✨ Creamy Garlic Mushroom Cavatappi 🍄🟫
Affordable, cozy, and SO creamy! 😍
I made this delicious garlic mushroom cavatappi using simple ingredients from Walmart, and the whole serving is under 800 calories. Perfect for a quick dinner that feels fancy but stays budget-friendly. 🍝✨
🛒 Ingredients + Prices from Walmart:
• Creamette Cavatappi Pasta — $1.38
• Half Gallon Milk — $1.72
• Mushrooms — $1.94
• Green Onions — $1.07
• Belgioso Parmesan — $3.94
• Flour — $1.32
• Land O Lakes Garlic & Herbs Butter — $2.64
• Cream Cheese — $1.84
💚 Why it’s perfect:
• Cozy + comforting
• Creamy but still under 800 calories
• Super easy to make
• Budget friendly for families
• Looks like restaurant pasta but made at home!
🍄 Ingredients (4-Person Recipe)
• Cremini Mushrooms: 16 oz
• Scallions: 4
• Cavatappi Pasta: 12 oz
• Flour: 2 TBSP
• Milk: 13.5 oz
• Cream Cheese: 4 TBSP
• Garlic Herb Butter: 4 TBSP
• Parmesan Cheese: ½ cup
• Olive oil: 2 tsp
• Butter: 4 TBSP
• Kosher salt to taste
• Black pepper to taste
Instructions:
1. Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Reserve ½ cup of pasta water, then drain and set aside.
2. In a large pan, sauté the mushrooms in a little olive oil with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook until soft and golden.
Transfer the mushrooms to a bowl and set aside.
3. In the same pan, melt the garlic & herb butter and add the white parts of the scallions. Cook until the scallions soften.
4. Add the flour and stir for 1–2 minutes until it lightly browns.
5. Slowly pour in the milk, whisking constantly until smooth and no lumps remain.
Add the ½ cup pasta water, reduce heat to medium-low, and let the sauce thicken.
6. Once thickened, stir in the mushrooms, cream cheese, and half of the Parmesan.
Add salt and pepper to taste.
7. Add the cooked pasta directly into the sauce and toss until everything is coated and creamy.
8. Plate and top with the remaining Parmesan and green onions.
Enjoy your cozy, creamy mushroom pasta! 🍄✨
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If you're looking for a comforting yet budget-friendly pasta dish, this creamy garlic mushroom cavatappi is an excellent choice. Using accessible ingredients like cremini mushrooms, garlic herb butter, and cream cheese, this recipe comes together quickly and is full of rich flavors without piling on calories. One key to achieving a creamy texture in this dish is the homemade sauce made by building a roux with flour and garlic herb butter. Slowly whisking in milk and pasta water helps create a smooth, luscious sauce that clings perfectly to each cavatappi pasta spiral. Adding cream cheese and Parmesan cheese boosts the richness, while scallions bring a fresh, mild onion flavor enhancing the savory mushrooms. Cremini mushrooms add a deeper, earthier taste compared to white mushrooms, making this pasta hearty enough for a vegetarian main course. The use of both butter and olive oil for sautéing helps balance flavor and prevent burning. For seasoning, kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper adjust the taste perfectly. Because the recipe serves four people with estimated costs of just a few dollars per meal, it’s ideal for families or anyone who wants a fancy-feeling dinner without spending much time or money. Plus, with under 800 calories per serving, it fits well into many balanced diets. To personalize, you can swap cavatappi for other short, ridged pasta like penne or fusilli, or add a splash of white wine when cooking the mushrooms for a subtle depth. For an extra twist, sprinkle toasted breadcrumbs or fresh herbs like parsley on top to finish. Overall, this creamy garlic mushroom cavatappi is a great way to enjoy a rich, restaurant-quality pasta at home with minimal fuss. It’s a guaranteed crowd-pleaser that satisfies cravings for a cozy, flavorful meal while keeping preparation and cost simple and affordable.
