This quick and easy Mushroom Carbonara recipe features rich, creamy pasta tossed with mushrooms and fresh parsley. What’s even better is that it’s ready in less than 30 minutes! Serve with a side salad to complete the meal.

Love homemade Italian food? Then you’ve got to try my Authentic Italian Meatballs and my Chicken Puttanesca!

Metal tongs holding mushroom carbonara in a black skillet.

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    Before you get started / Kelley’s tips

    • Cook the mushrooms properly. To get the best texture, avoid overcrowding the pan. Let the mushrooms sear in a single layer before stirring them to achieve a nice golden brown color.
    • Add the pasta water gradually. Start with 1/4 cup and add more as needed to create a silky, glossy sauce.
    • Finish with freshly grated cheese. For the best flavor and texture, use freshly grated Parmesan instead of the pre-grated kind.

    Ingredients

    • Extra virgin olive oil: The base for any Italian meal. You can also use avocado oil, but avoid butter.
    • Mushrooms: I like using baby bellas, buttons, or cremini mushrooms. Whichever type you use, make sure to slice them thin.
    • Garlic: I used four cloves total, but you could use as many as six if you’re a garlic lover. (I won’t judge!)
    • Spaghetti: This is the best pasta for carbonara, in my opinion, but any long pasta like fettuccine, linguini, or bucatini would work, too.
    • Parmesan cheese: Freshly grated is best, if you can get it! It melts the smoothest, but packaged is fine, too.
    • Reserved pasta water: Don’t pour out your pasta water before saving some for the sauce! This dish gets its creaminess from the starchy pasta water, egg yolks, and parmesan cheese.
    • Egg yolks: Save the whites for your morning omelette and toss your carbonara in just the yolks. This makes the dish super creamy, rich, and velvety.
    • Fresh parsley: This dish is decadent, so it needs a bite of something fresh. Parsley is the perfect garnish for just that reason!
    • Crushed red pepper flakes: These brighten up the carbonara sauce without making it too spicy.
    Metal tongs holding mushroom carbonara in black skillet.

    How To Make Mushroom Carbonara

    1. Prepare your pasta by boiling it in some heavily salted water until al dente. Save half of a cup, at least, to use in the sauce. Drain remaining pasta and set aside.
    2. In a medium saucepan, sauté the sliced mushrooms in olive oil until tender and browned 3 minutes. Add the garlic, cook for one minute, then remove from heat.
    3. In a small, separate bowl, whisk together the parmesan cheese and egg yolks.
    4. Add the cooked pasta to the skillet with the mushrooms and garlic, and toss to combine. Then, pour in the egg and cheese mixture, along with 1/4 cup of the pasta water. Slowly toss the pasta with the sauce until the noodles are well-coated. Add the chopped fresh parsley, salt, and pepper, and toss again.
    5. Serve each bowl with crushed red pepper flakes, parmesan cheese, and a drizzle of olive oil for serving. Enjoy!
    3 images that show some of the steps for making mushroom carbonara. The first image a hand is putting pasta in boiling water, the second image is mushrooms and garlic in a skillet, and the third image shows tongs grabbing mushroom carbonara out of a skillet.

    Serving Suggestions

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Can I use a different type of pasta?

    Yes! While spaghetti is traditional, fettuccine, linguine, or bucatini work great too.

    How do I prevent the eggs from scrambling?

    Make sure to remove the pan from heat before adding the egg and cheese mixture. Toss quickly and add pasta water gradually to create a creamy sauce.

    What type of mushrooms work best?

    Cremini, shiitake, or oyster mushrooms have great flavor and texture, but you can use any type you like.

    Metal tongs grabbing mushroom carbonara out of a skillet.

    More Pasta Recipes To Try

    Recipe

    30 minute Creamy Mushroom Carbonara

    4.50 from 4 votes
    Quick & Easy Mushroom Carbonara. Rich creamy pasta tossed with mushrooms and fresh parsley. Ready in less than 30 minutes!
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 15 minutes
    Total Time: 30 minutes
    Serves 2
    Rate Print

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      Ingredients 

      Instructions

      • Begin by boiling pasta in salted water until al-dente per package instructions. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water and drain the rest of the pasta.
      • Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan heat olive oil and sauté mushrooms until tender and browned 3 minutes. Add in garlic and cook for 1 minute. Take off the heat.
      • Add egg yolks and parmesan cheese to a small bowl and whisk to combine.
      • Add the pasta to the skillet with the mushrooms and garlic mixture. Add in the egg / cheese mixture and 1/4 cup of the pasta water. Slowly toss the pasta until the pasta is coated. Add more pasta water if needed. Add in fresh parsley and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve each bowl with crushed red pepper flakes, parmesan cheese, and a drizzle of olive oil for serving!

      Nutrition Information

      Calories: 687kcalCarbohydrates: 92gProtein: 26gFat: 24gSaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 204mgSodium: 228mgPotassium: 691mgFiber: 5gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 695IUVitamin C: 10mgCalcium: 217mgIron: 3mg

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