Creamy Brown Butter Mushroom Pasta (Printable Version)
Earthy mushrooms in nutty brown butter with silky cream sauce and Parmigiano Reggiano, tossed with fresh fettuccine.
# Ingredient List:
→ Pasta
01 - 14 oz fettuccine or tagliatelle
→ Mushrooms & Aromatics
02 - 14 oz mixed mushrooms (cremini, shiitake, or button), sliced
03 - 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
04 - 3 tbsp unsalted butter
05 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 1 small shallot, finely diced
07 - 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
→ Cream Sauce
08 - ¾ cup heavy cream
09 - ½ cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano
10 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
11 - 1 tbsp lemon juice (optional)
→ Finishing
12 - Extra Parmigiano Reggiano, for serving
13 - Fresh parsley or chives, chopped, for garnish
# How to Make:
01 - Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a rolling boil. Add the fettuccine and cook until al dente according to package directions. Reserve 1 cup of starchy pasta water before draining.
02 - While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Allow the butter to melt and foam, swirling the pan occasionally, until it turns a deep golden-brown and releases a nutty aroma, about 3 to 4 minutes.
03 - Add the diced shallot and minced garlic to the brown butter. Sauté for 1 minute until fragrant and softened.
04 - Add the sliced mushrooms and fresh thyme leaves. Increase the heat to medium-high and sauté until the mushrooms are golden brown and most of their moisture has evaporated, about 6 to 8 minutes.
05 - Pour in the heavy cream and bring to a gentle simmer. Reduce the heat and stir in the grated Parmigiano Reggiano until fully melted and smooth. If the sauce is too thick, add reserved pasta water a splash at a time until the desired consistency is reached.
06 - Add the drained pasta to the skillet and toss to coat evenly in the sauce, adding more pasta water as needed. Season with salt, pepper, and lemon juice to taste.
07 - Transfer to warmed plates immediately. Garnish with extra Parmigiano Reggiano and freshly chopped parsley or chives. Serve right away.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- Brown butter does most of the heavy lifting here, transforming a humble cream sauce into something that tastes like it took far more effort than thirty five minutes.
- The mix of mushrooms gives every bite a slightly different texture, from meaty cremini to silky shiitake, and it reheats beautifully the next day for lunch.
02 -
- Once the butter starts browning it moves fast, so have your shallot and garlic prepped and right next to the stove because stepping away even briefly means starting over.
- Mushrooms release a surprising amount of water before they brown, so do not panic when the pan looks soupy at first, just keep the heat up and wait for it to cook off.
03 -
- Do not stir the mushrooms constantly because they need contact with the hot pan to develop that deep brown crust, so let them sit undisturbed for a minute or two between stirs.
- Adding the pasta water gradually rather than all at once gives you complete control over the final consistency and you can always add more but you cannot take it back.