Creamy Mushroom Rigatoni with Caramelized Onions (Vegan)
This creamy Mushroom Rigatoni is a heavenly pasta dish with a homemade cream sauce, savory pan-fried mushrooms, and sweet caramelized onions. Every bite of the velvety rigatoni is enveloped in this rich, creamy sauce.
There’s nothing better than a creamy pasta dish…and it’s even better with savory mushrooms and sweet caramelized onions! This dish is packed with so much flavor and is easily customizable where you can add in whatever other veggies or protein you like.
For other amazing pasta dishes, check out these…
- Garlic lovers will go crazy for my 40 Clove Garlic Pasta recipe!
- If you love a good savory peanut sauce, check out my Miso Peanut Noodles.
- Noodles in soup? Heaven! This Coconut Curry Noodle Soup is fabulous!
Ingredients
Ingredient notes:
- Rigatoni- This is a large, ridged pasta variety with wide, ridged tubes, perfect for capturing and holding robust sauces.
- Mushrooms – I love baby bella mushrooms for this recipe.
- Onions – I used two sweet onions for my caramelized onions, but feel free to use a white onion.
See recipe card for full ingredient list and quantities.
📝Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Start by making your caramelized onions (this is the longest step). In a large saucepan, add in your olive oil and warm over MED-HIGH heat.Once warm, add in your onion. Add a pinch of salt and pepper if desired. Stir your onion every few minutes. If the onions starts to get dried out, add in 2-3 tbsp of water to steam. You will likely have to do this a few times throughout the cooking process. The onions will start to soften and brown which takes about 15 minutes.
Step 2: When the onions are nearly fully cooked, push them to one side of the pan. Add in your sliced mushrooms and cook for 5-7 minutes (or until their juices are released and they’re slightly browned).
Step 3: While the onions are cooking, begin boiling your pasta water. Add in a dash of salt. Cook to package instructions. Once cooked, rinse under cool water and set aside.
Step 4: To make your delicious cream sauce, begin heating your olive oil in a large saucepan over MEDIUM heat. Add your flour and stir until combined.
Let the flour/oil mixture cook for 3-5 minutes. It should start to bubble and puff slightly. The sauce will also turn slightly white.
Step 5: SLOWLY add in your warm milk, whisking at the same time as you add it. If you have a flour clumps, don’t worry, they will likely dissolve as you whisk continuously.
Step 6: Stir in your parmesan cheese, garlic cloves, salt, and pepper. Cook this sauce over LOW-MED heat for 8-10 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds, until it starts to thicken to your liking.
Step 7: Add the pasta, mushrooms, and caramelized onions to the sauce and stir until combined.
Top with vegan parm, fresh ground pepper, and chopped parsley if desired. Enjoy!
▶︎For another delish pasta dish, try out this Marry Me Pasta with Crispy Tofu!
❓Recipe FAQs
This can happen for a few reasons.
– Adding the milk too quickly. Do this VERY slowly.
– Not cooking the roux long enough. It should start to bubble sightly.
– Not continuously whisking or mixing. You have to continuously stir as you add the milk.
*If you try all these steps and still get a clumpy sauce, it’s okay to strain it before you add in the rest of the ingredients (garlic, parm, etc).
You can add more veggies such as spinach or artichokes. You can also add some protein with white beans, garbanzo beans, vegan chicken, and more.
For perfectly caramelized onions, slice them uniformly and cook with a little bit of oil and addition of water. Stir frequently until they turn a deep golden brown. Add a pinch of salt early on and a touch of sugar to enhance sweetness without rushing the slow process. Use sweet onions sweeter caramelized onions.
Pro Tips
- Consider adding in other types of mushrooms for deeper flavor. You could add in shiitake or mushroom for a delicious flavor.
- Add in some plant-based protein such as white beans, garbanzo beans, or vegan chicken!
- If you have trouble with making the roux, watch this Youtube video about the best way to make a roux!
⇨ More Mouthwatering Pasta Recipes ⇦
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Creamy Mushroom Rigatoni with Caramelized Onions (Vegan)
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Ingredients
Caramelized Onions & Mushrooms
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 medium onions sliced
- 1/4-1/2 cup water for deglazing the pan
- 8 oz sliced baby bella mushrooms
- 10 oz rigatoni pasta
- Other optional additions: spinach, artichokes, sun-dried tomatoes, white beans, vegan chicken* See note
Cream Sauce
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 3 tbsp all purpose flour
- 2 cups WARM non-dairy milk, unsweetened* I used soy milk
- 1/4 cup vegan parmesan shreds
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme leaves stems removed
- 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Toppings
- vegan parmesan
- more fresh thyme leaves
Instructions
Caramelized Onions
- Start by making your caramelized onions (this is the longest step). In a large saucepan, add in your olive oil and warm over MED-HIGH heat. Once warm, add in your onion. Add a pinch of salt and pepper if desired. Stir your onion every few minutes. If the onions starts to get dried out, add in 2-3 tbsp of water to steam. You will likely have to do this a few times throughout the cooking process. The onions will start to soften and brown which takes about 15 minutes.1 tbsp olive oil, 2 medium onions
- When the onions are nearly fully cooked, push them to one side of the pan. Add in your sliced mushrooms and cook for 5-7 minutes (or until their juices are released and they're slightly browned).8 oz sliced baby bella mushrooms
Pasta
- While the onions are cooking, begin boiling your pasta water. Add in a dash of salt. Cook to package instructions. Once cooked, rinse under cool water and set aside10 oz rigatoni pasta
Cream Sauce
- To make your delicious cream sauce, begin heating your olive oil in a large saucepan over MEDIUM heat. Add your flour and stir until combined. Stir in a figure eight for even cooking.3 tbsp olive oil
- Let the flour/oil mixture cook for 3-5 minutes. It should start to bubble and puff slightly. The sauce will also turn slightly white.3 tbsp all purpose flour
- SLOWLY add in your warm milk, whisking at the same time as you add it. If you have a few flour clumps, don't worry, they will likely dissolve as you whisk continuously.2 cups WARM non-dairy milk, unsweetened*
- Stir in your parmesan cheese, garlic cloves, salt, and pepper. Cook this sauce over LOW-MED heat for 8-10 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds, until it starts to thicken to your liking.2 cloves garlic, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Assemble your pasta dish
- Add the pasta, mushrooms, and caramelized onions to the sauce and stir until combined.
- Top with vegan parm, fresh ground pepper, and chopped parsley if desired. Enjoy!
Notes
- Gradually whisk flour into melted fat over medium heat to ensure a smooth paste without lumps.
- Cook the roux until it reaches a light golden color to eliminate the raw taste of the flour. It should smell a little nutty with some bubbles. You may notice it puffing up slightly.
- Whisk continuously when adding liquid to prevent lumps from forming in the sauce.
- Still have clumps? You can strain the sauce to get rid of any clumps before you add the garlic, parm, etc.
Turned out so creamy! I have never used vegan parm before, and it tasted pretty authentic. I added chickpeas to bulk it up for a filling dinner.
Thanks for your review Lisa! Yes, I love to add chickpeas to this dish to make it a little more filling. 🙂 Glad you enjoyed it!
The homemade cream sauce is so velvety, and the caramelized onions added a unique twist. I might add some vegan chicken next time, as suggested.
Thanks so much Georgia! Yes I loveeee those caramelized onions! 🙂