Creamy Mushroom and Asparagus Pasta
Creamy mushroom and asparagus pasta is a great staple recipe. It’s quick and easy to throw together and has something for everyone. The deeply browned mushrooms are amazingly savory and pair well with the crisp, fresh, asparagus. Tossed with rotini pasta and a light cream sauce, it’s a meal that’s sure to satisfy!
Creamy mushroom and asparagus pasta is the ultimate springtime meal! I always look forward to when asparagus finally becomes abundant at the farmer’s market in the Spring. It’s such a versatile vegetable and it goes well with so many dishes. However, one of the best ways to enjoy this veggie is with pasta. In this recipe, the mushrooms are sautéed until they’re deeply browned, resulting in a great savory flavor that pairs nicely with the slightly sweet taste of the asparagus. The sauce is light and just barely coats everything, giving the dish a creamy but not heavy finish.
How to Make Creamy Mushroom and Asparagus Pasta
Prep the veggies: Slice the mushrooms into 1/4-inch slices. Trim the bottom inch off the asparagus and cut the stems into 1-inch pieces.
Boil the pasta according to the package directions in well-salted water, typically about 7 minutes. Drain and set aside.
While the pasta is cooking, heat half of the olive oil in a wide-bottomed pan over medium heat. Sauté the mushrooms, stirring every couple of minutes, until deeply golden brown, about 7 to 10 minutes. Remove them from the pan.
Add the other half of the olive oil and sauté the asparagus until tender-crisp, about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove them from the pan.
Reduce the heat to low and melt the butter. Then, add the heavy cream, grated Parmigiano Reggiano, salt, and pepper.
Toss the pasta, mushrooms, and asparagus in the sauce.
Tips for Making Creamy Mushroom and Asparagus Pasta
- Be sure to cook the mushrooms long enough. You want them to be very well browned and this usually takes upwards of 10 minutes.
- Conversely, don’t overcook the asparagus. You want them to still retain some of their crispiness so that they’re not mushy.
- This recipe calls for freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano. I don’t recommend substituting with powdered parmesan. Since this recipe calls for only a few ingredients, you want to use quality ingredients that will really shine. Besides, Parmigiano Reggiano is a great staple item to have on hand for many dishes and if you store it well it lasts a long time.
- Once you plate the pasta, be sure to top it with a bit more of the cheese as well as some freshly ground black pepper. The pepper adds a great kick to the dish that tastes great with the cream sauce.
Storing Leftovers
You can store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Reheating Leftovers
The pasta will absorb most of the sauce as it sits, so you have 2 options for reheating:
- You can simply put a damp paper towel on top and microwave it in 30-second increments until warm. This method still tastes great, but the creaminess is mostly absorbed into the pasta.
- Alternatively, you can quickly make a little more of the sauce on the stovetop by melting 1/2 tablespoon butter over medium-low heat, then add a 1/4 cup of cream and a grating of the Parmigiano Reggiano. Salt and pepper to taste. Then, toss the leftover pasta into the sauce and allow it to warm up for 1 to 2 minutes. This method gives you very similar results to when it was freshly made and is how I typically warm up the leftovers.
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Creamy Mushroom and Asparagus Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil divided
- 1 pound cremini mushrooms sliced
- 1 pound asparagus trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 12 ounces rotini pasta
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup Parmigiano Reggiano grated
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- In a large pot, bring well-salted water to a boil. Boil the pasta according to the package directions, typically about 7 minutes. Drain and set aside.
- Meanwhile, in a wide-bottomed pan, heat half of the olive oil over medium heat. Sauté mushrooms until deeply browned, about 10 minutes. Remove from pan.
- Add the other half of the olive oil and the asparagus to the pan and sauté until tender-crisp, about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from pan.
- Lower the heat to medium-low and melt the butter. Add the heavy cream, Parmigiano Reggiano, salt, and pepper to the pan. Gently simmer until everything is combined and slightly thickened, about 2 minutes.
- Return the mushrooms and asparagus along with the pasta to the pan. Toss to combine.
- When serving, top with additional Parmigiano Reggiano and freshly ground black pepper, if desired.
Notes
- When reheating, you can cover with a damp paper towel and microwave in 30-second increments. However, much of the sauce will be absorbed by the pasta.
- Another option is to quickly make more sauce by melting 1/2 a tablespoon of butter and adding a 1/4 cup of heavy cream and a grating of the Parmigiano Reggiano. Then, toss with the leftover pasta and salt and pepper to taste. This way will produce creamier results.
