Browned Butter Mushroom & Thyme Cream Pasta
Faith Kennedy
4 -6
15 minutes
30 minutes
Italian
Dinner, Entree, Main Meal
A rich, silky pasta with browned butter, sautéed mushrooms, fresh thyme, garlic, and just enough lemon to brighten the sauce. The creamy béchamel-style sauce comes together entirely in the skillet, then the pasta is finished right in the pan so every strand of pappardelle is coated.
Ingredients
- 12 - 16 oz pappardelle
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 8 oz mushrooms, sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1–2 teaspoons fresh thyme, plus more for finishing
- ½ teaspoon lemon zest, plus more for finishing
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
- ½–1 cup chicken broth
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup milk
- 1–2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- Pasta water, as needed
Directions
- Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Let it cook until it begins to foam and turns lightly golden and fragrant.
- As the butter begins to brown, add the sliced mushrooms, minced garlic, fresh thyme, and a little lemon zest. Cook until the mushrooms are tender and lightly browned, stirring occasionally.
- Sprinkle the flour over the mushrooms and stir thoroughly to coat everything. Continue cooking for a few minutes, stirring frequently, until the flour takes on a slightly deeper golden color and the roux is well cooked.
- Season with salt, freshly ground black pepper, and a small pinch of nutmeg.
- Slowly add the chicken broth a little at a time, stirring constantly as you go. This allows the roux to absorb the liquid and creates a smooth sauce. Continue adding broth until the mixture loosens and becomes creamy.
- Stir in the heavy cream and milk. Continue cooking gently until the sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon.
- Add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and a little more thyme. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper as needed. Remove the skillet from the heat while you cook the pasta.
- Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add the pappardelle and cook until just al dente, following the package directions.
- Before draining, reserve about ½ cup of the pasta water. Drain the pasta.
- Add the drained pappardelle directly to the skillet with the mushroom cream sauce. Add about ¼ cup of the reserved pasta water and toss thoroughly, making sure the sauce coats every strand of pasta.
- If the sauce is too thick, add a little more pasta water, a splash at a time, until it reaches a silky consistency and coats the pasta evenly.
- Finish with fresh thyme and a little more lemon zest. Toss once more and serve immediately while the sauce is silky and warm.
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