Creamy Shrimp and Mushroom Pasta
This shrimp and mushroom pasta is creamy, garlicky, and coated in a Parmesan sauce. It’s ready in about 30 minutes, which makes it perfect for busy nights.
Not too long ago someone asked me, “do shrimp and mushrooms go together?” Heck, yes. They go together!
How can you go wrong with shrimp and mushroom pasta? You’ve got pasta, garlic, mushrooms, and a simple cream sauce. Add shrimp and it turns into an dinner recipe that anyone can make.
What’s not to love about that?
You can use pretty much any mushrooms you like. I tend to opt for lighter tasting varieties so they don’t overpower the shrimp.
The cream sauce isn’t too heavy that way the whole dish stays nice and light.
There are plenty of add-in options that really put this pasta over the top like fresh spinach, sauteed asparagus, and crispy bacon.
My mushroom shrimp pasta takes about 30 minutes from start to finish and aside from the noodles everything comes together in one pan.
That makes it perfect for busy weeknights or an impromptu date night.
If this pasta with mushrooms and shrimp sounds good, you need to try my baked lemon butter shrimp and chicken mushroom broccoli pasta!
What you’ll need
Here is a quick overview of the ingredients. The full recipe is further down the page.
- Pasta: Long noodles like fettuccine, linguine, or spaghetti work best.
- Shrimp: I like to use medium or large and make sure they’re peeled and deveined with the tails off.
- Seasonings: Salt, black pepper, paprika, and Italian seasoning.
- Olive oil and butter: These are for cooking the shrimp, mushrooms, and making the sauce.
- Mushrooms: Use your favorite. I tend to use button or baby bellas.
- Onion and garlic: Flavors the dish.
- Chicken broth: Try to use low-sodium or sodium-free if possible.
- Heavy cream: Along with the broth, this is going to make up the base of the sauce.
- Parmesan cheese: If possible, shred this straight off the block. It’s going to melt into the cream and broth to make the sauce.
- Reserved pasta water: Save a little just in case you need to loosen up the dish.
How to make shrimp and mushroom pasta
Start by bringing a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until al dente, then reserve some of the pasta water before draining.
While the pasta cooks, season the shrimp with salt, pepper, and paprika. Heat a large skillet over medium heat, and add a little olive oil and and some of the butter.
Add the shrimp in a single layer,and cook for 1-2 minutes per side until it’s pink and opaque. Remove it from the pan and set aside.
In the same skillet, add the remaining butter, olive oil, and mushrooms. Cook the mushrooms until they release their liquid, shrink, and turn brown.
Next, stir in the onion, and cook until softened. Add the garlic, and stir for another 30 seconds.
Pour in the chicken broth, and scrape up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pan. Let the broth simmer for 2-3 minutes then add the heavy cream and Italian seasoning.
Let the cream warm until it begins to steam but don’t allow it to boil. Add the cheese a little at a time and whisk until it melts and is fully incorporated.
Add the cooked shrimp and pasta to the skillet, and toss to combine. If the sauce seems too thick, pour in a couple of splashes of pasta water to thin it out.
Top with extra parmesan cheese, fresh basil, or parsley, and serve! We like this dish with a Caesar salad, focaccia bread, or a slice of Italian bread.
Easy shrimp and mushroom pasta add-ins
If you want to add something extra to this pasta, it’s easy to do. Here are some ideas:
- Fresh spinach: Stir it in at the end until wilted.
- Asparagus: Slice it thin and sauté it with the mushrooms.
- Bacon: Cook it separately and crumble it over the top.
- Red pepper flakes: Add a pinch with the garlic for some heat.
Can you use olive oil in place of butter?
Short answer: no. Long answer: The oil doesn’t emulsify with the heavy cream as well as butter.
In all honesty, you really need to use all butter and no oil. I just like the way the shrimp cooks in a combination of oil and butter. Definitely don’t omit the butter.
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Reheat on the stove over low heat with a splash of broth or water.
If you like this recipe, you may also like:
How to Video
What You’ll Need
- 12 ounces fettuccine, linguine, or spaghetti
- ¼ to ½ cup reserved pasta water
- 1 ½ pounds large shrimp, peeled, deveined, and tail off (patted dry)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 12 to 16 ounces mushrooms, sliced
- 1 small onion, finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
How to Make It
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until al dente. Reserve some of the pasta water, then drain.12 ounces fettuccine¼ to ½ cup reserved pasta water
- Season the shrimp with the salt, pepper, and paprika.1 ½ pounds large shrimp½ teaspoon salt¼ teaspoon black pepper½ teaspoon paprika
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the shrimp in a single layer and cook for 1 to 2 minutes per side, just until pink and opaque. Transfer to a plate.1 tablespoons olive oil1 tablespoons unsalted butter
- In the same skillet, add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and 3 tablespoons butter. Add the mushrooms and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they release their liquid and start to brown.1 tablespoons olive oil12 to 16 ounces mushrooms3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Add the onion and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until softened. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.1 small onion4 cloves garlic
- Pour in the chicken broth and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Simmer for 2-3 minutes.½ cup low-sodium chicken broth
- Reduce the heat to medium-low. Stir in the heavy cream and Italian seasoning. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes.1 cup heavy cream½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Stir in the Parmesan until melted and smooth. Add ¼ cup of the reserved pasta water to loosen the sauce, adding more as needed until it coats the pasta nicely.¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Add the drained pasta and toss to coat. Add the shrimp back to the skillet and warm for 30 to 60 seconds.
- Serve immediately with parsley and extra Parmesan.
How to Store Leftovers
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Notes
Nutrition
Meet Kim
Hi, I’m Kim Vargo! I love making scratch-made desserts and classic dinners that bring back a little nostalgia. Whether it’s a stovetop meal or a simple pasta bake, I’m all about good food made without the extra fuss.
