Creamy Tuscan Mushroom Pasta (Printable)

Rich skillet pasta with mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, and creamy Parmesan sauce.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Pasta and Base

01 - 12 ounces penne or fettuccine pasta
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil

→ Vegetables

03 - 1 pound cremini or button mushrooms, sliced
04 - 1 small yellow onion, finely diced
05 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
06 - ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained and sliced
07 - 3 cups baby spinach, roughly chopped

→ Sauce Components

08 - 1 cup heavy cream
09 - ½ cup vegetable broth
10 - ¾ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
11 - 1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs
12 - ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
13 - Salt and black pepper to taste

→ Garnish

14 - 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
15 - Additional Parmesan cheese for serving

# How To Make It:

01 - Cook pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water following package directions until al dente. Drain thoroughly and set aside.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add sliced mushrooms and diced onion, sautéing for 6–8 minutes until mushrooms develop golden color and onions soften.
03 - Stir in minced garlic and sliced sun-dried tomatoes. Continue cooking for 1–2 minutes until garlic becomes fragrant.
04 - Pour heavy cream and vegetable broth into the skillet. Incorporate Italian herbs and red pepper flakes. Bring mixture to a gentle simmer.
05 - Add chopped spinach to the simmering sauce. Cook for 1–2 minutes until leaves just begin to wilt.
06 - Reduce heat to low. Add cooked pasta to the skillet, tossing thoroughly to coat evenly with the cream sauce.
07 - Stir in grated Parmesan until fully melted and sauce achieves creamy consistency. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
08 - Remove skillet from heat. Sprinkle with fresh chopped basil and additional Parmesan before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Everything cooks in one pan so you spend less time washing up and more time eating
  • The sun-dried tomatoes add this incredible tangy sweetness that cuts through all that rich cream
02 -
  • Do not skip salting your pasta water because that's your only chance to season the pasta itself
  • The sauce will seem too loose at first but keep stirring and it will thicken up beautifully as it coats the pasta
03 -
  • Reserve about a half cup of pasta water before draining because it's liquid gold if your sauce gets too thick
  • Let the mushrooms get properly brown and don't rush this step because that's where all the deep flavor develops

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