Brown Butter Mushroom Pasta
Updated June 01, 2020
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Pin ItThis Brown Butter Mushroom Pasta takes less than 30 minutes to make. And the best part? It tastes like a pasta dish you would order at a fancy Italian restaurant. This pasta recipe tastes SO gourmet but can easily be made at home with only a few ingredients. It is one of my all-time favorite pasta recipes and I think you will love it too.
So what’s the secret? The brown butter! It really does make everything better, even pasta! The brown butter sauce is what dreams are made of. This is a great quick and easy weeknight meal or perfect for entertaining because your guests will ooh and aah over every bite.
Ingredients
This is a pantry friendly pasta! You only need a few ingredients so make sure you use high quality ingredients. For example, use GOOD freshly grated Parmesan cheese and not the stuff in the shaker jar:)
- Your favorite pasta (I like Rigatoni for this recipe!)
- Butter
- Cremini or baby bella mushrooms
- Garlic
- Thyme
- Salt and pepper
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- For serving: chopped fresh parsley, crushed red pepper flakes, extra Parmesan cheese…all optional, but really yummy!
How to Brown Butter
Browned butter has got to be one of the best smells in the whole world. It’s a comforting, nutty aroma that just makes your kitchen smell nostalgic! It’s one extra step that only takes a couple minutes and gives this pasta the BEST flavor!
- Get medium-high heat going under a large skillet.
- Melt the butter, giving it an occasional swirl, until the top gets a little foamy and brown bits form at the bottom. You’ll notice a nutty aroma! This means your butte has browned and is ready to go for this recipe.
How to Make Brown Butter Mushroom Pasta
- Get your pasta going! I always start with very salty water at a rolling boil before adding pasta in. Cook until al dente, according to package instructions. Reserve ½ cup of the pasta water, don’t forget this step, and drain the pasta.
- Brown the butter in a large skillet. Once the butter is browned, add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes. You’ll want the mushrooms to be tender and browned before you add in the thyme and garlic and cook it all for an additional 2 minutes. Add a little salt and pepper, to taste.
- Remember that reserved pasta water? Add that into the skillet here along with the cooked pasta! Cut the heat to low and stir in half of the Parmesan cheese, stirring gently until it’s nice and melted.
- Add the rest of the cheese and continue that gentle stirring until the cheese is all melted. You can use tongs to toss the pasta. You need to make sure you stir so the cheese doesn’t clump up.
- Plate the pasta and garnish with parsley, crushed red pepper, and Parmesan if you’d like. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Serving Suggestions
I could eat a big bowl of this pasta and be completely content, but if you want to serve something on the side, these side dishes go great with the brown butter pasta.
- Garlic Bread
- Easy Green Salad
- Roasted Broccoli
- Simple Skillet Green Beans
- Roasted Cauliflower
- Roasted Asparagus with Balsamic Vinegar
- Sautéed Brussels Sprouts with Lemon and Parmesan
More Easy Pasta Recipes
We love a pasta night around here! Tried and true favorites:
- Brown Butter Brussels Sprouts Pasta with Hazelnuts
- Pasta Primavera
- 5-Ingredient Spinach Parmesan Pasta
- Pasta Pomodoro
- Baked Ziti
- Rigatoni with Sausage
Brown Butter Mushroom Pasta
Ingredients
- 12 oz Rigatoni pasta (or your favorite pasta)
- 8 tablespoons salted butter, cut into tablespoon pieces
- 12 oz cremini or baby bella mushrooms, sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1/8 teaspoon dried thyme
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- For serving: chopped fresh parsley, crushed red pepper flakes, extra Parmesan cheese, optional
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and season generously with salt. Once boiling, add the pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Reserve ½ cup of the pasta water and drain.
- In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Cook, swirling occasionally, until the butter starts to foam and smells slightly nutty, this should take about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are tender and browned, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and thyme, cook for 2 more minutes. Season with salt and black pepper, to taste.
- Add the pasta to the skillet and stir in the reserved pasta water. Reduce heat to low and add half of the Parmesan cheese, stirring gently until melted. Add the remaining cheese and stir until melted. You can also use tongs to toss the pasta and cheese, so it doesn’t clump. Taste and season with salt and pepper, if necessary.
- Transfer the pasta to plates or bowls and garnish with parsley, crushed red pepper flakes, and extra Parmesan cheese, if desired.
Nutrition
Photos by Dishing Out Health
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