Creamy Leek and Mushroom Pasta delivers rich, restaurant-quality flavor with simple ingredients and an easy 40-minute method. Deeply browned mushrooms, sweet caramelized leeks, white wine, Parmesan, and fresh thyme come together in a silky sauce that feels elegant enough for date night but easy enough for a weeknight dinner.
As a cookbook author and professional recipe developer, I love recipes that make dinner feel special without adding unnecessary work. This pasta is savory, creamy without being too heavy, and packed with layers of flavor from a full pound of mushrooms and leeks cooked until soft and golden.
If you love easy pasta dinners, try my Mushroom Kale Pasta, Truffle Mushroom Pasta, or Sausage and Mushroom Rigatoni with Crispy Sage next.
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Why You'll Love this Recipe
- Restaurant-quality flavor: Deeply browned mushrooms, caramelized leeks, white wine, fresh thyme, and Parmesan give this pasta layers of savory flavor.
- Ready in 40 minutes: It feels elevated enough for entertaining but is still practical for a weeknight.
- Creamy without being too heavy: Only ½ cup of heavy cream is needed. Pasta water and Parmesan help create the rest of the silky sauce.
- Easy to customize: Use your favorite mushroom varieties and just about any short pasta shape you have on hand.
Ingredients
Here's what you'll need to make this creamy mushroom and leek pasta.
- Rigatoni: Rigatoni or mezzi rigatoni works especially well because the creamy sauce and pieces of mushroom settle into the ridges and centers of the pasta.
- Extra virgin olive oil: Helps the mushrooms brown without burning.
- Unsalted butter: Adds richness to the leeks and sauce.
- Mixed mushrooms: Use cremini, shiitake, oyster, maitake, or your favorite wild mushrooms. A combination gives the pasta more interesting flavor and texture.
- Kosher salt: Seasons the mushrooms, leeks, pasta water, and finished sauce.
- Black pepper: Adds subtle warmth and balances the creamy sauce.
- Leeks: Their mild, slightly sweet onion flavor pairs perfectly with earthy mushrooms. Use only the white and light green portions.
- Garlic: Adds plenty of savory flavor to the sauce.
- Fresh thyme: A classic pairing with both mushrooms and leeks.
- Red pepper flakes: Optional, but a small amount adds gentle heat without making the pasta spicy.
- Dry white wine: Deglazes the skillet and adds acidity and depth. Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, or another dry white wine works well.
- Heavy cream: Creates a rich, silky base for the sauce without overwhelming the other flavors.
- Parmesan cheese: Finely grated Parmesan melts directly into the sauce and adds salty, nutty flavor.
- Reserved pasta water: The starch in the pasta water helps emulsify the sauce so it becomes glossy and clings to the pasta.
- Italian parsley: An optional fresh garnish that adds a little color and brightness.
How to Make Leek and Mushroom Pasta
Prepare Leeks and Cook Pasta
Place the sliced leeks in a bowl of cold water and gently separate the layers. Allow dirt to settle at the bottom, then lift the leeks from the water and pat dry.
Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until just shy of al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water, then drain.
Brown the Mushrooms
While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms in an even layer and cook without stirring for 3 to 4 minutes.
Add salt and the black pepper. Continue cooking for another 4 to 5 minutes until the mushrooms are browned and any released liquid has evaporated. Transfer the mushrooms to a plate.
Cook the Leeks and Make the Sauce
Reduce the heat to medium. Add the leeks to the skillet. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the butter, garlic, thyme, and red pepper flakes, if using.
Pour in the white wine and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, or until reduced by about half.
Stir in the heavy cream and ¼ cup reserved pasta water and bring to a gentle simmer.
Finish and Serve
Return the mushrooms to the skillet and add the drained pasta. Toss until coated, then gradually stir in the Parmesan cheese.
Toss over low heat, adding more reserved pasta water as needed, until the sauce is glossy.
Divide among bowls and top with additional Parmesan, black pepper, and chopped Italian parsley, if desired.
Tina's Top Tips
- Don't overcrowd the mushrooms. Mushrooms release a lot of water as they cook. A large skillet gives that moisture room to evaporate so the mushrooms brown instead of steam. If necessary, cook them in two batches.
- Let the mushrooms sit before stirring. Giving them several uninterrupted minutes against the hot skillet is one of the easiest ways to develop deeper flavor.
- Wash the leeks thoroughly. Dirt often gets trapped between their many layers. Soaking sliced leeks in cold water makes removing it much easier.
- Reserve more pasta water than you think you'll need. You may not use the entire cup, but having extra gives you more control over the consistency of the sauce.
- Finely grate the Parmesan. Finely grated cheese melts much more smoothly into the sauce.
- Keep the heat low when adding Parmesan. High heat can cause the cheese to clump or make the sauce grainy.
- Serve right away. The sauce thickens quickly as the pasta cools. Add another splash of pasta water if it becomes too thick before serving.
Storage
- Store leftover creamy leek and mushroom pasta in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- The sauce will continue to thicken as it sits. To reheat, add the pasta to a skillet over low heat with a splash of water or cream. Stir frequently until warmed through and the sauce becomes creamy again.
- I don't recommend freezing this pasta because cream-based sauces can separate after thawing and reheating.
Substitutions and Variations
- Change the pasta: Mezzi rigatoni, casarecce, orecchiette, penne, or another short pasta all work well.
- Use one type of mushroom: You don't have to buy several varieties. Cremini mushrooms alone will still make a delicious pasta.
- Make an affordable mushroom blend: Use 8 ounces cremini mushrooms and 8 ounces mixed wild mushrooms for plenty of flavor without buying a full pound of specialty mushrooms.
- Add greens: Stir baby spinach or chopped kale into the skillet when you add the pasta.
- Add protein: Sliced chicken, Italian sausage, or shrimp would all pair well with the creamy mushroom sauce.
- Skip the red pepper flakes: Leave them out for a completely mild pasta.
- Add extra herbs: Fresh sage or rosemary can complement the mushrooms, but use them sparingly so they don't overpower the leeks.
Frequently Asked Questions
A mixture of mushrooms gives this pasta the best combination of flavor and texture. Cremini mushrooms are affordable and savory, while shiitake, oyster, and maitake mushrooms bring deeper, more complex flavor.
For an easy option, use half cremini mushrooms and half mixed wild mushrooms.
Slice off the root end and dark green tops, then thinly slice the white and light green portions. Place the sliced leeks in a large bowl of cold water and separate the layers with your fingers.
Any sand or dirt will sink to the bottom. Lift the clean leeks from the top of the water rather than pouring everything through a strainer, which can redistribute the grit.
Yes. Replace the white wine with chicken broth or vegetable broth. The finished sauce won't have quite the same acidity, so you can add a very small squeeze of fresh lemon juice at the end if needed.
What to Serve With Creamy Leek and Mushroom Pasta
Because this pasta is rich and savory, I like pairing it with simple, fresh side dishes. Try serving it with:
- A simple arugula salad with lemon vinaigrette
- Roasted broccolini or asparagus
- Garlic bread or crusty Italian bread
- A classic Caesar salad
- Roasted Brussels sprouts
For entertaining, pair it with a light appetizer and a crisp dry white wine for an easy dinner that still feels special.
Creamy Leek and Mushroom Pasta
Ingredients
- 10 ounces rigatoni or mezzi rigatoni
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
- 16 ounces mixed mushrooms sliced or torn
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt divided, plus more for the pasta water
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 medium leeks white and light green parts only, thinly sliced
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
- ½ cup dry white wine
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese plus more for serving
- ½ to 1 cup reserved pasta water as needed
Instructions
- Prepare the leeks. Place the sliced leeks in a bowl of cold water and gently separate the layers with your hands. Allow any dirt to settle at the bottom, then lift the leeks from the water and pat dry.
- Cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until just shy of al dente according to package directions. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water, then drain.
- Brown the mushrooms. While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms in an even layer. Cook without stirring for 3 to 4 minutes to allow them to brown. Add ½ teaspoon salt and the black pepper. Continue cooking for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are deeply browned and any released liquid has evaporated. Transfer the mushrooms to a plate.
- Cook the leeks. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the sliced leeks to the skillet. Season with the remaining ½ teaspoon salt. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the leeks are soft and beginning to caramelize. Add the butter, garlic, thyme, and red pepper flakes, if using. Cook for 30 seconds, stirring frequently.
- Deglaze the skillet. Pour in the white wine and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the wine has reduced by about half. Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the heavy cream and ¼ cup reserved pasta water. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer.
- Finish the pasta. Return the mushrooms to the skillet. Add the drained pasta and toss until coated. Gradually stir in the Parmesan cheese. Continue tossing the pasta over low heat, adding more reserved pasta water a few tablespoons at a time, until the sauce is glossy and coats the pasta.
- Serve. Divide the pasta among bowls. Top with additional Parmesan, black pepper, and chopped parsley, if desired.
Notes
- Use any combination of cremini, shiitake, oyster, maitake, or other wild mushrooms. For an affordable blend, use 8 ounces cremini mushrooms and 8 ounces mixed wild mushrooms.
- Avoid overcrowding the skillet when cooking the mushrooms. Use a wide skillet or cook them in two batches so they brown instead of steam.
- Rigatoni, mezzi rigatoni, casarecce, or orecchiette all work well.
- Grate the Parmesan finely so it melts smoothly into the sauce.
- Keep the heat low when adding the Parmesan to prevent the sauce from becoming grainy.
- The sauce will thicken as it sits. Add a splash of reserved pasta water before serving if needed.
Did You Make This Recipe?
Leave a comment below or tag us @tasting.with.tina on Instagram!
Jennifer L Steiner says
Looks delicious!!
Tasting With Tina says
Thanks!
Marsha M says
I've never left a comment on a recipe before, but feel I must. This dish is absolutely divine! My timing was off on cooking the pasta, so my mushrooms were cooked too long. Nevertheless, the flavor was superb. Next time I will get it correct. I usually make the recipe once as written, but I'm just crazy for onion, so I added some. YUM!!! Thank you for this recipe, Tina. It is a keeper for sure!!
Christina Musgrave says
Thanks so much Marsha, I'm so happy you enjoyed the recipe! Thanks so much for your review 🙂
Diane says
Can I use bagged trader joes frozen mushrooms with this recipe just don’t cook them to long?
Christina Musgrave says
Yes, you can try it with frozen mushrooms! I'd actually let this cook a little bit longer to make sure all of the moisture evaporates and then they can sear.