Looking for a hearty meatless pasta option that requires very little clean up? This Mushroom Marsala Pasta comes together in about 20 minutes and requires just one pot.
With sweet and tangy flavors from the marsala wine, earthy umami from the mushrooms, and a fresh and herbaceous finish from the thyme, this simple vegan pasta dish boasts bold flavor. Plus, it makes enough to feed the whole family!
In our house, an easy pasta dinner is our go to. When in doubt, whip up some pasta. And as much as I love a pasta with spaghetti sauce, it’s nice to change it up now and then with a more unique take!
Plus, as a mom with a gourmet palate and busy lifestyle, I want a recipe that simultaneously brings tons of flavor while still being attainable. This mushroom marsala pasta recipe requires just 10 ingredients, one pot, and 20 minutes to make!
Mushroom Marsala Pasta Ingredients
Here’s everything you need:
- Mushrooms.
- Shallot and garlic.
- Olive oil.
- Salt and pepper.
- Fettuccine or linguine. Other pasta’s work, too, but these two are my preferred and have been thoroughly tested.
- Vegetable broth. Grab some at the supermarket or make your own vegetable broth from veggie scraps.
- Marsala cooking wine.
- Fresh thyme. Parsley, basil, or even oregano can be used in its place or in addition to the thyme as well.
Mushroom Marsala Pasta Tips and Tricks
Mise En Place
Mise en place is a French term that refers to having all of your ingredients measured, chopped, peeled, diced, etc before you start to cook.
I love this way of cooking and it is especially useful here. Peel your garlic and shallots and clean your mushrooms. Then, mince your garlic, dice your shallots and slice your mushrooms.
This recipe is great with a wide variety of mushrooms. My favorite mushrooms for this particular recipe are Baby Bella, White Button, or Cremini mushrooms.
Cook Down Your Veggies First
Add the prepped garlic, shallots, and mushrooms to a large saucepan or shallow pot with the olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Cook over medium heat until the liquid releases from the mushrooms, about 5 minutes.
Add the Pasta to the Pot
Next, add the pasta to the pot in a thin layer on top of the mushrooms. While you can really use any pasta, changing the shape of the pasta will change the cooking time.
I’ve tested this recipe with both Fettuccine and Linguine and found they had about the same optimal cooking time while using this technique.
Though this is controversial, if your pan isn’t big enough, you can break your pasta in half so that it fits snuggly in the pot or pan. It’s important that your pasta fits so that it cooks evenly.
Cook Pasta Al Dente
Next, add your vegetable broth and Marsala cooking wine. Your pasta should be completely submerged in the liquid. Cover your saucepan or pot and continue to cook on medium heat.
Cook on medium for ten minutes, stirring a couple of times to ensure the pasta noodles don’t stick to each other or the bottom of the pan.
After 10 minutes, test the pasta to see if it’s al dente. If it’s not quite ready, cover again and continue to cook for another minute or two.
Once your pasta is cooked, remove from heat and let it sit for a couple of minutes, stirring occasionally until most of the liquid is absorbed.
Serving Your Mushroom Marsala with Pasta
Marsala sauce is often served over pasta, rice, mashed potatoes, or even steamed vegetables. This One-Pot Mushroom Marsala Pasta dish cooks the pasta in the sauce to more evenly distribute the flavor and to make for easy clean up!
It is hearty enough to be served as is, but you can also add a fish or meat if you’d like. Here are some of my favorite pairings and sides for this dish:
How to Store and Reheat Mushroom Marsala Pasta
This Mushroom Marsala Pasta will last up to ten days in the refrigerator in an airtight container. It also freezes really well and can be frozen for up to a year.
This pasta can be reheated on the stovetop, in the oven, or in the microwave from the refrigerator or the freezer.
I do recommend adding a splash of extra broth or Marsala before reheating. You can use the defrost or reheat settings on your microwave, or simply heat on the highest setting, covered, until thoroughly heated through (usually about 5 minutes).
To reheat on the stove, simply add the pasta to a pot or saucepan with the extra splash of liquid and heat over medium, stirring frequently until heated through.
For the oven method, add your pasta to a baking dish and cover it with aluminum foil. Bake at 350°F until heated through (usually about 15 minutes).
Why You Should Make This One-Pot Mushroom Marsala Pasta
- It’s quick. This dish comes together in just about 20 minutes and feeds a family of 6.
- It’s easy. Easy to cook, easy to clean. Now we’re talking.
- The flavors are balanced. The Marsala cooking wine adds a subtle sweetness and a bit of tang, perfectly balancing out the earthiness from the mushrooms, garlic, and shallots.
One-Pot Mushroom Marsala Pasta
Equipment
Ingredients
- 8 ounces mushrooms, sliced (white button, baby Bella, Crimini, or combination of all three)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 large shallot, diced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 16 ounces Fettuccine or Linguine
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 1 ¼ cup Marsala cooking wine
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
Instructions
- Start by slicing mushrooms, mincing garlic, and dicing the shallot and add them to a large saucepan or pot with the olive oil, salt, and pepper. Sauté over medium heat until liquid releases from the mushrooms (about 5 minutes).8 ounces mushrooms, sliced, 3 cloves garlic, minced, 1 large shallot, diced, 2 tablespoons olive oil, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- With heat still on medium, add the Fettuccine, laying it flat directly on top of the mushrooms. If you need to, you can break the pasta in half, so it fits easily in your saucepan or pot. Add the vegetable broth, Marsala cooking wine, and thyme. The pasta should be submerged.16 ounces Fettuccine or Linguine, 2 cups vegetable broth, 1 ¼ cup Marsala cooking wine, 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
- Cover and cook over medium heat for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally until al dente. After ten minutes, test the pasta to see if it's ready. If not, continue to cook for an additional 1-2 minutes. Serve hot and enjoy!
Pro Tips
- This recipe will work with a wide variety of different pastas but changing the shape of the pasta will also change the cooking time. If you are using something other than Linguine or Fettuccine, monitor it closely to cook it al dente.
2 thoughts on “One-Pot Mushroom Marsala Pasta”
This is great – definitely going to be one of my regulars
(Review provided by a family/friend of marleysmenu.com)
So glad you enjoyed, Keith! So nice to have a quick and easy one pot recipe on hand!