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Lemon fennel mushroom pasta is light, flavorful, and all about balance. Tender fennel turns mellow and sweet, mushrooms add earthy depth, and a squeeze of fresh lemon brightens everything with a citrusy lift. There’s no heavy cream or red sauce here. Just tender pasta, simple vegetables, and clean layers of flavor.
For more pasta recipes, try our pasta with marsala cream sauce or our leek and cheese pasta bake.
Here’s Why This Fennel Mushroom Pasta Recipe Works
Fennel takes center stage: Slow cooking mellows fennel into sweetness, with a hint of licorice that pairs beautifully with lemon.
Lemon layers the flavor: Zest adds fragrance while juice brings brightness, lifting the entire dish.
Mushrooms bring depth: Their earthy savoriness grounds the bright fennel and lemon for a balanced bite.
Big flavor, no heavy sauce: Garlic, chili, and parsley build depth quickly without relying on cream.
If you like this recipe, try our lemon salmon pasta.
Recipe Tips
Slice fennel thin: The finer the slices, the faster it softens and caramelizes.
Give mushrooms space: A hot pan and room to spread out help them brown instead of steam.
Zest before you juice: Always take the zest off first—it’s much harder once the lemon is squeezed.
Add lemon juice at the end: Off the heat, it stays bright and fresh instead of turning bitter.
Serve Parmesan on the side: Let everyone add as much (or as little) as they like.
For a more decadent take, my pasta with black truffle sauce delivers deep, luxurious flavor in every bite.
Lemony Mushroom and Fennel Pasta
This is what weeknight pasta should be: fresh, fast, and full of real flavor. No jars, no processed food, just good ingredients doing their thing. With bright lemon, sweet fennel, earthy mushrooms, and chewy noodles, it’s simple cooking that delivers big flavor.
If you’re craving something richer, my pasta with morels pairs earthy mushrooms with a creamy goat cheese sauce for an elegant twist.
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Skillet Pasta with Fennel and Mushrooms
If you make this recipe, please leave a star rating and comment.
Ingredients
For the Pasta:
- 8 ounces dry pasta, I used whole wheat Kamut pasta
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
For the Vegetables:
- ¼ cup olive oil, divided
- 1 large fennel bulb, trimmed, core removed and thinly sliced
- 8 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced
- 1 fresh red chili (such as Fresno), ribs and seeds removed and finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic, grated or minced
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper, freshly ground
- ½ cup fresh parsley, coarsely chopped
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest, about 1 lemon
- 1 lemon, juiced
- ½ Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
Instructions
- Fill a large pot with water and add the kosher salt, bring to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook for 8 minutes, until slightly tender, while the water continues to boil. Drain the pasta, cover and reserve until needed.
- While the pasta is cooking, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high, heat. Add the sliced fennel and mushrooms and cook for 2-4 minutes until tender. The time will depend on how thinly the fennel is sliced. Add the red chile, garlic, salt and pepper, cook for 30 seconds until the garlic is fragrant but not browned.
- Remove the skillet from the heat, add the drained pasta, the remaining olive oil, chopped parsley and lemon zest. Toss to combine. Transfer the mixture to a serving dish and squeeze the juice from the lemon over the top. Serve with a dish of the grated Parmesan cheese.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this recipe? Rate & comment below!
This sounds great and would make a perfect midweek meal!
Thanks for your comments, it is a great side dish. 😉