This Vegan Shiitake Mushroom Pasta is a simple yet sophisticated dish that you can have on the table in 30 minutes! Al dente pasta and earthy shiitake mushrooms are combined with a mouthwatering sunflower seed sauce for a flavor-packed meal that's sure to be a hit! This vegan mushroom pasta is also nut-free and easily made gluten-free with your choice of pasta!
If you're a mushroom lover like I am, I just know you're going to fall head over heels for this creamy shiitake mushroom pasta!
Loaded with naturally meaty and smoky shiitake mushrooms, this is the kind of pasta dish that's easy enough for a weeknight, yet elegant enough for special occasions like date night or dinner parties. In that way, it reminds me of Mushroom Ragù.
Earthy shiitake mushrooms, shallots, and garlic are sautéed with soy sauce and white wine and then covered in an easy and creamy sunflower seed blender sauce. All of this is then tossed with your choice of pasta to complete the dish.
Enjoy a bowl of this delicious pasta on its own or serve with your favorite crusty bread and a simple side salad for the perfect combination.
For more vegan mushroom recipes, check out my Vegan Cream of Mushroom Soup, Vegan Stuffed Mushrooms, and Vegan Mushroom-Sage Orzotto.
Also, this comforting Mushroom Stew has been getting a lot of attention recently!
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Why You'll Love Shiitake Mushroom Pasta
- This vegan pasta dinner is easy to make in around 30 minutes with simple ingredients.
- The dairy-free cream sauce is not overly heavy, but just rich enough for the perfect amount of decadence.
- It's an easily customizable dish! You can make it gluten-free or add some greens or more protein if you'd like.
Ingredients
Note that ingredient measurements and full printable recipe can be found in the recipe card below.
- Pasta - I've used penne, ziti, and casarecce to make this dish, but any shape and variety of pasta you like is perfect. Side note, the smooth surface of casarecce is really nice with creamy sauces.
- Water - For blending the sunflower seeds.
- Raw Sunflower Seeds - Neutral in flavor, seeds are the base of the creamy sauce and provide protein as well as healthy fats. A great option for vegans who are allergic to cashews.
- Garlic - Sautéed with the mushrooms and shallot, garlic adds so much savoriness to the sauce.
- Arrowroot Starch - Thickens the sunflower seed cream sauce. Feel free to use cornstarch instead.
- Vegan Butter and Olive Oil - Together these work to carry the flavors throughout the sauce.
- Shallots - I'm a huge fan of shallots in sautes, creamy dips, and pasta sauces. They're softer in flavor and more complex than onion, but you can use yellow onion if that's what you have on hand.
- Fresh Shiitake Mushrooms - Add a meaty texture and unique, slightly smoky flavor. I found 10 oz of shiitake mushrooms (weight before removing the stems) to be the perfect amount. When I tried this dish using more than that, it was a bit overpowering.
- Soy Sauce - Just a touch adds an umami and saltiness to the dish.
- Dry White Wine - Aside from the shiitakes, wine is the secret ingredient that makes this sauce so amazing! Choose a crisp and tart variety like Sauvignon Blanc for the best flavor. White wine adds acidity and highlights the other flavors in the dish. You can substitute vegetable broth plus a dash of vinegar, if needed.
Tip! See this recipe for white wine pasta sauce for more tips on selecting and finding vegan wines. - Lemon Juice - Just a squeeze before serving adds more acidity and a hint of freshness that brightens up the richness of the mushrooms.
- Salt and Pepper
How to Make Shiitake Mushroom Pasta
Prep is easy! You'll need a blender, saute pan, and a pot to cook the pasta. Here's the basic process:
Cook your pasta in salted water according to package directions.
Blend the sunflower seed cream sauce, which consists of water, raw sunflower seeds, 1 clove of garlic, arrowroot or corn starch, and salt.
Tip! A high-speed blender like a Vitamix makes blending a breeze. If you're using a regular blender, you may want to soak the seeds in hot water for an hour first, or strain it through a nut milk bag if there are some bits that don't get fully blended.
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Next, heat the vegan butter and olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Cook the shallots and sliced shiitake mushrooms until softened.
Add garlic and soy sauce and cook until mushrooms are tender. Add the wine and bring to a simmer, cooking until the wine has reduced by about half.
Pour the blended sunflower seed sauce into the pan.
Season with black pepper and continue to cook until thickened and creamy. Add a squeeze of lemon juice, then taste and adjust the seasonings as desired. Finally, add the cooked pasta, and toss to combine with the sauce.
Variations and Substitutions
- Gluten-Free: Use your favorite gluten-free pasta (I prefer lentil or chickpea pasta for more protein) and certified gluten-free tamari in place of the soy sauce.
- Sunflower Seeds: If you are not nut-free, feel free to substitute cashews for the sunflower seeds if preferred.
- With Greens: Add some color and nutrition with a green vegetable like spinach, kale, or broccoli florets.
- More Protein: For extra protein and to make the dish more filling, you can add cooked white beans, seitan, or baked tofu.
- Without Wine: If you need to substitute the wine, feel free to use an equal amount of vegetable broth plus a squeeze of lemon or dash of any light vinegar.
How to Store
Store leftover pasta in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Freezing is not recommended.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this shiitake mushroom pasta topped with some vegan parmesan cheese or a sprinkle of nutritional yeast. Lemon zest and fresh herbs like basil or parsley are also nice. For a little heat, add crushed red pepper flakes.
The flavor of this dish is perfect on its own, but it also pairs well with some warm bread and a schmear of vegan butter or a simple side salad with balsamic dressing.
FAQs
Since the fresh mushrooms are the star of this dish, I wouldn't recommend replacing them entirely. However, you can certainly get creative and use a combination of dried shiitakes (blended into the sauce for flavor) with a different variety of mushroom used in the saute. Keep in mind that dried mushrooms are more concentrated in flavor, so you won't need much. You'll also need to rehydrate the dried mushrooms first by soaking them in hot water for 20-30 minutes.
While no substitute can perfectly mimic the distinct flavor and texture of shiitake mushrooms, there are several alternatives if you aren't able to find them at your grocery store or farmers market. You can try another mushroom variety such as porcini, cremini, portobello, or oyster mushrooms.
I hope you enjoy this vegan shiitake mushroom pasta recipe! If you give it a try be sure to leave a comment below. And if you're on instagram, tag a photo of your shiitake mushroom pasta with @myquietkitchen. I love seeing what you're making!
More Vegan Pasta Recipes
Recipe
Vegan Shiitake Mushroom Pasta
Ingredients
- 8 ounces dry pasta of choice
- 1¼ cups water
- ¼ cup raw sunflower seeds - see Notes
- 5 cloves garlic, peeled - mince 4 cloves and leave one whole
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 teaspoons arrowroot or corn starch
- 2 Tablespoons vegan butter
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 2 large shallots, chopped
- 10 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, sliced
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce - or tamari
- ½ cup dry white wine - a crisp and tart variety like Sauvignon Blanc
- black pepper, to taste
- squeeze of lemon juice
Instructions
- Cook the pasta in salted water according to package directions, then drain.
- In a high-speed blender combine the water, sunflower seeds, 1 whole clove of garlic, and salt. Blend on high until completely smooth. Add the starch, and blend for another 30 to 45 seconds. Set aside.
- Preheat a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the butter and olive oil, and swirl the pan to coat. Cook the shallots and shiitake mushrooms for about 5 minutes or until softened. Add the garlic and soy sauce, and cook for a few more minutes or until the mushrooms are tender and no longer sizzling. Add the wine and bring to a simmer. Cook for several minutes or until the wine has reduced by about half.
- Pour the blended sunflower cream sauce into the pan, and season with black pepper. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until thickened and creamy. Add a squeeze of lemon juice, stir well, and taste for seasoning. Add more lemon, salt, and pepper as desired. If the sauce becomes too thick, add a splash of water.
- Toss the cooked pasta in the shiitake cream sauce and serve hot.
Notes
- Gluten-free: Use your favorite gluten-free pasta and certified GF tamari instead of soy sauce.
- Sunflower seeds: If you're fine with nuts, feel free to use ⅓ cup cashews instead of the seeds, and omit the starch.
- With greens: Add your favorite greens while sauteing the mushrooms - try spinach, kale, or small broccoli florets.
- Make it an entree: For extra protein and to make the dish more filling, add cooked white beans or lentils, seitan, or baked tofu.
Estimated Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition information is an estimate and will vary depending on the exact amounts and specific products and ingredients used.
Leola says
SO GOOD! I didn't have cornstarch arrowroot or other substitute thickener advice I found online - so I used nutritional yeast thinking the cheesy flavor of it would work and hopefully thicken a bit - not bad. I also don't have a high speed blender so I used my cuisinart mini food processor which worked fine. I used a locally grown/made white wine called Viognier which I figured would be good in the dish and good to have a glass of with the shitake mushroom pasta. I didn't have vegan butter so I used my housemates regular butter. I ate it over gluten free tumeric spaghetti. My point about all this is that this recipe is versatile and came out delicious!
Brant says
This looks AMAZING! We are going to try it tonight. Love the creativity with sunflower seed sauce!
Lori Rasmussen says
Thanks, Brant. Hope you enjoy it!