Garlicky Mushroom Cream Pasta Sauce

This garlicky mushroom cream pasta sauce is made with a roux, milk, and parmesan cheese instead of cream. The secret ingredient in this sauce is the garlic sauteed mushrooms in butter. Can we get a hell yeah!

This mushroom cream pasta sauce goes really well with sweet potato gnocchi and roasted chicken tenders with honey. In fact, if you make all three recipes, it will take you about 1 hour from start to finish. This trio is an excellent meal prep recipe that can be eaten throughout the week for lunch or dinner.

A Side Note Garlic Hack

If you’ve tried a few of my other recipes on the blog (like mulukhiyah with roz from scratch or ful medames in a pressure cooker), you might notice that I like garlic. I keep fresh garlic in the house at ALL TIMES, as in, there is never a time I don’t have garlic on hand. I’m not sure if the rest of the world is like me, but I have a hack if you find yourself always without fresh garlic.

Buy a large amount of garlic (preferably peeled already). Using a mortar and pestle, smash the garlic with salt. Alternatively, pulse the garlic in a food processor (if a large amount) or use an immersion hand blender.

In a freezer-friendly storage bag or container, add the minced or smashed garlic. Press the garlic into a thin layer, and lay the garlic filled bag flat in the freezer. Any time you need some fresh garlic, break off a piece of frozen garlic. The garlic is good for about 6 months.

Frozen fresh garlic is better than jarred garlic or dried garlic granules. Garlic is such an amazing ingredient that really gets short-changed if not used to its full potential.

Ingredients for Mushroom Cream Pasta Sauce

• Mushrooms: This sauce is packed full of mushrooms! There are two mushroom containers (each 8 oz. in size) in this sauce surprise surprise. You can use white button mushrooms or brown mushrooms.
• Garlic: I recommend using freshly mashed garlic with a mortar and pestle or using a garlic press. I don’t recommend dried garlic granules, powder garlic, or garlic in a jar for this sauce because the fresh garlic is what makes this sauce good.
• Butter: You can use salted or unsalted butter. Alternatively, you can use equal parts olive oil in lieu of butter.
• Milk: I recommend using either 2% fat milk or whole milk. I have not tried making this sauce with alternative kinds of milk like oat milk, almond milk, or soy milk.
• Parmesan cheese: I recommend grating the parmesan fresh instead of buying pre-grated cheese. Cheese that’s already grated is usually tossed in potato starch to prevent the individual pieces from sticking, and this can change the texture of your creamy sauce.
• Flour: I use white all-purpose flour and recommend this flour for the rue.
• Salt and pepper to taste

Tips for Making Mushroom Cream Pasta Sauce

• The Roux Bechamel Sauce: The roux bechamel white sauce is the foundation of this sauce, and it’s the hardest thing to master. I found two resources helpful when making this sauce: chef Billy Parisi’s tutorial on how to make a roux and Jo cooks bechamel sauce.
• Add freshly grated cheese. Pre-packaged shredded cheese has starches that affect the texture of the sauce. It doesn’t take very long to freshly grate your own cheese.
• Saute the garlic butter mushrooms in a separate pan from the roux. The mushrooms absorb the garlic flavor better if they are separated from the roux while cooking. Add the roux and garlic mushrooms together at the end.

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How To Make the Roux Bechamel Sauce Smooth

The first time I made this creamy bechamel sauce, I tried to reduce the amount of fat to make it a bit lighter. When the flour to fat ratio is off, you might end up with lumpy sauce (like I did the first time). The second time I made this sauce, I cut down on the overall fat and flour together and kept the ratios 1:1. This resulted in a smooth and creamy sauce.

Also, I don’t leave the roux on the stovetop for a long time before adding in the milk, resulting in a whiter sauce. If you cook the roux for a longer time on the stovetop, the bechamel sauce will get darker.

Variations for This Creamy Mushroom Sauce

The creamy mushroom sauce can be made with or without the shredded cheese. Gruyere, mozzarella, monterrey jack, or any other mild white cheese can be substituted for parmesan.

This Pasta Sauce Pairs Well With

• Sweet Potato Gnocchi
• Baked Chicken Tenderloin with Honey
• Homemade Potato Gnocchi
• Homemade Pasta Noodles

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