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Creamy Mushroom Pasta Recipe

Recipe by Pedro M. A. Neves

This Creamy Mushroom Pasta Recipe delivers the comfort of Italian home cooking with earthy mushrooms enveloped in a silky, luxurious cream sauce. Fresh pasta or dried pappardelle works beautifully with the rich sauce that clings to every strand. A simple yet elegant dish that balances umami depth with delicate cream, perfect for weeknight dinners or entertaining guests.

Ingredients

• 400g dried pappardelle or fresh egg tagliatelle
• 500g mixed mushrooms (cremini, portobello, and oyster), sliced
• 200ml heavy cream (35% fat)
• 100ml whole milk
• 60g unsalted butter, divided
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 medium shallot, finely diced
• 150ml dry white wine
• 30g freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• 2g sea salt, plus more to taste
• 1g black pepper, freshly ground
• 15ml extra virgin olive oil
• 5g fresh thyme leaves
• 2g dried porcini mushrooms, rehydrated in 100ml warm water

Instructions

1. Rehydrate the dried porcini mushrooms in 100ml warm water for 10 minutes. Strain the liquid into a bowl, reserving both the mushrooms (roughly chopped) and the soaking liquid separately.

2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Once boiling, add the pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 200ml of pasta water before draining.

3. While the pasta cooks, heat 30g butter with 15ml olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sliced fresh mushrooms in a single layer and cook undisturbed for 4 minutes until golden on one side, then stir and cook another 3 minutes until tender. Season with salt and pepper, then transfer to a plate.

4. In the same skillet, melt the remaining 30g butter over medium heat. Add the diced shallot and cook for 2 minutes until softened, then add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more until fragrant.

5. Pour in the dry white wine and scrape the bottom of the skillet with a wooden spoon to deglaze. Let the wine reduce by half, approximately 3 minutes. Add the reserved porcini soaking liquid and the chopped rehydrated mushrooms, then simmer for 2 minutes.

6. Reduce heat to medium-low and stir in the heavy cream and milk together. Simmer gently for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens slightly. Do not boil vigorously or the cream may break.

7. Return the cooked fresh mushrooms to the skillet and stir to combine with the sauce. Add the fresh thyme leaves and taste for seasoning, adjusting salt and pepper as needed.

8. Add the drained pasta directly to the skillet with the sauce. Toss gently but thoroughly, adding reserved pasta water a little at a time (start with 100ml) until the sauce coats the pasta evenly without pooling at the bottom. The consistency should be creamy but not soupy.

9. Divide the pasta among four shallow bowls or plates. Top each portion with freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, a crack of black pepper, and a few more thyme leaves if desired. Serve immediately while hot.

Substitutions

• For lactose-free: use heavy cream made from coconut milk (200ml) and unsweetened almond milk (100ml) instead of dairy cream and milk
• For vegetarian: use vegetable broth instead of white wine for a lighter sauce profile
• For dairy-free: substitute 300ml unsweetened oat cream for the heavy cream and milk combination
• For a lighter version: replace heavy cream with crème fraîche (150g) and increase milk to 150ml

Tips

• Do not wash fresh mushrooms if possible; instead wipe them gently with a damp cloth to preserve their natural earthiness and prevent excess moisture
• Reserve pasta water before draining—the starch in it helps emulsify the sauce and create a silky coating on the pasta
• Add pasta water gradually to achieve the correct consistency; you may not need all 200ml depending on your preferred sauce thickness
• Cook mushrooms in two batches if your skillet is crowded, as they release moisture and won't brown properly if overcrowded

Creamy mushroom pasta reflects Northern Italian cuisine, particularly from regions like Piedmont and Lombardy where cream-based sauces and fresh mushrooms are celebrated. While not as classically 'Italian' as tomato-based southern dishes, mushroom cream sauces have been part of Italian home cooking for generations, especially in cooler months when mushroom foraging season thrives.

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