Description
A rich, restaurant-quality vegetarian Alfredo sauce featuring roasted cremini mushrooms, garlic, and Parmesan cheese. This weeknight-friendly dish is ready in 25 minutes and delivers deep umami flavor without meat.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound (450g) Cremini or Baby Bella mushrooms
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced (for mushrooms)
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (or ½ teaspoon dried)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt (for mushrooms)
- Black pepper to taste (for mushrooms)
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 cloves garlic, minced (for sauce)
- 2 cups (480ml) heavy cream
- ½ cup (120ml) vegetable broth (low-sodium)
- 1 cup (100g) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast (optional)
- ¼ cup (60ml) dry white wine (optional)
- 1 pound (450g) Fettuccine or Linguine
- Salt (for pasta water)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Clean mushrooms and trim tough ends; leave small ones whole or slice larger ones. Toss with olive oil, minced garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper. Spread in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet and roast for 15-20 minutes until deeply browned, stirring halfway.
- While mushrooms roast, bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Before draining, reserve 1 cup of pasta water, then drain pasta.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Add minced garlic and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant (do not brown). If using wine, add it now and simmer for 2 minutes to reduce.
- Pour in heavy cream and vegetable broth. Simmer gently for 3-4 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly and coats the back of a spoon.
- Remove skillet from heat. Gradually stir in grated Parmesan cheese and nutritional yeast until melted and smooth. If the sauce is too thick, add reserved pasta water splash by splash.
- Fold in the roasted mushrooms, reserving a few for garnish.
- Add the drained pasta to the sauce and toss to coat evenly. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if needed.
- Serve immediately topped with extra Parmesan, black pepper, and fresh parsley.
Notes
Do not crowd the mushrooms on the baking sheet to ensure they roast rather than steam. Always use freshly grated Parmesan, as pre-grated cheese contains anti-caking agents that can make the sauce grainy. Remove the pan from heat before adding cheese to prevent separation. Save pasta water to help emulsify the sauce.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approx. 1
- Calories: 520
- Sugar: 4
- Sodium: 450
- Fat: 24
- Saturated Fat: 14
- Carbohydrates: 55
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 18
Keywords: vegetarian alfredo, mushroom alfredo, creamy pasta, weeknight dinner, easy recipe, gluten-free option, comfort food