Creamy Brown Butter Mushroom Pasta (Printable)

Earthy mushrooms in nutty brown butter cream sauce, tossed with fettuccine and finished with Parmigiano Reggiano.

# What You’ll Need:

→ 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 freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano
10 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
11 - 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice (optional)

→ Finishing

12 - Extra Parmigiano Reggiano, for serving
13 - Fresh parsley or chives, chopped, for garnish

# Directions:

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 finely diced shallot and minced garlic to the browned 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 deeply golden and their released 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 melted and smooth. If the sauce is too thick, incorporate 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 to achieve a silky finish. Season with salt, freshly ground black pepper, and lemon juice if using. Taste and adjust seasoning.
07 - Serve immediately in warm bowls, garnished with additional Parmigiano Reggiano and a sprinkle of fresh parsley or chives.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The brown butter does most of the flavor work for you, making this taste like something from a trattoria with almost no effort.
  • It comes together in the time it takes to boil pasta, which means you can pull it off on your most exhausted evening.
02 -
  • Do not crowd the mushrooms in the pan because they will boil in their own liquid instead of browning, so use the largest skillet you own.
  • The sauce will thicken as it sits off the heat, so a slightly looser consistency than you think you want is actually perfect when you first combine everything.
03 -
  • Grate your Parmigiano from a wedge while it is cold for the finest, most even melt, and let it come to room temperature before adding it to the hot sauce.
  • The real secret is patience with the mushrooms: let them cook undisturbed until they are truly golden, because that deep caramelization is where the restaurant quality flavor comes from.

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