Are you looking to elevate your pasta game with an umami twist? Look no further than creamy mushroom truffle pasta! This decadent dish combines the earthy flavours of mushrooms with the rich, indulgent flavor of truffle oil for a truly tasty dish. Go grab your apron and get ready to impress!
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Al dente pasta tossed in a silky smooth creamy truffle sauce
- Packed with umami flavour
- Loaded with mushrooms
- Super easy to make with simple ingredients
Creamy truffle mushroom pasta is a delicious dish that is perfect for any time of year. The rich, earthy flavour of the white truffle oil combined with the firm and meaty texture of the fresh mushrooms creates a winning combo. To make this tasty recipe you will need the following ingredients
Ingredients
Pasta – I have used dried spaghetti here but you could use tagliatelle or swap it up a bit with your favourite pasta of choice or use fresh pasta to make this dish extra special!
Chestnut Mushrooms – I like to use chestnut mushrooms/crimini mushrooms as they have more flavour than regular white mushrooms and are easy to find in supermarkets. You can of course push the boat out and use different types of mushrooms to make this dish for a special occasion i.e. baby bella mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms or porcini mushrooms
Stock – I use chicken stock but you can equally use vegetable stock if that is what you have to hand. This forms the base of the creamy sauce.
Heavy Whipping Cream – the heavy cream is what gives the sauce its lusciousness and makes it velvety and rich
Garlic cloves– I love to add garlic to my food and this creamy mushroom sauce is no different. Garlic and mushrooms are a perfect match!
Bourbon Whisky – this is my secret ingredient. You can make a delicious sauce without it if you don’t have any, but I like the mellow flavour it gives. Brandy is also another great alternative.
Fresh Thyme and Parsley – I like to add herbs to my food for extra flavour. Thyme goes brilliantly with mushrooms and I like to garnish it with just a touch of parsley
Parmesan cheese & truffle oil – I like to use this to garnish my finished dish and for a little parmesan hit and extra decadence from the truffle oil(use it as a finishing oil). You can find truffle oil online or in specialty stores.
How to Make Creamy Mushroom Truffle Pasta
- Saute the Mushrooms
Sauteing the mushrooms on medium-high heat in a large pan for golden mushrooms. This first step is important to remove the water from the mushrooms and give them colour and intensify the flavour for the pasta sauce. I like to fry
the mushrooms in a couple tablespoons of butter and olive oil to get nice colour on them and extra flavour.
- Boil the pasta
Boil your pasta in well-salted water once you have started to saute the mushrooms – follow your package directions
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Once the mushrooms have enough colour, add some minced garlic and thyme and cook for a couple of minutes
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Next comes the good slug of bourbon and the option to flambe and show off if you are trying to impress.
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The addition of stock and cream, then a gentle reduction is needed over medium heat before the pasta is tossed in the sauce.
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This sauce can be made into a vegan creamy mushroom pasta by substituting the cream for coconut cream or your favourite dairy-free cream alternative.
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Garnish with grated parmesan, cracked black pepper and truffle oil – enjoy with a bottle of great wine!
What Do You Do With A Truffle
Fresh truffles are a delicacy known for their rich, earthy flavor and distinct aroma. They can be used in a variety of ways to elevate the taste of dishes and add a touch of luxury on special occasions. Here are some great ways on what you can do with truffles:
- Shave them over pasta: One of the most popular ways to enjoy truffles is by shaving them thinly over hot pasta. The heat from the pasta helps release the flavors of the truffle, creating a deliciously savory dish.
- Make truffle butter: Mix finely chopped truffles into softened butter to create a luxurious spread that can be used on bread, steaks, or vegetables.
- Infuse olive oil with truffles: Add sliced or shaved truffles to a bottle of high-quality olive oil and let it infuse for a few days. Use this flavorful oil as a finishing drizzle on salads, soups, or grilled meats.
- Grate them over scrambled eggs: Sprinkle grated truffles over scrambled eggs for an indulgent breakfast treat that will impress even the most discerning foodies.
- Create truffle-infused sauces: Add minced or grated truffles to cream-based sauces, such as alfredo or béchamel, for an extra layer of flavor that will take your dishes to the next level.
- Make truffle risotto: Stir chopped truffles into creamy risotto during the last few minutes of cooking for a decadent dish that is sure to impress your dinner guests.
What Does Truffle Pasta Taste Like
Truffle pasta is a luxurious and flavorful dish that combines the earthy richness of truffles with the creamy texture of pasta. Truffles are a type of fungus that grows underground near the roots of certain trees, and they have a distinct aroma and flavor that is often described as being similar to garlic or mushrooms.
When added to pasta, truffles infuse the dish with their unique taste, creating a decadent and indulgent meal. The flavor of truffle pasta is intense and complex, with notes of nuttiness, earthiness, and umami. The sauce used in truffle pasta dishes is usually made with butter, cream, or cheese to enhance the richness of the truffle flavor.
FAQ’s
If you don’t have truffle oil, you can make this recipe without it and it is still delicious. You can also try adding truffle salt, truffle cheese, truffle butter or black truffle paste to get that extra hit of umami. If you have the option, fresh black truffles could be grated over the top to finish.
Creamy Mushroom Truffle Pasta
Ingredients
- 150 g spaghetti pasta
- 300 g chestnut mushrooms
- Cup of pasta water
- 200 ml stock
- 120 ml of double cream (8 tbsp)
- 2 cloves garlic
- 4 tbsp grated parmesan
- Leaves picked from 3-4 thyme sprigs
- Generous splash of Bourbon
- black truffle oil to garnish
Instructions
- Begin by slicing the mushrooms, around a 1/4 inch thick
- Melt a table spoon of butter with a tablespoon of olive oil over medium high heat until it begins to foam and bubble
- Add the mushrooms and cook until golden, tossing regularly. This should take around 7-8 minutes.
- Once the mushrooms have started to cook, add your pasta to a large pot of well salted boiling water and stir
- Once the mushrooms are coloured, add the minced garlic and thyme leaves and saute for a minute to soften
- Add the splash of bourbon. You can either flambe (ignite and cook till flames subside) or just let it bubble away for a minute
- Add the stock and then the cream and begin to reduce until thickened slightly and the sauce coats the back of a spoon
- grate in the parmesan cheese and stir – taste for seasoning
- When the pasta is 1 minute from being ready, remove and add to the sauce in the frying pan and toss to coat the pasta
- Using tongs, place into a pasta bowl or plate, garnish with some chopped parsley and a little grating of parmesan and black pepper, with a drizzle of truffle oil
Notes
- Add plenty of salt to your pasta water, the more the better. This will help to season your pasta.
- Add butter to your olive oil for sauteing the mushrooms. The butter will help to give colour and flavour to the mushrooms
- Be careful when adding salt to the sauce – wait till you have reduced the sauce and it is ready before tasting and adjusting salt if necessary
- Reserve a cup of the pasta cooking water. This will help if you over-reduce the sauce, you can add a splash to maintain the right consistency of your sauce.
- Don’t overcrowd the frying pan when sauteing the mushrooms as they will steam instead of sear and not colour properly. Cook the mushrooms in two batches to ensure they turn golden.