Creamy Mushroom and Zucchini Penne with Lemon Crème Fraîche

This pasta dish is a celebration of earthy mushrooms and fresh vegetables, all brought together with a silky, tangy sauce. Cremini mushrooms take center stage, providing deep, savory flavor, while zucchini and grape tomatoes add color and texture. The sauce, made with crème fraîche, lemon and chives, is light yet luxurious, coating every piece of penne perfectly.

Ready in about 30 minutes, this recipe is ideal for a quick weeknight dinner that feels special. The combination of mushroom stock concentrate and Italian seasoning enhances the umami notes, while a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese adds a salty finish. Serve with lemon wedges for an extra burst of brightness.

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Ingredients

1 unit ZucchiniView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

4 tablespoon Crème FraîcheView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit LemonView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

6 ounce Penne PastaView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon Italian SeasoningView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

3 tablespoon Parmesan CheeseView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

4 ounce Grape TomatoesView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

4 ounce Cremini MushroomsView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.25 ounce ChivesView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Mushroom Stock ConcentrateView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

teaspoon (tsp) SaltView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon (tbsp) Olive OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1.5 tablespoon (tbsp) ButterView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

teaspoon (tsp) Black PepperView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Wash and dry produce. Trim and quarter zucchini lengthwise; cut crosswise into ½-inch-thick pieces. Trim and thinly slice mushrooms (skip if your mushrooms are pre-sliced!). Halve tomatoes. Mince chives. Quarter lemon.
2. Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add zucchini; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and softened, 4-6 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl. Wipe out pan.
3. Heat a drizzle of olive oil in pan used for zucchini over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and slightly crispy, 5-7 minutes. Turn off heat; season with salt and pepper. Transfer to bowl with zucchini. Wash out pan.
4. Once water is boiling, add penne to pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, 9-11 minutes. Reserve 1 cup pasta cooking water, then drain.
5. While penne cooks, heat ½ TBSP butter (1 TBSP for 4 servings) and a drizzle of olive oil in pan used for mushrooms over medium-high heat. Add tomatoes and season with 1 tsp Italian Seasoning (2 tsp for 4), salt and pepper. (Use the rest of the Italian Seasoning as you like.) Cook, stirring, until tomatoes are softened, 2-4 minutes. Stir in half the chives and juice from half the lemon. Reduce heat to low, then stir in stock concentrate and ¼ cup reserved pasta cooking water (⅓ cup for 4). Whisk in crème fraîche; season with salt and pepper.
6. Add zucchini, mushrooms and drained penne to pan with sauce; stir to combine. Stir in 1 TBSP butter (2 TBSP for 4 servings) until melted. TIP: If necessary, add more pasta cooking water a splash at a time until penne is coated in a creamy sauce. Divide pasta between bowls. Sprinkle with Parmesan and remaining chives. Serve with remaining lemon wedges on the side.

Recipe Tips

FAQ

Can I use a different type of pasta?

Yes, any short pasta like fusilli or rigatoni works well. Adjust cooking time according to package directions.

What can I substitute for crème fraîche?

Sour cream or full-fat Greek yogurt can be used, but the sauce may be slightly less creamy. Add a splash of milk if needed.

Is this recipe vegetarian?

Yes, it’s completely vegetarian. Use vegetable stock concentrate if you want to keep it fully plant-based (though the original uses mushroom stock).