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A quick and comforting oyster mushroom pasta dish featuring a creamy Italian-style sauce combined with pan-seared oyster mushrooms, perfect for a vegetarian meal with easy vegan and gluten-free swaps.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 8 ounces dried pasta (spaghetti, tagliatelle, or preferred variety)
  • 2 cups oyster mushrooms, torn gently into strips
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
  • 1 cup vegetable broth
  • 1 cup heavy cream (or substitute with coconut milk for dairy-free)
  • 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan (or Pecorino; omit for vegan)
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
  • Reserved pasta water (about 1/4 cup) to loosen sauce if needed

Instructions

  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil and cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente; reserve about 1/4 cup pasta water and drain pasta.
  2. Heat olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat until shimmering.
  3. Add minced garlic and sauté gently until fragrant and softened, about 30–45 seconds, taking care not to brown.
  4. Tear oyster mushrooms by hand and add to the pan; stir to coat in garlic oil and cook until softened and edges brown, about 4–6 minutes.
  5. Pour in vegetable broth and bring to a gentle simmer; reduce for 2–3 minutes.
  6. Reduce heat to medium-low; stir in heavy cream and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens slightly, about 3–5 minutes.
  7. Add drained pasta to the sauce and toss to coat, adding reserved pasta water gradually until sauce is silky and clings to noodles.
  8. Stir in grated Parmesan until melted; taste and adjust seasoning with salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
  9. Remove from heat; fold in chopped parsley and let the pasta rest for one to two minutes before serving.

Notes

For deeper flavor, sear some mushrooms separately until nicely browned before adding them to the sauce., Tearing mushrooms by hand improves texture compared to slicing., Keep heat gentle when adding cream to prevent sauce separation., Reserved pasta water helps the sauce stick and smooths out texture., Adding a splash of soy sauce or miso paste to the broth enhances umami without altering the overall flavor profile., Adjust seasoning at the end after mixing pasta and sauce, as pasta mellows flavors., Substitutions include using coconut milk for dairy-free, Pecorino instead of Parmesan, addition of greens like spinach or arugula, red pepper flakes for heat, other mushroom varieties, or protein additions such as grilled chicken, tofu, or shrimp., Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge up to 3-4 days; reheat gently with splash of broth, milk, or water., Freezing cream-based pasta may cause texture changes; freeze mushroom and broth mixture separately and cook fresh pasta when ready to eat.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://cookingcrumbs.com/mouthwatering-oyster-mushroom-pasta/