Learn how to make a delicious and extraordinary pasta sauce from canned mushroom soup and staple pantry ingredients. This recipe makes a quick, rich, and comforting meal perfect for lunch or dinner.

White Pasta Sauce Recipe

Easy Mushroom Soup Pasta Sauce

This is my go-to pasta sauce recipe whenever I need something quick and easy. You can make it in less than 20 minutes with minimal preparation. Make it with meat or without meat, and add vegetables to make it healthy-ish. The possibilities are endless with this good ol’ tin soup.

What you need

These simple ingredients can transform a simple canned soup into a delicious pasta sauce: 

White Pasta sauce ingredients
  • Canned Cream of Mushroom Soup – Use your favorite brand. I used Campbell’s Wild mushroom soup.
  • Evaporated Milk – This makes the soup even creamier and tastier. You can also use fresh milk if preferred.
  • Dried Herbs – more on this later.
  • Garlic Powder – super convenient to use. No chopping is needed. Substitute with freshly chopped garlic if not available.
  • Butter – or any vegetable oil like canola or olive oil.
  • Pasta water – don’t throw away that pasta water. Use it to loosen the consistency of the sauce.

How to Make Mushroom Soup Pasta Sauce

And here’s how I make it!

making mushroom pasta sauce in a pan

Cooking Tips

  • Season the chicken (or shrimp) as it cooks to make it flavorful.
  • You will need a little to no salt since the canned soups are already full-flavored. I recommend seasoning your choice of meat first, for example, chicken or shrimp. Let the sauce simmer, and taste before deciding to season with more salt.
  • Simmer the sauce over medium heat. Using high heat may cause the milk to curdle.
  • Add pasta water a little at a time to loosen the sauce and balance the salt of the canned soup.
  • Stir often to prevent it from sticking to the pan. The sauce can become too thick as it cooks.
Chicken White Pasta Sauce recipe

What meat can you use?

Chicken breast or thighs, shrimp, bacon, ham, and even a can of tuna go well with this pasta sauce.

Here are my tips on how to cook and prepare them:

  • Chicken – Slice into thin bite-size pieces for quick cooking time.
  • Shrimp – Stir-fry in butter for 1 to 2 minutes until no longer pink. Remove from the pan and set aside. To get a soft and tender texture, do not overcook the shrimp. If using frozen shrimp, thaw before using.
  • Bacon – I would use this as a crunchy topping. To prepare: chop the bacon into small dice, add a tablespoon of the olive oil to a frying pan then cook over medium-high until crispy.
  • Tuna – Use tuna in water or in brine. Cook in a warm pan with a tablespoon of oil then pour the canned mushroom soup.

What kind of dried-herbs blend can I use for pasta sauce?

These mixtures of dried herbs are perfect additions to any red or white pasta sauce.

  • Italian Seasoning
  • Herbes de Provence
  • Dried Parsley
  • Dried Basil
  • Anything that says pasta seasoning on the label.

Note that a little goes a long way–1 tsp dried herbs equals 1 tbsp fresh. So use sparingly.

White Pasta Sauce Recipe

Vegetable add-ins

You can add fresh or frozen broccoli, peas, and fresh mushrooms. Saute until partially cooked before adding the canned soup and milk. This also goes for fresh vegetables like asparagus and mushrooms.

Can I make this without any meat (vegetarian)?

Yes, definitely! Add frozen or fresh vegetables to add some texture.

Watch how to make it

Love mushrooms? Try these next

  1. Salisbury Steak with Homemade Mushroom Gravy
  2. Chunky Mushroom and Celery Soup
  3. Instant Pot Pork Chops with Mushroom Soup Gravy
  4. Pan-Fried Chicken with Mushroom Gravy

More Pasta Recipes

  1. Baked Spaghetti with Cream Cheese
    Easy Chicken Spaghetti Recipe (No Bake)
  2. Cream Cheese Pasta Sauce
  3. Creamy Garlic Pasta with Bacon and Mushroom
  4. Cheesy Baked Macaroni with Meat Sauce
  5. Sardines Pasta
White Pasta Sauce Recipe

Cream of Mushroom Soup Pasta Sauce

4.57 from 23 votes
Delicious and extraordinary white pasta sauce made of canned mushroom soup. This recipe makes a quick and comforting dish perfect for lunch or dinner. You don’t need much, just staple pantry items and good ol’ canned soup.
Servings4 servings
preparation time5 minutes
Total cooking time20 minutes

Ingredients
 

  • 1 tbsp butter (or oil)
  • 10 oz chicken breast (sliced into pieces, note 1)
  • ½ tsp dried parsley
  • ¼ tsp dried herbs (I used Italian seasoning, note 2)
  • ½ tsp garlic powder (or chopped fresh garlic)
  • 1 can / 10.5 oz canned mushroom soup
  • ¾ cup evaporated milk (note 3)
  • ¼ cup hot pasta water (or chicken broth, note 4)
  • 10 oz pasta (cook al dente)
  • salt and pepper (to taste)

Instructions

  • Melt butter in a pan over medium heat. Add chicken. Season with garlic powder, dried herbs, salt, and pepper. Cook until no longer pink and cooked through.
  • Pour canned soup and evaporated milk. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes. Stir to prevent from sticking to the pan.
  • Add cooked pasta. Toss everything to combine. Add the hot pasta water in 1/4 cup increments to loosen the sauce.
  • Taste and season with black pepper or salt if necessary. Sprinkle with dried parsley. Transfer to a plate and serve immediately.

Recipe Notes & Tips:

  1. Choice of meat – use whatever you have–chicken breast, bacon, frozen shrimp, tuna, and ham.
  2. Recommended dried herbs for pasta sauce: Italian seasoning, herbes de provence, dried parsley, dried basil, dried oregano, and anything that says pasta seasoning on the label.
  3. Evaporated Milk – can be substituted with fresh milk or half and half, if available.
  4. Pasta water can be substituted with chicken broth for more depth of flavor. You can also dissolve 1 piece of low-sodium chicken bouillon in the pasta water.
  5. Butter – or any vegetable oil. Skip if you won’t be using any meat.
  6. Vegetable add-ins (optional): You can add fresh or frozen broccoli or peas if available. Saute until partially cooked before adding the canned soup and milk. This also goes for fresh vegetables like asparagus and mushrooms.
  7. If using shrimp (fresh or frozen) – Stir-fry in butter for 1 to 2 minutes until no longer pink. Remove from the pan and set aside.  Add it back together with the pasta, after the sauce has simmered.
  8. Shelf life and storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge within 1 hour of cooking. It should be good for 3 days in the fridge.
  9. Make it vegetarian: Skip the meat and replace it with frozen or fresh vegetables.
Jump to Video
Author : Mella
Course : Main Course
Cuisine : American
Keyword : campbell soup recipe, white pasta sauce recipe
Nutrition Facts
Cream of Mushroom Soup Pasta Sauce
Amount per Serving
Calories
343
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
11
g
17
%
Saturated Fat
 
6
g
38
%
Trans Fat
 
0.1
g
Polyunsaturated Fat
 
1
g
Monounsaturated Fat
 
3
g
Cholesterol
 
73
mg
24
%
Sodium
 
703
mg
31
%
Potassium
 
560
mg
16
%
Carbohydrates
 
32
g
11
%
Fiber
 
2
g
8
%
Sugar
 
5
g
6
%
Protein
 
27
g
54
%
Vitamin A
 
229
IU
5
%
Vitamin C
 
2
mg
2
%
Calcium
 
142
mg
14
%
Iron
 
2
mg
11
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?I love hearing how you went with my recipes! Tag @rivertenkitchen or leave a comment below!

Updated photos in July 2022. Same great recipe!

Riverten Kitchen is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Rate this recipe




20 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Loved it! I added 1 chopped onion and fresh mushrooms to the chicken, and used orzo as the pasta. It turned out delicious! I’ll make it again (and use garlic butter next time).

  2. 5 stars
    Thank you for this recipe. It’s excellent. I adapted it to use in an Instant Pot. I cannot stand to sauté or stir and use the dump & go method to add all of the ingredients except Parmesan cheese and either fat-free evaporated milk or fat-free sour cream. I add the dairy ingredients after the pressure cook cycle is complete. I have added chicken, pesto, artichoke hearts, chopped spinach and some additional seasonings (dried, minced onion, garlic powder, black pepper, red pepper flakes and Italian seasoning). I have made this a number of times because it is so versatile.

    1. This is a great idea, Mary! Thank you for sharing. I’m sure many will find this useful. Glad you enjoyed this recipe 🙂
      – Mella

      1. 5 stars
        Was in a pinch and had a lb of whole wheat pasta and 3 cans of cream of mushroom. We didn’t have every seasoning or the evaporated milk but improvised. The kids said it was the best. Just thankful for a simple recipe that didn’t require me to go to the store.

        1. That’s fantastic to hear! It’s truly heartwarming when a simple recipe and a bit of improvisation can create a meal that kids love. Here’s to more delicious and stress-free meals! 🍽️👩‍🍳
          – Mella

  3. Would appreciate measurements of pasta pre-cooked, I had to whip out a calculator to find out how much pasta to boil

  4. 5 stars
    So easy to make! I used spaghetti squash and jackfruit instead of chicken. It was delicious. I have extra sauce left so tomorrow it’s going on pasta for lunch!

  5. 5 stars
    This is a warm tasty meal that can be made with minimal effort, top it with a bit of parmigiana and you are good to go. Thanks for the tasty recipe! TR

  6. 4 stars
    I added low sodium bacon pieces, peas and Parmesan. Tossed it with cheese tortellini and it was fabulous and filling!!

  7. 5 stars
    Needed a sauce to pour over the fontina cheese stuffed chicken breasts wrapped in bacon from Costco. Obviously ommitted the meat in the recipe and just made the sauce. Omg. Perfect! Plated with stuffed chicken breast atop the spaghetti with the sauce drizzled over. Sprinkle with Parmesan. Yummy!

  8. 3 stars
    It was easy to make but it was just a little boring. It had a nice thick heartiness though.

  9. 5 stars

    5 stars
    This is a really good recipe when you need something quick. Easy to make and super yummy! I am thinking of adding green peas and fried mushrooms the next time I make this!