My creamy leek and mushroom pasta has a silky Parmesan sauce with white wine and fresh parsley. It comes together in 30 minutes and tastes like something from your favorite Italian restaurant.
This one-pan mushroom pasta is weeknight elegant!
I make this anytime I want something special but didn’t require a grocery run for unusual ingredients. Leeks, mushrooms, cream, Parmesan—that’s it. The leeks turn sweet and silky when you cook them low and slow, and the mushrooms get golden and meaty if you let them sit without stirring.
The white wine deglazes all the browned bits from the bottom of the pan and adds acidity that cuts through the richness of the cream. If you don’t have wine, vegetable broth works—you lose some depth but still get a delicious sauce. Reserving pasta water is non-negotiable here. The starch helps the sauce cling to every strand instead of pooling at the bottom of the bowl.
This is the pasta I make when I want something that feels fancy but don’t want to think too hard. Pair with garlic rolls or make a simple garlic bread with sliced bread for mopping up the sauce, and a simple kale salad.
Key ingredients and why they matter
This creamy mushroom pasta uses leeks and mushrooms, pasta, garlic, butter, heavy cream, and Parmesan. For the sauce, you can add a splash of white wine or vegetable broth, depending on what you have on hand.
Full ingredient list and detailed instructions in the recipe card.
- Pasta: Long noodles like spaghetti, tagliatelle, or fettuccine hold the creamy sauce best.
- Leeks: Sweet, mild onion flavor. Use only the white and light green parts—the dark green tops are tough. Clean thoroughly; dirt hides between the layers.
- Cremini mushrooms: Earthy and meaty. Button mushrooms or a mix of wild mushrooms work too.
- Garlic: Added after the mushrooms so it doesn’t burn.
- White wine: Adds acidity and depth. Use something you’d drink. Vegetable broth works if avoiding alcohol.
- Heavy cream: Creates the silky sauce. Half-and-half works for a lighter version.
- Parmesan: Salty, nutty, and melts into the sauce. Freshly grated melts better than pre-shredded.
- Fresh parsley: Brightness and color on top. You can also use parsley substitutes.
TIPS & TRICKS
Shruthi’s top tips
- Clean leeks thoroughly. Cut in half lengthwise and rinse under running water, fanning the layers to remove hidden dirt. It’s really important you don’t skip this step because leeks are nasty sometimes!
- Brown mushrooms well before stirring. Let them sit undisturbed for 2–3 minutes so they develop golden color and deeper flavor. Stirring too early makes them steam.
- Let mushroom liquid evaporate completely. Watery mushrooms dilute the sauce.
- Always reserve pasta water. The starch helps emulsify and thicken the sauce. Add a splash at a time if the sauce gets too thick.
- Use wine you’d actually drink. Cooking concentrates flavor, so bad wine makes bad sauce.
- Add Parmesan off the heat or over low heat. High heat can make cheese clump or turn grainy.
- Toss pasta in the sauce, don’t just pour sauce on top. This helps the sauce coat every strand evenly.
How to make leek and mushroom pasta
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente. Reserve pasta water, then drain.
- In a large skillet, heat the olive oil and butter over medium heat. Add the leeks and cook for 3–4 minutes until softened. Add the mushrooms and cook for 6–7 minutes until golden and their liquid has evaporated. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Deglaze the pan with the white wine (or broth), scraping up any browned bits. Let it reduce by half, then stir in the heavy cream. Simmer for 3 minutes, then stir in the Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper.
- Add the cooked pasta and toss to coat in the sauce. If the sauce is too thick, add a splash of the reserved pasta water until creamy. Serve immediately with fresh parsley and extra Parmesan, if desired.
How to serve leek and mushroom pasta
This creamy leek and mushroom pasta is satisfying on its own but shines even more with simple sides that balance its richness: a bright Italian chopped salad for freshness and crunch, roasted oyster mushrooms to enhance the earthy flavors, and classic garlic bread with sliced bread to soak up every bit of the luscious sauce.
Storage and reheating suggestions
Store the pasta and sauce separately in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat, gently warm the sauce on the stovetop, adding a splash of milk or cream if needed, then toss with the pasta until heated through.
More creamy, veggie-forward pasta recipes
If you like this leek and mushroom pasta, try these other creamy, veggie-forward pasta recipes.
Creamy Mushroom Pasta
Spring Pasta with Peas and Oyster Mushrooms
Pasta e Piselli (Pasta with Peas)
Broccoli Pesto Pasta
Creamy Leek & Mushroom Pasta
Ingredients
- 10 oz fettuccine, or any long pasta (spaghetti or tagliatelle)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 large leeks, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced
- 12 oz cremini mushrooms, sliced (or button or mixed)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ cup dry white wine, or vegetable broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt, adjust to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Reserve ½ cup pasta water, then drain.
- In a large skillet, heat olive oil and butter over medium heat. Add leeks and cook 3-4 minutes until softened.
- Add mushrooms and cook 6-7 minutes until golden and their liquid has evaporated. Stir in garlic and cook 1 minute until fragrant.
- Pour in white wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Let reduce by half, about 2 minutes.
- Stir in heavy cream and simmer 3 minutes. Add Parmesan, salt, and pepper. Stir until cheese is melted and sauce is smooth.
- Add cooked pasta and toss to coat. If sauce is too thick, add reserved pasta water a splash at a time until creamy.
- Divide among plates and garnish with fresh parsley and extra Parmesan. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Clean leeks thoroughly—dirt often hides between the layers
- Brown mushrooms well before stirring to build deeper flavor
- Always reserve pasta water; the starch helps emulsify and thicken the sauce
- Use broth instead of wine if avoiding alcohol
- Variations:
- Use half-and-half for a lighter sauce
- Swap Parmesan for Pecorino Romano for a sharper flavor
- Add 2 cups baby spinach or arugula in the last minute of cooking
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Brilliant
Simple and a bunch of clean plates. Two separate pans, added pasta water to the mushroom, Leek mix, had no shallots or parmesan but
Clean plates is 5*
Terrific recipe, thanks. Had some open Mascarpone so used that instead of Ricotta and it was good. I used white wine, maybe a cup in addition to 500ml (don’t know what a cup is in England but I think that’s about 2!) of stock and there was probably just about the right amount of liquid. Thank you.
Thank you for the comment, Ian – mascarpone instead of ricotta is a solid substitute! Glad you enjoyed the recipe 🙂
This was really delicious. I added bacon lardons (apologies to veggies) and just used a garlic roule. Added white wine to the water for the liquid. Thank you. It was great
White wine does elevate the dish a lot! Glad you enjoyed.
Yummy pasta! I did however have to add more liquid and cook longer for the pasta not to be hard, but in the end, it was tasty!!
Thanks so much Lauren – helpful to know about the liquid and cook times. I’ll retest the recipe and add a few more notes to help make that go smoothly 🙂
We have made this recipe a few different times now and absolutely love it. I do agree with the other commenter that cooking the pasta separately worked much better for us but the flavors are incredible. Since I am dairy free, I used a dairy free ricotta and parmesan and added red chili pepper and cajun seasoning to make it spicy. I’ve also shared this recipe with friends who now love it too!!! For those who aren’t vegan, we added steak tips for a meat protein!!
Thanks Naila! The idea of adding spicy seasoning is awesome – never tried with that before. Thanks for the feedback about cooking the pasta separately! I’ve added this as a note in the recipe 🙂
This did NOT work for me. Cooking the pasta in one pot with the sauce is very difficult to time, and the amount of water is critical – by the time the pasta was done, I ended up with vegetable mush and overcooked mushrooms. Tasted good but would definitely cook the pasta separately.
Hey John, I’m so sorry it didn’t work for you! I do agree that the timing and amount of liquid is critical. Did you use 2 cups as suggested? I’ve made the recipe several times and use 2 cups and it usually works fine, but I’ve now added notes to help folks who might want to cook the pasta separately based on your suggestion as well. Thanks again for sharing your comment, and again, sorry it didn’t work out.