Creamy Brown Butter Mushroom Pasta (Print)
Fettuccine with caramelized mushrooms in a velvety brown butter cream sauce, topped with parmesan and fresh herbs.
# What You Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 12 oz fettuccine or linguine
→ Mushrooms
02 - 14 oz cremini or button mushrooms, sliced
03 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
04 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
→ Sauce
05 - 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
06 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons heavy cream
08 - 2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
09 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
10 - Pinch of nutmeg (optional)
→ Finishing Touches
11 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or chives
12 - Additional grated Parmesan, for serving
# How To Make It:
01 - Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a rolling boil. Add the fettuccine or linguine and cook according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of the starchy pasta water before draining.
02 - While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil and 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sliced mushrooms in an even layer and sauté for 7 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until deeply golden and all released moisture has evaporated. Transfer the mushrooms to a plate and set aside.
03 - Reduce the heat to medium. Add the remaining 5 tablespoons of butter to the same skillet. Cook, swirling the pan occasionally, for 3 to 4 minutes until the butter foams, turns a warm golden brown color, and releases a nutty aroma.
04 - Add the minced garlic to the browned butter and sauté for about 1 minute, stirring constantly, until fragrant and lightly softened.
05 - Pour in the heavy cream and whisk to combine, scraping up any caramelized browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Let the sauce simmer gently for 2 to 3 minutes until it slightly thickens and coats the back of a spoon.
06 - Stir in the grated Parmesan cheese until melted and smooth. Season with salt, black pepper, and a pinch of nutmeg if using. Return the sautéed mushrooms to the pan and toss to coat in the sauce.
07 - Add the drained pasta to the skillet and toss gently to coat every strand in the velvety sauce. If the sauce feels too thick, loosen it by adding the reserved pasta water a splash at a time until the desired consistency is reached.
08 - Taste and adjust the seasoning with additional salt or pepper as needed. Remove from heat, sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley or chives, and serve immediately with extra grated Parmesan on the side.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- Brown butter transforms simple ingredients into something that tastes like you spent three hours when you really spent forty minutes.
- The mushrooms get so golden and deeply caramelized you will actually forget they are mushrooms.
- It is the kind of meal that makes silence fall over a dinner table in the best way possible.
02 -
- Do not rush the mushroom browning step because overcrowding the pan or stirring too often will make them steam instead of sear and you will lose that deep caramelized flavor entirely.
- Brown butter can cross from perfect to burnt in a matter of seconds so stay at the stove and use your nose as much as your eyes.
03 -
- Grate your parmesan from a wedge right before using it because pre grated cheese contains anti caking agents that prevent it from melting smoothly into the sauce.
- Save slightly more pasta water than you think you need because you can always add more but you cannot take it away once the sauce becomes too loose.