This Creamy Roasted Garlic & Mushroom Pasta is loaded with roasted garlic flavor, tender spinach, and baby bella mushrooms in a rich, cheesy sauce. It’s a cozy, satisfying creamy mushroom pasta that’s easy enough for a weeknight but tastes restaurant-worthy. If you love what roasted garlic can bring to a dish, don’t miss my Roasted Garlic Ravioli. It’s another creamy, comforting pasta dish that’s packed with flavor.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Garlic: Look for 3 heads of garlic, 8-10 cloves per head. (I ended up having about 24 cloves, total.) These will be roasted whole to bring out their sweet, mellow flavor and then squeezed into the sauce for a rich, garlicky finish.
- Mushrooms: Besides the roasted garlic, the mushrooms are an important part of this recipe. I used baby bella mushrooms, but white mushrooms or even a mix of wild mushrooms would also work well here.
- Spinach: The baby spinach adds a pop of color and a boost of nutrition to the garlic mushroom pasta, and it wilts down perfectly into the warm sauce. If you don’t have spinach, kale or arugula would work, too.
- Red Pepper Flakes: Crushed red pepper or red pepper flakes bring a little kick to each bite of this pasta dish. But you can certainly leave them out if preferred. Or, add more if you like even more heat!
- Cream Cheese: Cream cheese gives the sauce its ultra-creamy texture and slight tang, helping everything come together smoothly. If you don’t have cream cheese on hand, you can use mascarpone, or even a dollop of ricotta for a lighter, slightly grainier texture.
- Heavy Whipping Cream: Heavy whipping cream (also called heavy cream) makes the sauce smooth and creamy. For a lighter option, you can use half-and-half.
- Pasta: I love cavatappi pasta for its spiral shape and ridges, perfect for holding onto all that delicious sauce, so no bite is wasted! Of course, feel free to use whatever pasta you have on hand. Just be sure to cook it al dente and reserve about a cup of pasta water before draining.
- Parmesan Cheese: Freshly grated Parmesan gives the sauce a rich, savory flavor. Keep extra nearby for topping your serving!
Can I Use Minced Garlic Instead Of Roasted Garlic?
Yes, you can use minced garlic instead of roasted garlic, but the flavor will be sharper and less mellow. (It really does make a difference when the garlic is roasted.) Minced garlic should be sautéed early with the onions and mushrooms to soften its bite. Since it’s not roasted, the dish won’t need as much baking time, just enough to melt the cream cheese and cook the mushrooms. You could even make the entire dish on the stovetop this way. Keep in mind that this substitution changes both the flavor profile and texture of the sauce.
Best Pasta Shapes For Creamy Sauces
When it comes to creamy sauces like this roasted garlic and mushroom pasta, the pasta shape really matters. You want noodles that hold onto the sauce so every bite is packed with flavor. Cavatappi is perfect because its spirals and ridges catch the sauce really well. Fettuccine and pappardelle have wide, flat noodles that grab onto creamy sauces nicely. Rigatoni’s tubes and ridges are great for thick sauces, and shells (conchiglie) hold sauce and vegetables in their little cups. Twisty pastas like rotini or fusilli also work by trapping sauce in their spirals. Tagliatelle, with its long, flat ribbons, is another tasty option for creamy dishes. So, have fun with all of the shaped pasta or make homemade shaped pasta!
What to Serve with Creamy Roasted Garlic and Mushroom Pasta
This rich, creamy pasta pairs well with lighter sides. A crisp green salad or roasted vegetables (like asparagus, broccoli, or parmesan green beans) help balance the meal. Garlic bread or a warm French baguette is perfect for soaking up the sauce.
How To Make Creamy Roasted Garlic and Mushroom Pasta On The Stovetop
Yes! If you already roasted the garlic (see my Roasted Garlic Carbonara for how to roast garlic ahead of time), you can cook everything else on the stove. Just cook the onions, mushrooms, and spinach in a pan, then mix in the roasted garlic, cream cheese, and cream. Stir until it’s smooth, then add the pasta and cheese. Easy and tasty!
Can I Add Protein to Creamy Roasted Garlic and Mushroom Pasta?
Yes! Adding protein is a great way to make this dish more satisfying. Grilled, rotisserie, or shredded chicken blends perfectly with the creamy garlic sauce, while Italian sausage adds a savory, spiced kick. Shrimp is another quick and tasty option, and crispy bacon or pancetta adds a salty crunch. Just cook the protein separately, then stir it into the sauce at the end so everything stays tender and well-coated.
How To Store & Reheat Roasted Garlic & Mushroom Pasta
Once cooled to room temperature, store leftover roasted garlic and mushroom pasta in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat, warm gently on the stovetop or in the microwave, adding a splash of milk or pasta water to loosen the sauce if needed.
Can I Freeze Creamy Roasted Garlic & Mushroom Pasta?
Yes, you can freeze this garlic mushroom pasta, but freezing it may change the texture of the sauce a bit. Once cool, store it in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. Let it thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.
Creamy Roasted Garlic & Mushroom Pasta
Ingredients
- 3 heads garlic, about 24-30 cloves
- 1 medium red onion, finely diced
- 8 ounces baby bella mushrooms, sliced
- 2 cups (60 g) baby spinach
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional
- 4 ounces cream cheese, cubed, softened
- 1 cup (238 g) heavy whipping cream
- 8 ounces cavatappi pasta, cooked al dente, drained (reserving 1 cup of pasta water)
- ½ cup (50 g) freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
- fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Peel away the loose, papery layers from each head of garlic, keeping the heads intact. Slice about ¼ inch off the top to expose the garlic cloves. Set aside.
- In a large (12-inch) oven-safe skillet, add the diced red onion, sliced mushrooms, and baby spinach.
- Nestle the garlic heads, cut side up, into the center of the skillet.
- Drizzle the olive oil evenly over everything, making sure the garlic and vegetables are well coated. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes (if using).
- Add the cubed cream cheese throughout the pan and pour the heavy cream over the mixture.
- Cover the skillet tightly with aluminum foil. Bake for 50 minutes.
- Remove the foil and bake, uncovered, for an additional 10 minutes, until the mushrooms are golden and the garlic is very soft.
- Remove the skillet from the oven. Carefully squeeze the roasted garlic cloves from their skins directly into the skillet, then discard the skins.
- Stir until the cream cheese is fully melted and everything is smooth and creamy.
- Add the cooked pasta and freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Gently stir until the pasta is coated in the sauce. If the sauce is too thick, stir in a little of the reserved pasta water until the sauce reaches your desired consistency. (I used ¼ cup pasta water.)
- Serve warm, garnished with chopped parsley and extra Parmesan.
Did you make this recipe?
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What the Test Kitchen had to say about this recipe:
Autumn
This is so creamy and good! If you love mushrooms, you will love this pasta dish!
Elizabeth
I love this dish! But, you need to like mushrooms, I would say. And, the roasted garlic adds lots of garlic flavor. I did have to had a pinch of salt to mine.
Stephanie
I do not like mushrooms, so I had to pass on this dish. It looked nice and creamy, though!
Bella
This is good! I would add a few more red pepper flakes to my portion for more heat, but it had good flavor.
