Farfalle Pasta with Mushroom Rosé Sauce

Farfalle pasta with mushroom rosé sauce is creamy yet light, delicious and flavorful, and quick and easy to make in 20 minutes. It's one of my favorite weeknight dinner recipes that the whole family with love, even the kids!

This fresh take on a classic dinner recipe features sautéed onions and mushrooms that provide a depth of flavor that you just can’t get from a canned pasta sauce — and they add so much to this dish’s nutritional profile. Plus, the homemade rose sauce takes less than 15 minutes to make before you can toss in the pasta for a delicious pasta dinner. The best comfort food ever!

Why You’ll Love Mushroom Rosé Pasta

• You only need 20 minutes to make this recipe. Farfalle pasta with mushroom rose sauce is the perfect Italian dinner whether you’re preparing for date night, feeding hungry kids, or squeezing dinner into a tight schedule. It’s ready in just 20 short minutes — but you’d never know from how amazing this comfort food tastes. The key is to make your sauce while your pasta is cooking so that the sauce and the pasta will be ready at the same time.
• The depth of flavor. Pasta dinners come in many forms, and rest assured, this mushroom rose pasta is nothing like plain old, buttered noodles. Sautéed onions and mushrooms bring earthy, savory flavor. Italian seasoning and fresh black pepper add aromatic flavors. And the creamy red homemade rose sauce adds richness and decadence.
• The homemade rosé sauce. I love pasta. I especially love creamy pastas. And of course my cream of choice is rosé sauce. There is just something about the combination of tomatoes with cream that just creates fireworks when they come together. To make this homemade sauce, all you’ll need is tomato puree, half and half, and parmesan cheese. Add some boiled pasta, and voila! You’ve got a farfalle pasta with mushroom rose sauce ready in just 20 minutes.
• Loaded with mushrooms. I love mushrooms, so any recipe with mushrooms as a main ingredient easily works its way into my heart. But if you’re not a mushroom fanatic like me, you can still appreciate the fact that mushrooms are a low-calorie source of fiber, protein, antioxidants, and other essential nutrients that boost your health. For more delicious mushroom recipes try Garlic Sautéed Mushrooms, Creamy Garlic Mushrooms, or Vegetarian Stuffed Mushrooms.
• Pasta can be healthy. Sure, pasta is high in carbs, but your body needs carbs. They are our bodies' main source of energy. Pasta is low in sodium, fat-free, cholesterol-free and has a low glycemic index (meaning it does not cause blood sugar levels to rise quickly). You can even purchase boxes of “enriched” pastas which are fortified with folic acid and other nutrients. If you keep your portions under control there is no need to sacrifice on comfort foods like pasta. Too much of anything is typically not great.

Ingredients and Substitutions

To make this easy and delicious creamy farfalle pasta with mushroom rose sauce, you will need the following ingredients (full quantities in recipe card below):

• farfalle pasta - I used farfalle pasta in this recipe (the adorable bow-tie pasta that grasps tons of sauce in between its little ridges). But the thing about pasta dishes is that you can substitute the farfalle with any type of pasta that you like. Feel free to use any shaped pasta that you like. Some other great alternatives are shells, rotini, penne, and fusili.
• olive oil - you can substitute with any vegetable oil that you have on hand such as avocado oil or grapeseed oil.
• onion
• mushrooms - I like this recipe best with crimini mushrooms (or brown mushrooms) but you can use white mushrooms as well as an easy substitute.
• garlic - for the best flavor use fresh garlic. You can substitute with ½ teaspoon of garlic powder, but the flavor will not be as potent.
• Italian seasoning - or substitute with dried oregano.
• salt and pepper
• tomato puree
• half and half cream - I used half and half to keep the recipe a little lighter. For a creamier option, use heavy cream or a combination of the two.
• Parmesan cheese

You will also need measuring cups and spoons, a large stockpot to cook the pasta, and a large skillet for the sauce. I like using a cast-iron skillet.

How to Customize

This farfalle pasta with light creamy mushroom rose sauce is delicious on its own, but you may want to add some extra ingredients. And you totally can! Try adding:

• grilled chicken, shredded chicken, or leftover rotisserie chicken
• sautéed or fresh spinach
• fresh basil
• mozzarella cheese (fresh or shredded)
• cooked broccoli, asparagus, or brussels sprouts

How to Make the Best Farfalle Pasta with Mushroom Rosé Sauce

1. Cook pasta. Bring a large stockpot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente or according to package instructions, about 8 minutes. Drain and return to the pot.
2. Sauté mushrooms. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and sauté for 3 minutes until soft and translucent. Then, add mushrooms and sauté for about 5 minutes until they start to soften. Add garlic, Italian seasoning blend, salt and pepper. Stir to combine and continue to sauté until the mushrooms start to caramelize, about 2-3 minutes.
3. Make rose sauce. Add the tomato puree and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down to low and add the cream. Simmer for 5 minutes.

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4. Toss with pasta. Pour the sauce into the pot of drained pasta. Add Parmesan cheese and toss to coat. Season with extra salt and pepper to taste (if needed). You can also plate the pasta and pour the sauce on top.

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5. Serve. Serve with extra grated Parmesan on top and chopped parsley, if desired.

How to Serve

I like to serve this light creamy mushroom pasta with a healthy side like a salad to balance it out, and some bread to soak up any extra sauce. Some of my favorites to pair with this are:

• Tomato Cucumber Avocado Salad
• Garlic Breadsticks
• Garden Salad
• Ciabatta Rolls
• Garlic Knots
• Arugula Salad with Apple and Pecan

More Vegetarian Pasta Recipes

• 40 Best Pasta Recipes
• Creamy Mushroom Pasta
• Spinach Artichoke Pasta
• Pesto Penne Pasta
• Baked Mediterranean Pasta
• Fettuccine Alfredo

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