Ready in Less Than 30 Minutes: Creamy Mushroom Pasta Recipe

How to Add Protein:

This creamy mushroom pasta works equally well as a main course or a side dish. While the recipe does provide 20 grams of protein per serving, you could certainly add some grilled chicken or steak to the dish, or enjoy it as a side, to help boost the overall protein content. My top protein suggestions include:

Grilled steak
Roasted chicken thighs
Baked chicken breast
Seared scallops
Pan fried shrimp
Broiled salmon
Roasted whole fish

In addition to adding protein to the dish, serving the pasta with a simple green salad or a side of asparagus or broccoli would help to increase the overall fiber content of the meal and create a well-balanced meal that is equally delicious as it is nutritious. Regardless of which route you choose, the creamy mushroom pasta is sure to be a hit with the whole family.

Creamy Mushroom Pasta

This creamy mushroom pasta makes a quick and easy vegetarian meal, or serve it up with chicken or steak for an extra boost of protein.

Ingredients

12 ounces fettuccine, dry
1 pound mushrooms, sliced (about 4 cups)
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 shallots, minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 ounces parmesan cheese, freshly grated
1/4 cup parsley, finely chopped
Salt
Black pepper

Instructions

Prepare your mushrooms by gently brushing them with a mushroom brush or paper towel to remove any excess dirt. Once cleaned, slice them thinly.
In a large pot, cook the fettuccine as per package directions in heavily salted water. While the pasta is cooking, reserve 1 cup of the cooking water and set it aside.
In a separate pot or extra-large pan on medium-high heat, warm 1 tablespoon of butter and olive oil, add sliced mushrooms and cook until lightly browned, released their juices, and reduced in size, about 5-6 minutes. Once cooked, season with a pinch of salt and pepper, toss, then remove the mushrooms from the pot, transfer them to a plate and set aside.
In the same pot, reduce heat to medium, melt the remaining tablespoon of butter, add minced shallot and garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes until tender and translucent.
Once the shallot and garlic are tender, add 1/3 cup of the pasta cooking water, use a wooden spoon or spatula to scrape up any tasty bits from the bottom of the pot, and bring to a bubble.
Reduce the heat to low, add heavy cream and parmesan cheese, and whisk until the cheese is melted and the sauce is smooth. Taste and season with additional salt and black pepper as needed.
Turn off the heat, add the cooked fettuccine, mushrooms, and parsley to the pot with sauce and then, using tongs, toss everything together, adding additional splashes of the pasta cooking water to loosen the sauce as needed until a rich and velvety texture is reached.
Serve the pasta immediate with an extra sprinkle of parmesan cheese and parsley, any leftover pasta can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.