question: Only have a pound of fresh mushrooms (portobello and generic white button) but have some dried shiitakes. Would it be ok to use rehydrate shiitakes in the dish? Also: I LOVE your recipes!
Like the previous reviewer, I think the sauce would be better thicker. I also think the murshrooms would be better in larger pieces. The flavors are good, and it comes together quickly.
Awesome.
Had to adjust a bit because we didn’t have enough mushrooms, but still…amazing.
Delicious!!! I’ve made this a few times and it’s turned out sooo good every time.
I love the fact that it’s pasta…but with grown up flavor that my kids also enjoy. My picky eaters love this!
It’s the perfect meal – can easily be considered “fancy” restaurant quality, or just at home in pajamas type comfort food!
I had some mushrooms on hand to use up, so I used this as a base recipe. I had only half a pound of white mushrooms, so I chopped them fine. Other substitutions were dry sherry for the white wine, beef stock for the vegetable broth, minced dried garlic for fresh, and frozen tortellini. It still made a delicious dish, although the sauce was really only mushroom-flavored, of course. I am definitely hanging onto this recipe and one day will make it with lots more mushrooms (a more flavorful assortment) and fresh garlic and pasta, as intended.
Amazing! Restaurant quality meal with little effort! I subbed basil for rosemary because it’s what I had on hand. I also added lots of spinach and half a cup of barista style oat milk (similar to cream). So delicious!!
Perfect for my almost-ready Golden Oyster Mushroom grow kit!
This was fantastic! I didn’t change a thing!
I really liked the flavor, however it was really soupy. Perhaps the heat wasn’t high enough when I was doing the mushrooms because they released a ton of water (I brush mine off I do not rinse them)… the liquids cooked down a little and I was hoping the starch in the pasta water would thicken it a bit but it really didn’t. Regardless we did enjoy eating it. My other thought was maybe it was the butter I used, perhaps that had a higher moisture content.
I made this per the recipe last night, with the exception of using dried rosemary, and it was exceptional. Thank you for bringing a recipe-on-repeat it to my household.
I was lucky enough to find some King Oyster mushrooms so sliced them up into long strips as the primary mushroom in this dish. It turned out really great! My husband thought it could use a bit more acidity so next time I might bump up the balsamic or even finish with lemon. Thanks for a great recipe.
Have made this several times, killer recipe! One suggestion for modifying the instructions, the 3-4 minutes to sweat and brown the mushrooms is not long enough. Rather than using a set time, cook the mushrooms until they have released and evaporated all of their liquid and caramelized on the outside. The maillard reaction adds sooo much more flavor!
Thanks for the recipe!
Thanks for the inspiration!
My version was (for 2):
– Extra virgine olive oil in the pan
– Add the garlic (three cloves, finely chopped)
– Add the union (1 finely chopped)
– Add 250 grams of mushrooms (or more… :D )
– Bake until mushrooms are slightly brown and the union lightly transparent
– Add 1/2L vegetable stock
– Let it simmer for 15 minutes
– Add 1 glass of dry white wine
– Add 1 sprig of rosemary
– Let simmer until thickened.
– Add peper and salt (to own taste, carefull with the salt)
– Add mediteranian herbs (thyme, oregano, basil)
– Add a bit of grated parmigiano reggiano
-Stir it.
– Add the cooked pasta (I used Penne), keep the pasta water!
– Keep stirring it.
– Add 5 tablespoons of pasta water and keep stirring on a low heat until it becomes creamy.
– Serve with grated parmigiano reggiano and grated dry mozzarella.
It was Delicious!
alsa I added 40 to50 grams of butter…