Ham and mushroom tagliatelle is a quick and easy meal that features a silky smooth creme fraiche, garlic and wholegrain mustard sauce.
Preparation for this recipe takes a leisurely 10 minutes and cooking is a relatively rapid 15 minutes making this a perfect midweek dinner.
Quick Creamy Ham and Mushroom Pasta
Quick pasta recipes do so much heavy lifting in kitchens and our kitchen is no different.
I have everything from sausage and pepper pasta to fresh salmon pasta and creamy spinach and mushroom pasta and of course, my take on classics like pasta carbonara.
My latest addition is a delicious ham and mushroom tagliatelle that comes in a wonderfully creamy creme fraiche and mustard sauce.
Creme fraiche is a wonderful French product that is essentially a cultured double cream. It has a flavour not dissimilar to creme fraiche but with a much smoother and creamier texture.
I don’t only use it in pasta recipes like this one or my canned salmon pasta, but also in dishes as diverse as Normandy pork chops and chicken and leek pie.
The creamy sauce is rounded out with mild and fragrant grainy mustard which perfectly complements both ham and mushrooms.
It is wonderfully easy to cook and will go from your fridge to your table in under 30 minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use something other than creme fraiche?
This is a question frequently asked by my US-based readers.
You could use either sour cream or heavy cream with a squeeze of lemon juice at the end of the cooking process.
Sour cream has a lower fat content at around 20% fat so it does have a higher risk of curdling than creme fraiche.
Can I use bacon instead of ham?
Yes, although bacon will need cooking.
You could either fry chunks or strips of bacon in the ban beforehand or grill or fry them separately and add crispy bacon at the end of the cooking process.
What sort of ham do you use?
I tend to use some thick-cut honey-glazed ham from a deli counter if I can find one!
Having said that most major supermarkets sell chunks of ham in various guises that work equally well.
Can I use a different type of mustard?
Yes, although I personally think that the relatively mild flavour of wholegrain mustard is best in this recipe.
Can I use low-fat creme fraiche?
If you must! However, that comes with a pretty standard disclaimer, one of the defining features of creme fraiche is its high-fat content.
It not only means that it tastes wonderful and has a fabulous mouthfeel, but it is also pretty bomb-proof to splitting when you cook with it. If you use low-fat creme fraiche, it may split!
Serving Suggestions
Pasta dishes rarely need much as a side as far as I am concerned and this ham and mushroom tagliatelle is no different.
If I serve it with anything on the side it is usually some form of bread, mainly to mop up and sauce from the plate.
I would usually opt for garlic bread or a cheesy garlic bread.
If you wanted to serve this with a different type of paste then you should fill your boots.
To my mind, it works particularly well with broader long pasta because it has plenty of surface area for the creamy sauce to cling to. Everything from pappardelle to fettuccini would work well.
If you wanted a shorter pasta I would choose something like farfalle or fusilli.
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.
- Stovetop.
- 20cm or 8″ saucepan.
- 30cm or 12″ frying pan.
- Kitchen knife.
- Chopping board.
- Weighing scales and or measuring jug, cups and spoons.
- Stirring and serving spoons.
- Kitchen tongs.
- Colander.
Creamy Ham and Mushroom Tagliatelle Recipe
This wonderful creamy ham and mushroom tagliatelle recipe rocks a wonderful creme fraiche and wholegrain mustard sauce and will go from your fridge to your table in well under 30 minutes!
Ingredients
- 100g (4oz) Thick Cut ham
- 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
- 2 Garlic Cloves
- 1 (35g) Shallot
- 125g (1 Cup) Small Button Mushrooms
- 75ml (⅓ Cup) Vegetable Stock
- 2 Tbsp Wholegrain Mustard
- 75g (¼ Cup + 1 Tbsp) Creme Fraiche
- 175g (6oz) Dried Tagliatelle
- Salt for Boiling Pasta plus a pinch to season the mushrooms
- 20g (½ Cup) Parsley
Instructions
- Place a 20cm or 8" pan of well-salted water on the stove to boil. I use 1½ teaspoons of water for a pan this size.
- Cut the ham into strips 2-3mm (⅛") thick.
- Peel the shallot and dice them as finely as you can.
- Peel the garlic cloves and mash them to a paste.
- Clean and cut the mushrooms into 2-3mm (⅛") thick slices.
- Chop the parsley as finely as you can.
- Heat a 30cm or 12" frying pan (not nonstick if possible) over a medium high heat and when it is hot add the olive oil.
- Throw in the shallots and cook for 60-90 seconds or until they become translucent.
- Now is a good time to add the tagliatelle to the water to cook. This is if you are using dried pasta that takes 9-10 minutes, if you are using fresh pasta leave it until later.
- Add the mushrooms and a pinch of salt, then cook for 4-5 minutes stirring regularly.
- Add the garlic paste and cook for another minute or so, again stirring regularly.
- Pour in the vegetable stock, mustard and creme fraiche, then return the heat to low and cook until the pasta is ready, which will take another minute or 2 if your timing is right.
- Drain the pasta reserving around 75ml (⅓ Cup) of the cooking water.
- Add the drained pasta to the mushroom sauce and the strips of ham and stir adding as much pasta water as is needed to form a nice silky coating.
- Stir through the parsley leaving a little for garnish and serve.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
2Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 665Total Fat: 35gSaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 19gCholesterol: 80mgSodium: 834mgCarbohydrates: 65gFiber: 6gSugar: 6gProtein: 25g
Calorific details are provided by a third-party application and are to be used as indicative figures only.