My creamy leek and mushroom pasta tosses fettuccine with soft leeks and well-browned cremini mushrooms in a white wine and Parmesan cream sauce. It comes together in 30 minutes and tastes like something from your favorite Italian restaurant.
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 in 5 minutes!
This leek and mushroom pasta is weeknight elegant!
Leeks, mushrooms, cream, Parmesan. That’s it! The leeks need 3 to 4 minutes to turn soft and sweet. The mushrooms carry the flavor, and they need room. In a big, hot skillet they turn golden and meaty if you leave them alone. Crowd the pan and they steam and go mushy and grey.
That’s also why the pasta cooks in its own pot. The skillet stays hot and dry, so the mushrooms brown instead of sitting in starchy water. Originally, I had this as a one pot recipe, but the more I made it, the more I realized that it’s better to just cook the pasta separately.
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 the sauce still comes together. 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
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, because dirt hides between the layers.
- Cremini mushrooms: Earthy and meaty. Button mushrooms or a mix of wild mushrooms work too.
- 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. If you’re vegetarian, check the label. Traditional Parmigiano Reggiano is made with animal rennet, but not every US Parmesan is. BelGioso, for example, isn’t.
- Fresh parsley: Brightness and color on top. You can also use parsley substitutes.
Shruthi’s Top Tips
Tips for the best leek and mushroom pasta
- 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. Use your largest skillet so they’re not piled up, then 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
- Cook the fettuccine in salted boiling water until al dente. Reserve some pasta water before draining.
- Heat the olive oil and butter in a large skillet. Add the leeks and cook until softened, then add the mushrooms and let them turn deeply golden. Stir in the garlic until fragrant.
- Pour in the white wine, scraping up the browned bits from the pan. Let it reduce, then stir in the cream, Parmesan, salt, and pepper until the sauce is smooth and creamy.
- Add the fettuccine and toss until every strand is coated. Finish with fresh parsley and extra Parmesan, adding a splash of pasta water if needed to loosen the sauce.
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 the last of the sauce.
Variations
For a lighter sauce, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream.
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 Pea Pasta
Pasta e Piselli (Pasta with Peas)
Broccoli Pesto Pasta
Creamy Leek and Mushroom Fettuccine
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
Cook the pasta
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook fettuccine according to package directions until al dente. Reserve ½ cup pasta water, then drain.
Make the sauce
- 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.
Finish
- 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.
- Use a large skillet and brown the mushrooms well before stirring. Crowded mushrooms steam instead of browning.
- Always reserve pasta water; the starch helps emulsify and thicken the sauce.
- Use broth instead of wine if avoiding alcohol.
- Vegetarian? Check your Parmesan label for animal rennet.
- For a lighter sauce, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream.
- Store the pasta and sauce separately in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- To reheat, warm the sauce gently on the stovetop with a splash of milk or cream, then toss with the pasta.
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.