If you love creamy mushroom pasta but don't want a heavy sauce, this spinach mushroom pasta is for you. The "creaminess" comes from a quick emulsion of olive oil and starchy pasta water, plus a splash of white wine for balance - no cream, no blended cashews. I've cooked countless versions of this over the years, and this one nails the important details: properly browned mushrooms, lots of garlic, and a weeknight-friendly method that works with any short pasta.
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The key is building big flavor the simple way: let the mushrooms get deeply golden, sauté the shallots and garlic until sweet, then de-glaze with white wine and use a splash of starchy pasta water to turn everything into a glossy sauce that clings to every bite.
It's a satisfying 30-minute weeknight dinner that's naturally vegetarian/easy to keep vegan, and it's endlessly flexible - add chickpeas or white beans for protein, or finish with Parmesan or nutritional yeast for extra savoriness.
For more pasta recipes, try my creamy mushroom stroganoff, easy pasta primavera, pea pesto pasta, and creamy pasta with garlic butter!
Jump to:
- ⭐ Why This Spinach Mushroom Pasta is the Best
- ⭐ How This Pasta Gets "Creamy" Without Cream
- 🧄 Ingredient Notes
- 📝 Pasta Variations & Substitutions
- 🔪 How to Make Mushroom Spinach Pasta
- 👩🍳 Expert Tips for Perfect Mushroom Pasta with Spinach
- 🍽️ How to Serve Garlic Mushroom Pasta with Spinach
- ❓Frequently Asked Questions
- 🍝 More Pasta Recipes
- Mushroom Spinach Pasta Recipe
⭐ Why This Spinach Mushroom Pasta is the Best
- Quick & easy pasta dish that's ready in 30 minutes
- Meaty mushrooms, fresh spinach, rich olive oil, and aromatic garlic all combine to make this big-flavored weeknight dinner that's naturally vegetarian and vegan/dairy-free.
- Creamy without cream - Instead, we combine olive oil and starchy pasta water to create a lightly creamy sauce without using cream.
- Customizable pasta recipe - add your favorite protein, add more veggies, or add a sprinkle of cheese!
⭐ How This Pasta Gets "Creamy" Without Cream
- Pasta water & olive oil emulsifies into a glossy sauce
- Wine adds acidity to balance the richness
- Optional Parmesan/nutritional yeast for extra cling
🧄 Ingredient Notes
- Crimini mushrooms - Use a dry paper towel to wipe off any dirt on the mushrooms before slicing them. If you're a mushroom-lover, be sure to try my vegetarian mushroom tart!
- Garlic - Use fresh garlic or jarred garlic
- Italian seasoning - If you don't have this on hand, you can easily make your own Italian blend.
- Farfalle pasta - You can use any short pasta for this recipe.
- Dry white wine - Adds fresh acidity that balances out the richness of the olive oil and adds complex flavor.
- Fresh baby spinach - Rinse and pat dry spinach before using it. You can also use frozen spinach (10 ounces). If you're not a fan of spinach, you can substitute your favorite leafy greens, like kale or Swiss chard.
📝 Pasta Variations & Substitutions
- Make it cheesy: To keep it dairy-free/vegan, add ¼ cup of nutritional yeast to get that cheesy flavor. For a vegetarian version, add ¼ cup of shredded Parmesan cheese.
- Gluten-free: Use your favorite brand of gluten free pasta to make it gluten free.
- No wine substitute: In place of wine, use 1 tablespoon lemon juice + 3 tablespoons water, or 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar + 2 tablespoons water.
- Add protein: Add 1 cup of your favorite protein, like tofu, chickpeas, or white beans.
🔪 How to Make Mushroom Spinach Pasta
*See recipe card below for printable instructions
Bring a large pot of salted water (I add around 1 tablespoon of salt) to a boil.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the shallot, salt, and pepper, and cook until the shallots have softened, about 5 minutes. Give the shallots a good stir once or twice.
Add the mushrooms to the pan, and cook for 5-7 minutes, until they have softened. Stir in the garlic and Italian seasoning, and cook for an additional minute.
While the mushrooms cook, add your pasta to the boiling water and cook according to (al dente) package instructions. After pasta is cooked, set aside ½ cup of pasta water and drain the pasta.
Increase the skillet heat to medium-high and de-glaze your pan by pouring in the white wine. Use a wooden spoon to stir in the wine and scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook for 2 minutes. Add fresh spinach to the pan, and cook just until the leaves are wilted, 2-3 minutes.
Add the drained pasta to the pan and toss with ingredients. Add pasta water, ¼ cup at a time, and continue stirring (the pasta water will get absorbed, and will help the sauce stick to your pasta noodles). Add fresh parsley and red pepper flakes; serve immediately. Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 4 days.
👩🍳 Expert Tips for Perfect Mushroom Pasta with Spinach
- Salt your pasta water. It's the easiest way to season the noodles from the inside out!
- Brown the mushrooms, don't steam them: Cook mushrooms in a single layer and don't stir for 2-3 minutes at a time until they're deeply golden. Salt once they're starting to brown so they don't "sweat" too early.
- Reserve pasta water. Be sure to reserve at least ½ cup of pasta water before draining. It contains starch, which helps to thicken the sauce and ensures that it sticks to the pasta.
- Finish the pasta in the skillet. Toss the drained pasta directly into the mushroom mixture for 1-2 minutes so it absorbs flavor and the sauce emulsifies.
- Cook pasta al dente. It's stay chewy (not mushy) and reheat better the next day.
- Balance at the end. If it tastes flat, add a squeeze of lemon or a tiny splash of vinegar and a glug of olive oil; if the sauce is tight, loosen it up with more pasta water.
🍽️ How to Serve Garlic Mushroom Pasta with Spinach
- Pair it with a delicious side salad, like fennel salad or apple cucumber salad.
- Accompany your pasta with more vegetables, like asparagus, broccoli, or my roasted green beans and carrots.
- Serve your pasta as a creamy side dish to salmon, chicken, or shrimp.
- Pair it with Italian focaccia for a hearty meal.
❓Frequently Asked Questions
The "creaminess" comes from starchy pasta water. Reserve at least ½ cup, then stir it into the pan a little bit at a time, until the sauce turns glossy and clingy. For extra richness, add a spoonful of vegan butter, or finish with Parmesan cheese or nutritional yeast.
Yes! Thaw and squeeze out as much liquid as possible, then stir it in at the end, just until it's warmed through. Frozen spinach can water down the sauce, so you may need a bit more butter/cheese/nutritional yeast. Or, simmer for a few extra minutes to thicken it up.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat in a skillet over low heat with a splash of water or broth, stirring until the sauce loosens and turns glossy again. You can also microwave it, but be sure to add a splash of liquid first.
🍝 More Pasta Recipes
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Mushroom Spinach Pasta Recipe
Ingredients
- 6 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 shallot, thinly sliced
- ¾ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 16 ounces crimini (baby bella) mushrooms, sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 ½ teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 8 ounces farfalle pasta (or your favorite short pasta)
- ¼ cup dry white wine
- 5 ounces fresh baby spinach (or 10 ounces frozen spinach)
- 2 Tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (use less for milder heat)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water (I add around 1 tablespoon of salt) to a boil.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the shallot, salt, and pepper, and cook until the shallots have softened, about 5 minutes. Give the shallots a good stir once or twice.
- Add the mushrooms to the pan, and cook for 5-7 minutes, until they have softened. Stir in the garlic and Italian seasoning, and cook for an additional minute.
- While the mushrooms cook, add your pasta to the boiling water and cook according to (al dente) package instructions. After pasta is cooked, set aside ½ cup of pasta water and drain the pasta.
- Increase the skillet heat to medium-high and de-glaze your pan by pouring in the white wine. Use a wooden spoon to stir in the wine and scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook for 2 minutes. Add fresh spinach to the pan, and cook just until the leaves are wilted, 2-3 minutes (I use tongs to help toss the spinach at this point).
- Add the drained pasta to the pan and toss with ingredients. Add pasta water, ¼ cup at a time, and continue stirring (the pasta water will get absorbed, and will help the sauce stick to your pasta noodles). Garnish with fresh parsley and red pepper flakes; serve immediately. Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Notes
- Storage Instructions: Place leftover pasta in an airtight container and keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Reserve pasta water. Be sure to reserve at least ½ cup of pasta water before draining. It contains starch, which helps to thicken the sauce and ensures that it sticks to the pasta.
- Brown the mushrooms, don't steam them: Cook mushrooms in a single layer and don't stir for 2-3 minutes at a time until they're deeply golden. Salt once they're starting to brown so they don't "sweat" too early.
Barb says
This dish looks so good! And easy to prepare! Great for a dinner after a day at work!
MaryAnne says
Thanks so much! Yes to all of it! 🙂
Sharon says
So delicious! I appreciated the instructions on how to avoid steaming the mushrooms. I added a few spoonfuls of nutritional yeast at the end. Will definitely make this again!
MaryAnne says
Thanks so much, Sharon! I also love adding nutritional yeast to this!