Creamy Mushroom Tagliatelle is a quick and easy pasta dish that takes only 15 minutes to make. This rich, but light and earthy vegetarian pasta is great for a weeknight meal or an easy date night dinner.
Since you guys have requested more vegetarian recipes, I have been working on sharing more of our family favorites. This vegetarian pasta recipe is one of our go-to's during busy weeks.
Mushrooms are one of my favorites and believe it or not, most of my kids love them too! I love the depth of flavor that develops when they are sautéed until golden brown. The earthy flavor of these mushrooms pairs perfectly with the fresh thyme leaves and nutty Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.
Even though this velvety white sauce is made with cream, it is still light and not overbearing. This creamy mushroom tagliatelle pasta is a great carby meal when you're having a rough day, but also impressive for dinner parties or at-home date nights.
Jump to:
- ๐ What is tagliatelle?
- ๐ Ingredients to make mushroom tagliatelle
- Chef's Secret
- ๐ Substitutions and variations
- ๐ช Step by step instructions for making mushroom tagliatelle
- Kitchen Time Saver
- โญ More tips for making creamy mushroom pasta
- ๐ญ Frequently asked questions
- ๐ฝ๏ธ What to serve with mushroom tagliatelle
- ๐ฅก Storage and reheating suggestions
- ๐ More easy pasta dinner recipes
- #ScarlatiFamilyKitchen
- ๐ Recipe
- ๐ฌ Comments
🍝 What is tagliatelle?
Tagliatelle is a traditional egg pasta from the Italian regions of Emilia-Romagna and Marche. The noodles are long flat ribbons that look very similar to fettuccine noodles.
🍄 Ingredients to make mushroom tagliatelle
- Pasta - For creamy sauces, like this mushroom sauce, long flat ribbon noodles like tagliatelle work best. Pappardelle is another egg pasta that would work, as well as fettuccine.
- Butter & Olive Oil - Why both olive oil and butter? Olive oil can stand a higher heat to prevent the sauce from burning, while butter adds the rich and creamy flavor you want.
- Shallots, Garlic & Thyme - These aromatics build the flavor layers in the sauce. Shallots are a bit sweeter than onions, but sometimes aren't carried in the grocery store. Use yellow or sweet onions as a substitute, if needed. Use fresh garlic, because it will add the best sweet flavor to the sauce. Use dried thyme if needed, but only use half the quantity.
- Mushrooms - Cremini mushrooms, sometimes known as Baby Bella, are one of my favorite general-purpose mushrooms to cook with. They have a deeper, more earthy flavor than white mushrooms. For a substitute, white, porcini, or chestnut mushrooms will all work. Porcini mushrooms are meatier in flavor, while chestnut mushrooms are a tad sweeter.
- Wine - The wine deglazes the pan while adding a bit of acidity to balance the rich sauce. Use a dry white wine such as Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, or Pinot Grigio that you would also enjoy drinking. If you don't want to drink the rest of the bottle or don't cook with wine, substitute it with vegetable broth with a splash of lemon juice. The leftover wine can also be used to make Homemade Bolognese Sauce, Pasta Alle Vongole, or Shrimp Risotto with Mascarpone.
- Heavy Cream - This gives the delicious mushroom sauce a rich, silky finish. Use half and half for a lighter sauce, if desired. Regular milk can be used, but the sauce will be much thinner.
- Cheese - Parmigiano-Reggiano is a hard Italian cheese with a salty but sweet, nutty flavor. It is held to a higher standard than regular parmesan and the superior flavor really comes through well in this sauce. I always recommend freshly grated cheese regardless of the type. Pre-grated cheeses contain an anti-caking agent that prevents them from melting well and affects flavor. My favorite tool to use for grating hard cheeses, like parmesan, is this microplane (affiliate link). It does a very fine grate on the cheese so it melts perfectly into the sauce!
Chef's Secret
Make sure to clean mushrooms right before you are ready to use them. Washing or wiping them can damage the surface and cause discoloration if done too far ahead of time. Contrary to popular belief, you CAN wash mushrooms in water. Pat them dry afterwards or wipe the dirt off with a damp cloth instead.
📋 Substitutions and variations
- Plant-Based - Use a plant-based alternative for both the butter and parmesan cheese. For the heavy cream, a full-fat canned coconut milk works best. An unsweetened plant-based milk can be used, but the sauce will be thinner.
- Gluten-Free - The mushroom sauce is naturally gluten-free, so just the tagliatelle needs to be replaced with your favorite gluten-free option.
- Meat - While this mushroom pasta is vegetarian, meat or seafood can be added. Grilled steak, shrimp, or chicken would all be great.
🔪 Step by step instructions for making mushroom tagliatelle
Cook the tagliatelle in boiling salted water until the pasta is al dente. While the pasta is cooking, melt the butter and olive oil in a large skillet.
Sauté the shallots and mushrooms in the skillet for 2-3 minutes until tender and lightly browned. Add the garlic and fresh thyme leaves and cook for one more minute.
Deglaze the pan with the white wine, then stir in the heavy cream and parmesan cheese. Let the sauce simmer for a couple minutes to thicken and slightly reduce.
Once the pasta is done cooking, drain all but ยผ cup of the cooking water from it.
Add the reserved pasta water to the mushroom sauce along with the drained tagliatelle, then toss to combine.
Serve the mushroom tagliatelle topped with extra Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, if desired.
Kitchen Time Saver
While you are waiting for your pasta water to come to a boil, mince the garlic and shallots and slice up the mushrooms. This will make sure they are fresh and ready so the sauce can be made while the pasta boils.
⭐ More tips for making creamy mushroom pasta
- To flavor pasta properly when cooking it, add at least 1 Tablespoon of kosher salt to 4 quarts of boiling water. Always add the salt AFTER the water boils, otherwise, it will take longer to come to a boil.
- When sauteing, it's best to let the butter stop foaming before adding the mushrooms. This means all the milk solids have cooked off, allowing for the best browning to occur.
- Don't forget to scrape the bottom of the pan when you add the wine to deglaze it. These browned bits hold a ton of flavor that adds even more layers of flavor to your sauce.
If you ever don't recognize a tool or skill that is mentioned, be sure to look it up in our Glossary of Cooking Terms and Definitions for more information.
💭 Frequently asked questions
Tagliatelle is a thick, flat ribbon-style noodle with a porous texture. This makes it perfect for absorbing both thick and creamy sauces.
Adding some of the cooking water to any sauce, helps to flavor and thicken it due to the added starch in the water. The starchy water also helps the mushroom sauce stick to the tagliatelle.
Tagliatelle is typically found fresh, made with both egg and semolina flour. It's also a much wider noodle than fettuccine as well. Fettuccine, on the other hand, is a less wide noodle that is more often than not found as a dried pasta made without egg.
As mentioned above, you can use milk or milk alternatives for a creamy sauce. However, milk does not have the thick texture like cream or half-and-half and will produce a much thinner sauce.
🍽️ What to serve with mushroom tagliatelle
Whether this quick 15-minute meal is made out of ease or convenience, here are some of the best items to pair with it to make it an unforgettable meal.
- Appetizers - Roasted Grapes and Olives, Roasted Artichokes, or Fried Goat Cheese Bites are simple appetizers that pair nicely with this earthy pasta.
- Salads - A simple Arugula Salad or Celery Salad would both be light salads that would accompany this pasta nicely.
- Bread - Crusty Italian Bread or Braided Italian Bread with Pesto are my two favorite homemade bread recipes to serve with pasta.
- Desserts - My Lemon Flavored Ricotta Cake, Chocolate Dipped Biscotti or Mini Mascarpone Cheesecakes with Lemon Curd would be the perfect finish to this meal.
- Wine Pairings - For those wanting to enjoy a glass of wine with this meal, leftover wine that was used for the sauce would be great, as well as Pinot Noir or Pinot Gris.
🥡 Storage and reheating suggestions
- Fridge - Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 3-4 days.
- Reheat - Reheat on the stovetop over low heat with a splash of extra cream or also in the microwave.
🍝 More easy pasta dinner recipes
If you loved this 15-minute mushroom tagliatelle, then make sure to check out these other easy pasta dinner recipes that I know you will love too!
- Sundried Tomato Goat Cheese Rigatoni
- Classic Pastina with Egg and Crispy Prosciutto
- Orechiette Pasta with Pancetta and Peas
- Classic Penne Pomodoro Pasta
๐ Recipe
15-Minute Creamy Mushroom Tagliatelle
Ingredients
- 1 medium shallot
- 4 cloves garlic
- 8 ounces cremini mushrooms, (baby bella)
- 8 ounces tagliatelle
- 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus extra for salting the pasta water
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 Tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- ¼ cup dry white wine, chardonnay, sauvignon blanc or pinot grigio
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ ounce parmigiano-reggiano, freshly grated (¼ cup), plus extra for serving (if desired)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat on the stovetop.
- While the water is coming to a boil, finely mince the shallot and garlic and slice the mushrooms thinly. (1 medium shallot, 4 cloves garlic, 8 ounces cremini mushrooms)
- Salt the boiling water, stir in the tagliatelle pasta, and allow it to cook until al dente. (8 ounces tagliatelle)
- While the pasta is cooking, heat the olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat. (2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter)
- When the butter stops foaming, add the shallots and mushrooms and season with the salt and pepper. Saute for 2-3 minutes until they are tender and lightly browned. (1 teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper)
- Add the garlic and thyme leaves and saute for an additional minute. (1 Tablespoon fresh thyme leaves)
- Deglaze the pan by adding the white wine and scraping the bottom of the pan to remove any stuck-on bits. (¼ cup dry white wine)
- Once the wine is mostly absorbed, stir in the heavy cream and parmesan cheese. Simmer for 1-2 minutes until the sauce thickens and slightly reduces. (1 cup heavy cream, ½ ounce parmigiano-reggiano)
- Drain all but ¼ cup of the pasta water from the cooked pasta and add the reserved pasta water to the mushroom sauce.
- Add the drained pasta to the sauce and toss to combine. Serve with extra parmesan cheese, if desired.
Notes
- Mushrooms - Use Cremini (Baby Bella), White, Procini or Chestnut Mushrooms.
- Pasta - Pappardelle or Fettuccine can be used as substitutes.
- Wine - Use vegetable broth as a substitute with a splash of lemon juice.
- Meat - Add grilled chicken, shrimp or steak.
- Plant-Based - Use a plant-based butter and parmesan alternative; cream can be substituted with full-fat canned coconut milk or a dairy-free unsweetened milk for a thinner sauce.
- Gluten-Free - Use gluten-free pasta.
- Leftovers - Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat on the stovetop over low heat with extra cream or in the microwave.
Comments
No Comments