Vegan Creamy Mushroom Pasta Recipe

I made an easy mushroom and spinach sauce with creamy coconut milk that adds a clever pantry twist to a Simple Vegan Pasta.

I keep coming back to this vegan creamy mushroom pasta because it tastes like a secret I accidentally found. It features cremini mushrooms and coconut milk for a silky, surprisingly rich sauce that still feels light.

The umami from the mushrooms plays off the coconut milk in a way that makes you pause and wonder why you ever thought vegan had to be bland. Most nights I forget to take a photo before I dive in so yeah its not perfect, its real.

If you want a pasta that surprises you without fuss, this quietly became one of my favorites. Vegan Pasta Dishes Easy

Ingredients

• Cremini mushrooms: earthy, meaty texture, provide B vitamins, fiber, and umami depth.
• Pasta: carbs for energy, filling comfort, choose whole grain for extra fiber.
• Coconut milk: rich, creamy fat that makes sauce silky, higher in calories though.
• Nutritional yeast: cheesy flavor, adds B12 like nutrients, boosts savory depth.
• Spinach: leafy greens, iron and fiber, wilts down to bright punch of color.
• Garlic: sharp, aromatic, may help heart health, use more if you like.
• Lemon juice: brightens sauce with acid, balances richness and stops it feeling heavy.
• Soy sauce: savory saltiness, adds umami and deeper color, go easy on it.

Ingredient Quantities

• 12 oz (340 g) pasta (linguine or fettuccine), uncooked
• 12 oz (340 g) cremini mushrooms, sliced
• 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced (or more if you like)
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 can (13.5 oz / 400 ml) full fat coconut milk
• 1 cup (240 ml) vegetable broth
• 1 tbsp cornstarch (optional, for thicker sauce)
• 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
• 1 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 4 cups fresh baby spinach (about 120 g)
• 1 tsp dried thyme or 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

How to Make this

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta until just al dente according to package directions; before draining, reserve about 1 cup of the pasta water then drain the pasta.

2. While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion and cook until soft and translucent, about 3 to 4 minutes, then stir in the minced garlic and thyme and cook 30 seconds more.

3. Add the sliced mushrooms, a pinch of salt and some black pepper, and sauté until they release their liquid and brown, about 6 to 8 minutes; dont overcrowd the pan or the mushrooms will steam instead of brown.

4. Pour in the vegetable broth to deglaze the pan, scraping up any browned bits, and let it simmer for a minute to concentrate the flavor.

5. Stir in the coconut milk, nutritional yeast, soy sauce or tamari, and lemon juice; bring the sauce to a gentle simmer. If you want a thicker sauce, whisk the cornstarch with 2 tablespoons cold water to make a slurry, then whisk that into the simmering sauce and simmer 1 to 2 minutes until it thickens.

6. Add the fresh baby spinach and stir until wilted, then taste and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper and more lemon or soy if needed; add red pepper flakes now if you like a little heat.

7. Toss the drained pasta into the skillet with the sauce, adding splashes of the reserved pasta water as needed to loosen and make the sauce silky; toss until the pasta is evenly coated and creamy.

8. Remove from heat, stir in the chopped parsley, plate the pasta and finish with extra parsley or red pepper flakes if you want. Serve immediately and enjoy.

Equipment Needed

1. large stock pot (6 to 8 qt) for boiling the pasta, youll reserve some pasta water
2. colander to drain the pasta
3. large skillet (nonstick or stainless) for the mushroom sauce
4. chef knife and cutting board for chopping onion, mushrooms and parsley
5. wooden spoon or heatproof spatula for stirring and sautéing
6. measuring cups and spoons for broth, coconut milk, cornstarch, yeast etc
7. small bowl and whisk or fork to make the cornstarch slurry
8. tongs or pasta fork to toss and serve the pasta

FAQ

Vegan Creamy Mushroom Pasta Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• Coconut milk — Use cashew cream 1:1. Blend 1 cup soaked cashews with about 3/4 cup water until silky, then use instead of the 13.5 oz can. Or use unsweetened oat or soy milk (about 400 ml) thickened with a cornstarch slurry (1 tbsp cornstarch + 2 tbsp cold water) and simmered till it thickens. Cashew is more neutral, coconut tastes a bit sweet so you might wanna add a little lemon if it tastes flat.
• Cremini mushrooms — Swap for white button, shiitake, or sliced portobello 1:1. Shiitake gives a deeper umami, portobello is meatier so slice thicker, canned mushrooms work in a pinch but drain well and add later so they don’t get rubbery.
• Pasta — Use gluten free pasta (brown rice, chickpea etc) 1:1, or switch to short shapes like penne or rigatoni if you prefer. For a low carb option use spiralized zucchini (3-4 medium zucchinis) but add those at the end and don’t overcook or they’ll get soggy.
• Nutritional yeast — If you don’t have it, use vegan parmesan (store bought or cashew-based) same amount, or add 1–2 tsp miso paste dissolved in a little warm broth for that savory hit (cut back on soy sauce if you do). Tahini can add creaminess but it will change the flavor profile, so use sparingly.

Pro Tips

1) Mushrooms matter more than you think — sorry, dont use that dash. Seriously though, dry the mushrooms well and cook them in one or two shallow batches on pretty high heat so they brown instead of sog, leave them alone for a minute or two so they get color, then flip. If the pan gets crowded they steam and you lose all the mushroom flavor.

2) Make the sauce silky by using the reserved pasta water slowly, dont dump it all at once. The starchy water emulsifies the coconut milk and makes it cling to the noodles. If you need it thicker, whisk the cornstarch into cold water first so it doesnt clump, then add just a little at a time and simmer briefly.

3) Wanna boost umami without changing things? Add a tiny spoon of miso or a splash more tamari while the sauce simmers, or stir in a tsp of balsamic when the mushrooms are almost done. Also taste and finish with lemon at the end, acid will make the coconut + yeast combo sing, dont skip it.

4) Texture and finish: save a few browned mushroom slices to toss on top for contrast, and finish with a drizzle of good olive oil or a small pat of vegan butter for shine. If you make it ahead, reheat gently with a splash of broth or pasta water so the sauce doesnt break.