Rich and creamy mushroom pasta

This rich and creamy mushroom pasta is everything you ever wanted: creamy, comforting, full of umami and earthy flavors. 

When I cook a simple dish like that, I always think about getting THE MOST flavour possible out of each ingredient. Thankfully, mushrooms are so versatile – meaty, savoury, earthy and utterly delicious once caramelized.

In order to take just a creamy mushroom pasta to the whole another level we will:

• Caramelize shallots and get the most out of their richness and saltiness
• Don’t overcrowd your pan with mushrooms. If you don’t have a pan large enough – work in batches to make sure your mushrooms are sauteing and not boiling. 
• Brown your butter! Let your mushrooms sit in it to get crispy and soak up the flavors.
• Deglaze our sauce base with sherry vinegar and wine. This will add an extra layer of flavor and balance the richness of cream. 
• Add a secret ingredient! Proceed to the recipe to learn more;)

Possible tweaks for this creamy mushroom pasta:

• Can I use any mushrooms I want? It’s not a secret that some mushroom varieties are more flavorful than others. Virtually any forest mushrooms foraged during peak season will be the tastiest. Maitake, shiitake, oyster mushrooms are holding second place. More “commercial” varieties such as white and cremini mushrooms are the less flavorful options.
• What if I don’t have sherry vinegar? You can use white wine, champagne or madeira vinegar instead! Just make sure your vinegar is of the best quality possible. I’m a big believer that only if you like your vinegar on its own will you enjoy it in sauce. 
• What if I don’t want/can’t cook with wine? No problem! Just swap your ½ of wine for an additional tbsp of vinegar. 
• Can I make this dish with any type of pasta? I believe that it tastes best with long wide pasta – thick creamy sauce just has more surface to cling on! However, if you are in your pyjamas, the sauce is ready and you just discovered that the only pasta you have is rigatoni – go for it!

Make sure to check out more amazing veggie-packed recipes:

• Gluten free version of my best zucchini fritters with feta
• Andalusian gazpacho
• Leek cannelloni with spinach and ricotta

Knowing that you use my recipes makes me so happy! If you end up making this rich and creamy mushroom pasta or any other recipes, please tag me @olesia.guts so I can see your creations!

Rich and creamy mushroom pasta

Serves: 2-3 Prep Time: 15 Minutes Cooking Time: 10 Minutes 10 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 5.0/5

( 3 voted )

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Ingredients

• 2 shallots, thinly sliced
• 3 tbsp sherry vinegar
• ½ cup dry white wine
• 8 oz (200 grams) mushrooms - see notes 
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 230 grams fettuccine or tagliatelle, cooked al-dente
• 1 oz parmesan/pecorino + as much as you want for serving
• Our secret ingredient - 1 tsp dried porcini powder (look for it in the seasonings aisle; optional:)

Instructions

1. Heat 1 tbsp neutral oil or butter over medium heat. Add shallots and saute until lightly browned and soft, about 5 minutes. Add sherry vinegar, wait until it's fully evaporated (pan will feel “dry” again), then add wine. Simmer until wine is reduced to approximately 1 tbsp. Remove on a side plate and reserve for later.
2. Cut mushrooms into ~ 0.5 cm slices. Make sure they are very dry before adding to the pan.** Heat 1 tbsp oil over medium, add mushrooms and increase heat to medium high. Cook until liquid released from mushrooms evaporates and mushrooms get browned and slightly crispy. 
3. While mushrooms are being sauteed, cook your pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente. Drain, reserving ½ cup cooking water for your sauce.
4. Add 1 tbsp of butter to the mushrooms. Cook over medium heat until butter turns brown and starts smelling hazelnut-y. Add shallots + wine, ½ cup of pasta cooking water and heavy cream. 
5. Mix in cooked pasta and let simmer until the sauce is slightly reduced, 2-5 minutes. Stir in parmesan and porcini powder and serve immediately!

Notes

*I used 50/50 oyster mushrooms and shiitake. Virtually any forest mushrooms foraged during peak season will be the tastiest. Maitake, shiitake, oyster mushrooms are holding second place. More “commercial” varieties such as white and cremini mushrooms are the less flavorful options. **Make sure not to overcrowd your pan with mushrooms. If you don’t have a pan large enough - work in batches to make sure your mushrooms are sauteing and not boiling.