Creamy Wild Mushroom Pasta
This pasta dish combines the earthy goodness of wild mushrooms with the creamy richness of Gruyere cheese and the crispy bite of bacon. Whether you have shiitake, lion's mane, or any other variety of mushrooms, this recipe works great with whatever you have on hand. Remember to save a bit of the pasta water to create a perfectly thickened sauce. Finish it off with some fresh parsley for a pop of color and extra flavor.
Servings: 4 to 6 Servings
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 2 medium shallots finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves grated or finely minced
- 1 pound mixed wild mushrooms cleaned and cut into bite-size pieces
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt or ½ teaspoon table salt
- 4 tablespoons butter divided, cut into small pieces
- 8 ounces bucatini or spaghetti
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 cup grated Gruyere cheese
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ⅓ cup finely chopped parsley
- 4 strips crisp-cooked bacon
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet set over medium-low heat. Add the shallots and garlic, cook, stirring frequently for 1-2 minutes until the shallots are soft and the garlic is fragrant.
- Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil and all of the mushrooms, season with the salt. Increase the heat to medium-high. Cover the skillet and cook the mushrooms, lifting the lid and stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms have released all of their liquid, about 10 minutes.
- Remove the lid and add 2 tablespoons of the butter and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are tender and a deep golden brown.
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add the pasta and cook, according to manufacturers’ instructions, until the pasta is al-dente. Remove ½ cup of the pasta water and set aside. Drain the pasta and transfer it to the skillet with the mushrooms, add the cream and the reserved pasta water. Increase the heat to medium and simmer, tossing the pasta constantly until the sauce has thickened, about 3-4 minutes.
- Remove the skillet from the heat. Add the Gruyere cheese, the remaining butter, lemon juice and the parsley. Toss until the cheese has melted and the pasta is well combined. Taste and season with additional salt if needed.
- Divide the pasta equally into bowls, top with crumbled bacon and garnish with additional chopped parsley.
Notes
- There are many wild mushrooms available in local grocery stores among the most common are: Oyster, shiitake, Maitake, Golden Oyster, Chantelle and Morels.
- Steaming the mushrooms all at once eliminates the need to work in batches and uses less oil. After the brief steaming, the lid is removed, the liquid evaporates and the mushrooms sauté and brown beautifully.
- Do not forget to reserve the pasta water as the starch helps thicken the sauce.
Nutrition
Calories: 516kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 76mg | Sodium: 717mg | Potassium: 552mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1.021IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 270mg | Iron: 1mg
