Ingredients
Scale
- 8 ounces oyster mushrooms, cleaned and roughly chopped (substitute with cremini mushrooms if unavailable)
- 8 ounces pasta of your choice (I prefer fettuccine or linguine for this recipe)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 small shallot, finely chopped (or 1/4 cup yellow onion)
- 1/2 cup vegetable broth (or chicken broth if you prefer)
- 1 cup heavy cream (for a lighter version, substitute with half-and-half or coconut cream)
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (optional but highly recommended)
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining and set aside.
- While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and chopped shallot, sautéing until fragrant and translucent, about 2-3 minutes. This step always reminds me of standing next to my dad in the kitchen, waiting for those magical smells to fill the room.
- Add the oyster mushrooms to the skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, until they release their moisture and begin to brown, about 6-8 minutes. Don’t rush this part; letting the mushrooms caramelize adds so much flavor.
- Pour in the vegetable broth and let it simmer for 2 minutes, scraping up any browned bits from the pan. This little step is like the secret sauce of home cooking—simple but essential.
- Reduce the heat to low and stir in the heavy cream and thyme leaves. Let the sauce simmer gently for 3-4 minutes until it thickens slightly. If the sauce seems too thick, add a splash of the reserved pasta water to loosen it up.
- Stir in the grated Parmesan cheese until melted and creamy. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. I always taste here—sometimes it needs a little more salt, especially if your broth was low sodium.
- Add the cooked pasta to the skillet and toss everything together to coat the noodles evenly with the sauce. If the sauce feels too thick, add a little more pasta water until you get that perfect silky consistency.
- Remove from heat and sprinkle with fresh parsley before serving. This last touch always makes me feel like I’ve done something a little fancy, even on a hectic weeknight.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Cooking
- Cuisine: International
Keywords: Creamy Oyster Mushroom Pasta, recipe, cooking, food
