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    Home » Recipes » Pasta

    Vegan Mushroom Pasta (creamy + gf)

    Aug 26, 2022 by Tracy Halasz · 7 Comments · THIS WEBSITE EARNS INCOME FROM ADS, AFFILIATES, AND SPONSORSHIPS.

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    Bowlful of mushroom pasta at a table setting with blue and white striped napkin and glass of white wine.

    This Vegan Mushroom Pasta is the absolute best!! It's quick and easy to make, loaded with meaty mushrooms and spinach simmering in a luxurious vegan mushroom sauce made with cashew cream. Ready in under 30 minutes, it's a delicious, nourishing weeknight pasta recipe to feed your family.

    Bowl of mushroom and spinach pasta.

    As soon as the weather starts to cool off, I'm craving vegan comfort food. There's just something magical about a warm, creamy bowl of pasta that warms the body and soul.

    Just like my Vegan Creamy Tomato Pasta and Veggie Pesto Pasta, this mushroom pasta sauce is exploding with flavor and comes together in under 30 minutes. It reminds me of a super creamy mushroom alfredo sauce. Needless to say, my family can't get enough of this pasta dish and neither can I!

    Craving more vegan mushroom recipes? vegan sausage rolls, vegan bolognese, baked mushroom chickpea casserole.

    Table of Contents show
    1 Ingredients
    1.1 Ingredient Substitutions & Variations
    2 How to Make Mushroom Sauce for Pasta
    3 Expert Tips
    4 How long does it last?
    5 What goes with Spinach and Mushroom Pasta?
    6 Easy Vegan Pasta Recipes
    7 Quick and Creamy Vegan Mushroom Pasta
    7.1 INGREDIENTS
    7.1.1 Pasta
    7.1.2 Mushroom Sauce
    7.1.3 Cashew Cream
    7.1.4 Everything Else
    7.2 INSTRUCTIONS
    7.2.1 Start the Pasta Water
    7.2.2 Prepare the Vegetables
    7.2.3 Dairy Free Mushroom Sauce
    7.2.4 Cashew Cream Sauce
    7.2.5 Putting It All Together
    7.3 NOTES

    Ingredients

    Once you've decided which pasta to use (regular or gluten-free), these are the ingredients you'll need for the mushroom sauce:

    Ingredient for mushroom spinach pasta in small dishes on a counter top.
    • mushrooms, onions, fresh garlic, spinach, thyme, oregano, soy sauce, S&P
    • cashew cream sauce: cashews, water, salt
    • vegetable broth, fresh parsley, oregano or basil
    • optional but incredible: porcini mushroom powder

    Ingredient Substitutions & Variations

    This vegan mushroom sauce recipe is very delicious and very forgiving. Here's a few substitutions to taking into account allergies and ingredients you have on hand:

    Mushrooms: any type of mushrooms will work or mix a variety of mushrooms!

    Veggies: I added spinach, but use whatever vegetables you have in the fridge/freezer. Broccoli, cauliflower or leeks pair well with this creamy mushroom sauce.

    Mushroom Powder: I love the flavor of porcini mushrooms, but they are not available where I live so I often add a teaspoonful or two of porcini mushroom powder to savory dishes like this mushroom pasta sauce or my Curry Cauliflower Mushroom soup.

    Pro Tip: for the most affordable mushroom powder, buy dry porcini mushrooms (bulk, Costco or Italian markets), pop some into a small food processor and blitz until finely ground. Store in a jar in the pantry.

    Parmesan Cheese: add a sprinkle of vegan parmesan cheese for extra umami flavor.

    Bowlful of spinach and mushroom pasta with a blue and white striped napkin and 2 glasses of white wine.

    How to Make Mushroom Sauce for Pasta

    1. To begin, start the pasta water. Cook per package instructions. Be sure to reserve 1 cup of salty, starchy pasta water to thin the mushroom sauce.
    Vegetable broth being poured into a Dutch oven filled with sauteed mushrooms and onions.
    Cashew cream being poured into a Dutch oven filled with sauteed mushrooms and spinach.
    1. Then heat oil in a saute skillet. Add the mushrooms, garlic and spices and saute over medium-high heat until soft and fragrant. The mushroom will release their water, the heat will evaporate it and leave flavorful brown bits in the bottom of the pan.
    2. Deglaze the pan with water/broth/wine to incorporate that umami flavor into the sauce.
    3. While the mushrooms are cooking, make the cashew sauce.
    4. Add the tamari/soy sauce to the mushrooms and stir over medium-high heat until reduced. Add the cashew sauce and ½ a cup of pasta water. Bring the sauce up to a boil and then reduce the heat and let simmer.
    Creamy vegan mushroom sauce in a Dutch oven.
    Dutch oven with mushroom sauce and fresh pasta being tossed together.
    1. Taste the sauce and adjust seasonings as required. Add more water if needed to thin out the sauce. Fold the pasta into the sauce, top with chopped fresh herbs, black pepper and red chili flakes - enjoy.

    Expert Tips

    • Cleaning Mushrooms: If you're like me, take the easy way to clean the mushrooms: place them in a colander and give them a light shower to wash away any dirt. Alternatively, you can wipe away any visible dirt with a damp kitchen towel or veggie brush. It's not recommended to put them in a bowl of water for an extended period (they soak up extra water).
    • Million Dollar Flavor Tips: One of the ways to build flavor when cooking with vegetables is to brown the veggies which transforms their flavor, texture and smell bringing out complex notes that are nutty, sweet or savory (this is called the Maillard reaction).
      Hand in hand with browning the veggies to extract flavor is to then deglaze the pan to dissolve the cooked food particles (brown bits) stuck to the bottom of the pan which incorporates that flavor back into the sauce. It's well worth the extra few minutes of cooking for the return on flavor!
    • Toasting Nuts: Toasting raw cashew nuts transforms their flavor/texture as well!
      Dry toast them in a skillet on the stove or roast them in the oven until lightly golden. Pro Tip: remove the nuts just before the color you want as they will continue to roast on the pan as they cool down. If you miss the point and the nuts/seeds are already golden, transfer them to a plate or cutting board immediately to cool. Toast a big batch to have on hand.
    Big Dutch oven full of mushroom pasta sauce.

    How long does it last?

    Store leftover mushroom pasta in a covered container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or a saucepan on the stove over medium-low heat. You may need to add a splash of non-dairy milk to loosen up the sauce when reheating.

    What goes with Spinach and Mushroom Pasta?

    This creamy vegan mushroom pasta is a satisfying, nourishing meal on its own especially with the addition of spinach. However, if you're feeding a crowd, a few tasty side dishes help expand and stretch a meal - here's a few ideas:

    • easy salads: rainbow salad, balsamic tomato cucumber salad, dairy free coleslaw
    • homemade bread: vegan dinner rolls of French Bread dinner buns (same post)
    • steamed or grilled vegetables: cauliflower, broccoli, carrots etc.
    Bowlful of creamy mushroom and spinach pasta at a table setting with white wine.

    Easy Vegan Pasta Recipes

    If you like this vegan mushroom pasta recipe, try some of these pasta recipes next:

    • Baked Italian Crusted Tofu on Tomato Pasta
    • Creamy Tomato Spinach Pasta
    • Vegan Lasagna Roll Ups
    • Homemade Vegan Pasta

    Did you make this recipe? I'd love to see it!
    Please leave a star rating and comment at the bottom of the page.
    Thank you so much for sharing! Tag me on Instagram 
    For more Vegan Recipes: Sign up for my email NEWSLETTER!

    Bowlful of creamy mushroom spinach pasta with a blue and white striped napkin and a glass of wine.

    Quick and Creamy Vegan Mushroom Pasta

    A simple, super flavorful, creamy and delicious mushroom-spinach pasta recipe. This luxurious vegan pasta meal comes together in under 30 minutes! It's a healthy, hearty, gluten-free friendly, dairy free, vegan meal to feed your family on busy weeknights.
    Author : Tracy Halasz
    Servings:4 servings

    Rate this recipe!

    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 12 mins
    Cook Time 18 mins

    INGREDIENTS

    Pasta

    • 4 servings pasta (whole grain, gf)

    Mushroom Sauce

    • 1-2 tablespoons olive oil and/or vegan butter
    • 1 cup onion, diced
    • 1 pound mushrooms, slice or rough chop
    • 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
    • ½ teaspoon kosher salt (more to taste)
    • ⅔ cup vegetable broth/water (to deglaze)
    • 3 tablespoons soy sauce (gf or tamari)
    • 2 cups spinach, cut into ribbons
    • 1 teaspoon black pepper, coarse ground
    • 1-2 teaspoons dry thyme and/or oregano leaves

    Cashew Cream

    • ⅔ cup cashew nuts
    • 1 cup hot water, boiled
    • ½ teaspoon salt (more to taste)

    Everything Else

    • fresh parsley, basil or thyme leaves
    • 1 teaspoon red chili flakes (optional)

    INSTRUCTIONS
     

    Start the Pasta Water

    • Cook the pasta as per package directions. Reserve one cup of salty pasta water before draining.

    Prepare the Vegetables

    • Dice the onion (white or yellow) and mince the garlic.
      Slice or rough chop the mushrooms.
      Slice the spinach into ribbons. (If baby spinach, can leave whole.)

    Dairy Free Mushroom Sauce

    • In large non-stick saute pan/wok style pan over high heat, add the oil, onions and mushrooms. Stir for a few minutes until they start to brown.
    • Add the fresh garlic. Continue to cook until the mushrooms have released their water and the onions are golden and fragrant around 7-10 minutes). Add a splash or two of vegetable broth/water/wine just to deglaze the pan.
    • Add the soy sauce, dry thyme & oregano, S&P and sauté for another 2 minutes.
    • Add the spinach and reduce the heat to medium.

    Cashew Cream Sauce

    • While the mushrooms are cooking, make the cashew cream sauce.
    • In the cup of a high-speed blender (such as Vitamix), add the raw cashews, boiling water, any remaining broth and blend until smooth and creamy. The mixture will be the consistency of thick(ish) milk.

    Putting It All Together

    • Pour the cashew sauce and half the pasta water into the mushroom-spinach mixture let it come to a boil over medium-high heat. Then reduce the heat to a simmer.
    • Fold in the cooked, drained pasta. Add another splash of the pasta water if necessary to get the correct sauce consistency. Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary
    • Garnish with chopped parsley/basil or fresh thyme leaves, a generous sprinkle of black pepper, and hot pepper flakes to taste. Enjoy!

    NOTES

    Pasta. Short cut pasta like penne or rotini work well as they catch the sauce and bits of mushrooms, garlic and spinach, but linguine and fettuccine are excellent as well. Use regular, whole grain or gluten free pasta.
    Building Flavor. One of the ways to build flavor when cooking with vegetables is to brown your veggies which transforms both the flavor and texture bringing out nutty, sweet, creamy notes (aka: Maillard Reaction). Deglazing the pan to dissolve the cooked food particles (brown bits) stuck to the bottom of the pan incorporates all that flavor back into the sauce. Well worth extra few minutes of cooking time!
    Use ~¼ cup water, broth or wine to deglaze the pan.
    Storage. The mushroom pasta sauce can be stored in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or a saucepan on the stove. You may need a splash of non-dairy milk to correct the sauce consistency when reheating.
    Extra Serving of Vegetables. Add any veggie scraps like cauliflower and broccoli stems to the sauce! Cut into small pieces and add at the same time as the onions and mushrooms.

    This recipe is from simplyceecee.co food blog. All images and content are copyright protected. Please do not use my images or republish this recipe without prior permission. Thank you.

    Tried this recipe? Tag me!Mention @ceeceecooks or tag #ceeceecooks

    More Vegan Pasta Recipes

    • Easy Lentil Bolognese (vegan + gf)
    • Easy Vegan Tofu Ricotta
    • Easy Tofu Pasta (w/Italian herb crusted tofu!)
    • Veggie Pesto Pasta
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Darren

      August 26, 2022 at 3:32 pm

      5 stars
      This mushroom pasta is vegan comfort food at its best. The mushroom sauce is so tasty and was so quick to make. I could eat this weekly. Thank you for this delicious meatless recipe.

      Reply
      • Tracy Halasz

        August 26, 2022 at 3:41 pm

        Yay, thank you so much for the review. So happy you love this mushroom pasta sauce!

        Reply
    2. Lee

      August 28, 2022 at 5:33 pm

      5 stars
      Mmmmmm simply delicious!

      Reply
    3. Jenn

      September 11, 2022 at 12:38 pm

      5 stars
      Wow this pasta is so quick, easy, and amazing! A new family favourite. Best vegan mushroom pasta I've ever tried

      Reply
      • Tracy Halasz

        September 12, 2022 at 10:08 am

        Oh, thank you. I'm so happy you are loving the pasta!!!

        Reply
    4. Colleen and Chris Miller

      October 18, 2022 at 9:09 am

      5 stars
      This recipe is so simple, quick and delish! The combination of fresh plant based flavors with the creamy Cashew sauce... over the top! It has been added to this month's weekly rotation!

      Reply
      • Tracy Halasz

        October 18, 2022 at 9:24 am

        Fantastic! So happy you enjoyed the mushroom pasta Colleen and Chris!

        Reply

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    Hi, I’m Tracy, welcome! I’ve been creating and cooking vegetarian/vegan food for decades, and love helping others on their journey to eat more plants. Here you’ll find super flavorful vegan recipes you and your family will love – vegan or not!

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