Vegan Mushroom Cream Sauce For Pasta

By
Jolinda Hackett
Jolinda Hackett
Jolinda Hackett has written five books about plant-based cooking and has developed hundreds of vegan and vegetarian recipes.
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Updated on 06/22/21
Tested by Tara Omidvar
Vegan mushroom cream sauce

The Spruce 

Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 15 mins
Total: 20 mins
Servings: 2 servings

Enjoy the taste of a deliciously creamy vegan mushroom sauce. Instead of butter and cream, this dairy-free recipe uses vegan margarine and soy milk, and it's easy to make from scratch. Fresh chopped parsley, garlic, and a touch of freshly cracked black pepper give it an Italian-inspired flavor that's perfect for fettuccine or linguine pasta. You can also pour it over egg noodles, baked potatoes, or any type of mock meat, including tofu steaks.

Make this sauce with any variety of mushrooms you like. Try button, oyster, portobello, or shiitake mushrooms, or create a custom combination of mushrooms. There are also many ways you can adapt it for other meals. For instance, you can skip the mushrooms for a dairy-free white sauce (béchamel), switch out the herbs, or add veggies.

"The recipe is very quick, super creamy, and delicious! I used cremini mushrooms, but I believe it would taste great with portobello or oyster mushrooms as well." —Tara Omidvar

Vegan Mushroom Cream Sauce Tester Image
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons vegan margarine, divided

  • 8 to 12 ounces mushrooms, sliced

  • 1 clove garlic, minced

  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

  • 1 1/4 cups unsweetened soy milk

  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley, more for garnish

  • 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

  • Kosher salt, to taste

  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

  • 10 ounces pasta, cooked according to package directons

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for vegan mushroom cream sauce
    The Spruce

  2. Melt 1 tablespoon of the vegan margarine in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and garlic and sauté until soft, about 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the mushrooms and garlic from the pan and set aside.

    Melt butter and mushrooms
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  3. Again over medium heat, melt the second tablespoon of vegan margarine. Stir in the flour to form a paste and allow to cook for about 1 minute.

    Stir in flour into butter
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  4. Gradually stir in the soy milk and whisk the mixture together until it's smooth and a thick paste.

    Cream sauce
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  5. Add the mushrooms, fresh parsley, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, or until thick.

    Add mushrooms to sauce
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  6. Pour the fresh mushroom cream sauce over warm cooked pasta or noodles. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley (if desired). Serve immediately and enjoy.

    Pour sauce over pasta
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Recipe Variations

  • Use almond milk instead of soy milk.
  • Add other herbs like basil, oregano, rosemary, or thyme, or use an Italian seasoning blend for extra flavor.
  • Chop half an onion and add it to the mushroom and garlic sauté. Or add chopped green onions to the pan along with the parsley and lemon juice.

How to Store

Store any leftover sauce in an airtight container. Keep it in the refrigerator and use it within three days.

How to Thicken Mushroom Sauce

When finishing the sauce, there are a couple of things you can do if it doesn't get as thick as you like. The first step is to simply turn up the heat. Stir it regularly and watch it so the sauce doesn't scorch. You can also stir in a bit more flour—a tablespoon should do—to get it to thicken up. Alternatively, make a cornstarch slurry by mixing 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with a little cool water, then stir it into the sauce.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
759 Calories
17g Fat
125g Carbs
27g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 2
Amount per serving
Calories 759
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 17g 22%
Saturated Fat 3g 15%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 246mg 11%
Total Carbohydrate 125g 45%
Dietary Fiber 9g 33%
Total Sugars 12g
Protein 27g
Vitamin C 10mg 52%
Calcium 235mg 18%
Iron 9mg 48%
Potassium 1142mg 24%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)