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This creamy mushroom pappardelle pasta combines seared mushrooms, sweet green peas, and wide pappardelle noodles in a light parmesan cream sauce. It comes together in under 30 minutes, which makes it easy enough for a weeknight but special enough for date night.
The key is searing the mushrooms over high heat so they turn golden and meaty instead of steamed and soft. Pan fried shimeji mushrooms get a crispy edge and a chewy bite that plays against the tender noodles, but this recipe works with any mushroom you like. Cremini, oyster, shiitake, or a wild mushroom mix all deliver great flavor.
I first developed this dish using my homemade pappardelle, since I had extra fresh pasta dough on hand. Fresh pasta soaks up the cream sauce beautifully, but good dried pappardelle works just as well when you want dinner on the table fast.
Try this easy Fresh Pasta Recipe I used for this recipe!
Jamie’s Tip
Ingredient Notes
Mushrooms: I use shimeji for their firm texture and chewy bite, but any mushroom works here. Cremini and oyster mushrooms are easy to find and sear well. Shiitake brings a deeper, earthier flavor. A mix of wild mushrooms makes it feel restaurant worthy. Skip plain white button mushrooms if you can, since they release the most water and have the mildest flavor.
Pappardelle: The wide, flat ribbons hold the cream sauce better than thinner noodles. Use fresh or dried. My homemade fresh pasta recipe works perfectly if you want to make your own.
Heavy cream: Cream keeps the sauce silky without being heavy. Bring it to room temperature and add it slowly over low heat so it does not curdle. Do not swap in milk or half and half, which are too thin and split more easily.
Parmesan: Freshly shredded parmesan melts smoothly into the sauce. Pre grated cheese has anti caking agents that keep it from melting cleanly.
Peas: Fresh or frozen both work. Add them at the end so they stay bright green and sweet.
Substitutions and Variations
Make it vegetarian – Swap the chicken stock for vegetable stock. The rest of the dish is already meatless.
Add protein – Seared chicken, crispy pancetta, or Italian sausage all pair well with the mushroom cream sauce.
Different pasta – No pappardelle? Tagliatelle, fettuccine, or any wide egg noodle works. Sturdier short shapes like rigatoni hold the sauce too.
More depth – A splash of dry white wine or a spoonful of sherry after the mushrooms adds a savory backbone. A pinch of fresh thyme or rosemary leans the dish rustic and Tuscan.
Finish bright – A little lemon zest or a squeeze of lemon juice at the end lifts the richness of the cream.
Tips for Mushroom Pappardelle Pasta Recipe:
To get your mushrooms perfectly seared, start with a hot pan. Heat your pan over high heat and add a generous amount of oil. Don’t add too many mushrooms at once since you want them to lay as a single layer. If your mushrooms overlap each other, they’ll start steaming and release a lot of liquid instead of searing and getting that perfect golden exterior.
To prevent your cream from curdling, lower your heat and add the cream a little at a time. It also helps to bring your cream to room temperature. When adding your noodles, I take them out when they’re just slightly undercooked and I finish cooking them with the sauce. If it starts to get dry, add in 1/4 cup of pasta water at a time until it reaches the right consistency.
Add your fresh or frozen peas towards the end so they keep their bright green color. Lastly, add your crispy seared mushrooms right before serving so they keep their texture. Enjoy!
Storage and Reheating
Store – Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The pasta will absorb the sauce as it sits.
Reheat – Warm gently in a skillet over medium low heat with a splash of cream, milk, or reserved pasta water to loosen the sauce back up. Avoid high heat, which can cause the cream to separate.
Make ahead – This dish is best fresh, since the noodles soften over time. If you want to prep ahead, sear the mushrooms and make the sauce base a few hours in advance, then cook the pasta and combine right before serving.
Freezing – Cream sauces do not freeze well and tend to separate when thawed, so I do not recommend freezing this dish.
Frequently Asked Questions
Firm, flavorful mushrooms sear best. Shimeji, cremini, oyster, and shiitake all work well, as does a wild mushroom mix. Avoid plain white button mushrooms, which release a lot of water and have the mildest flavor.
Yes. For a lighter sauce, skip the cream and build the sauce with extra stock and pasta water, finishing with parmesan and a little butter for body. It will be less rich but still flavorful.
Bring the cream to room temperature, lower the heat before adding it, and pour it in slowly. High heat and cold cream are the main causes of a broken sauce.
Absolutely. Good quality dried pappardelle works great. Cook it one minute short of al dente, then finish it in the sauce so it absorbs the flavor.
The pan is too crowded or not hot enough. Sear the mushrooms in a single layer over high heat and cook in batches if needed so they brown instead of steam.
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Mushroom Pappardelle Pasta
Ingredients
- 6 oz fresh or dried pappardelle noodles
- 150 g shimeji mushrooms (or cremini, oyster, or a wild mushroom mix)
- 4 Tablespoons olive oil, divided
- ¼ cup onions, finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
- ½ cup chicken stock (or vegetable stock)
- ¼ cup heavy cream, at room temperature
- 1 cup reserved pasta water
- ¾ cup shredded parmesan cheese, freshly grated
- ⅓ cup green peas, fresh or frozen
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta.
- Heat a large pan over high heat and add 3 tablespoons of oil. Once the pan is hot, add the mushrooms in a single layer and leave them to brown undisturbed for 2 to 3 minutes. Flip and brown the other side for another 2 minutes, until golden and crisp at the edges. Season with a pinch of salt, then set aside.
- Lower the heat to medium and add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to the same pan. Saute the onions and garlic until softened and fragrant, about 2 minutes. Once the garlic starts to turn golden, add the chicken stock and cream. Season with salt and pepper and let it simmer gently.
- Cook the pappardelle in the boiling water until just before al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water, then drain.
- Add the drained pasta to the sauce and toss over medium heat so the noodles finish cooking in the sauce. Add the peas. Splash in reserved pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce to a silky consistency.
- Top with the seared mushrooms and serve with freshly shredded parmesan.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this? Leave a comment below!
I like to call this the dish that converts even a non-mushroom lover! My hubby has never been a fan of mushrooms, but even he loves this dish (I think it is your delicious homemade pasta that wins him over every time!) Thanks for such a tasty recipe!
Thanks Brittany! You can’t go wrong with homemade pappardelle and mushrooms right? 🙂
This pasta dish is so good – I used your fresh pasta recipe and just some button mushrooms as they were what I had on hand. Lovely flavours and simple to prepare!
Thanks Austin! The great thing about this recipe is that it’s very versatile. So glad you enjoyed it with what you had on hand!
This sauce is so tasty and easy to bring together – I added dash of cognac, as it is my Dad’s favourite, but it would be just as good without! Definitely recommend making the fresh pasta recipe on this website too – it is foolproof, and works so well with this yummy sauce.
Thank you so much Farrah! I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe with the fresh pasta! 🙂
Nothing beats a fresh pasta dish! The mushrooms and peas are such a great flavor combo!