Creamy Garlic Mushroom Pasta
Creamy garlic mushroom pasta is a recipe that combines duxelles with oyster and dried mushrooms to create a delicious "shroomy" meal.
This dish takes around 40 minutes to make, which is a little longer than many pasta recipes, but it is very easy, and it tastes fantastic.
Creamy Mushroom Pasta
Pasta sauces with mushrooms are no stranger to my site. I've got offerings that range from a glorious vegan mushroom ragu to spinach and mushroom pasta and even a chicken liver and mushroom pasta to name a few.
This time out I have a wonderful creamy, garlic and mushroom pasta... and this one really goes to town with mushrooms.
The sauce begins with a light mushroom duxelles, which then gets a sprinkling of almost sweet and earthy oyster mushrooms, and then the shroomy flavour gets turned up to 11 thanks to some dried porcini mushrooms.
And no, I'm not done! Mushroom ketchup, a wonderfully spiced, tart, earthy condiment, adds the final flourish before everything gets a little splash of cream to bring everything together.
It takes a little longer to cook than some of my pasta recipes. That is because you are waiting for the duxelles to cook and get rid of the moisture from the onions.
But it is all very easy, and it will go from your cupboard to your table in around 40 minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to use different types of mushrooms?
No, you can just use more chestnut mushrooms, although I would not skip the dried mushrooms.
What is mushroom ketchup?
Mushroom ketchup is an old British condiment similar to Worcestershire sauce and Hendersons relish. It has a broadly similar, spiced, sharp and tangy flavour profile, although all three are very different to each other.
You can substitute them in and out if you wish, although both mushroom ketchup and Hendersons relish are both vegetarian and vegan-friendly.
What can I use leftover mushroom ketchup in?
It will work perfectly well anywhere that you use Worcestershire sauce.
I call for it specifically in many recipes that include my mushroom hotpot, devilled mushrooms on toast and spinach and mushroom pasta, to name a few.
Can I use a different type of pasta?
Yes, this dish works wonderfully with everything from tagliatelle to rigatoni and pappardelle to spaghetti!
Can I make this in advance?
You can make the sauce in advance, and it will be fine in the fridge for a couple of days. But I would cook the pasta fresh, and you will need extra liquid when reheating the sauce.
Serving Suggestions
I tend to keep my side dishes for pasta very simple, and this creamy garlic mushroom pasta number is no different.
I have paired it with some garlic ciabatta in the pictures on this page. But you could just as easily go with some garlic baguette or cheesy garlic bread.
I'm also very fond of this soft potato focaccia; I often make it in batches and reheat it from frozen in an air fryer.
Equipment Used
I only name-check brands of equipment if I think that they make a material difference to a recipe. But if you have any questions, feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.
- Hob/stovetop.
- 28cm or 11" frying pan.
- 20cm or 10" saucepan.
- A small mixing bowl.
- Sieve/colander.
- Food processor.
- Kitchen knife.
- Chopping board.
- A combination of weighing scales, a measuring jug, measuring cups and spoons
Garlic Mushroom Pasta
Ingredients
- 350 g Chestnut Mushrooms 3½ Cups
- 150 g Oyster Mushrooms 2 Cups
- 75 ml Boiling Water ⅓ Cup
- 10 g Dried Porcini Mushrooms
- 6 Garlic Cloves
- 35 g Butter 2 Tbsp
- 1 Sprig Fresh Thyme
- ¼ teaspoon Salt (plus extra to boil the pasta)
- ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
- 2 tablespoon Mushroom Ketchup
- 75 ml Double Cream ⅓ Cup
- 200 g Dried Pasta 7oz
- 1 Handful Fresh Parsley
Instructions
- Add the chestnut mushrooms to a food processor and pulse them to form a coarse crumb.
- Bash two of the garlic cloves with the side of a knife and peel of the papery skin.
- Heat a 28cm or 11" frying pan over a medium-high heat, add the butter and the peeled garlic cloves.
- When the butter begins to foam and has all melted, add the pulsed mushrooms and cook for 15-20 minutes. Stir this mix every 3-4 minutes.
- Place the dried mushrooms into a small bowl and pour over 75ml (⅓ cup) of boiling water, and allow them to steep for 10 minutes.
- Cut the oyster mushrooms into thin (2-3mm or ⅛") strips.
- Peel the remaining garlic cloves and mash them to a paste.
- After 10 minutes, finely dice the soaked porcini mushrooms, making sure you keep the soaking water.
- Strip the leaves from the sprig of thyme.
- Finely chop the parsley.
- When the mushrooms have had their cooking time, cook the pasta in well-salted boiling water in a 20cm or 8" saucepan.
- Remove the whole garlic cloves for the mushroom mix and discard them.
- Add the soaked dried mushrooms to the mushroom crumb along with the mashed garlic, oyster mushrooms and salt and pepper, then cook for 5 minutes.
- After 5 minutes, add most of the chopped parsley (reserve a little for garnish), the thyme leaves, the mushroom soaking liquid, and the mushroom ketchup and cook until the pasta is ready.
- Drain the pasta, reserving around 75ml (⅓ cup) of the cooking water.
- Add the cream to the mushrooms and stir, then add the pasta, mix to incorporate, adding as much of the pasta cooking water as required to get a silky sauce.
- Serve with the remaining parsley.
