Best Creamy Mushroom Sauce for Pasta
User Reviews
4.9
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Prep Time
10 mins
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Cook Time
20 mins
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Total Time
30 mins
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Servings
4 servings
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Calories
728 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
Italian
Best Creamy Mushroom Sauce for Pasta
Description
The creamy mushroom sauce begins with cooking bacon until crisp and reserving its drippings for flavor. Garlic and thinly sliced mushrooms are sautéed in the bacon fat until tender and aromatic. Flour is sprinkled over the mixture to form a roux, which is then gradually combined with chicken broth, heavy cream, and milk to build a thick, creamy base. The sauce simmers until it reaches a smooth consistency, seasoned with salt and pepper.
Cooked pasta is then tossed with the sauce, coating each piece evenly. The recipe suggests finishing with grated Parmesan cheese and chopped fresh parsley for enhanced taste and color contrast. The sauce's richness comes from the heavy cream and bacon fat, balanced by the umami of sautéed mushrooms.
This sauce is versatile and pairs well with various types of Italian pasta shapes. The recipe also notes an alternative method to avoid bacon splatter by baking bacon ahead and using butter to sauté the mushrooms and garlic.
Ingredients
- 12 ounces pasta I used rigatoni noodles, noodles
- 8 ounces mushrooms thinly sliced
- 6 Bacon roughly chopped, strips
- 1 tablespoon butter (optional, see note)
- 1 tablespoon garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup milk or heavy cream
- 1-2 teaspoons salt to taste
- ½ teaspoon black pepper or 1/8 teaspoon finely ground black pepper, coarsely cracked
- Parmesan Cheese optional topping, grated
- parsley optional garnish, chopped, fresh
Instructions
- Cook noodles according to package directions. Drain, toss with a drizzle of olive oil, and set aside.
- In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium high heat until just crisp (don't overcook it). Use tongs to transfer bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to cool slightly before roughly chopping. *Keep bacon drippings in the pan* (See note for alternate method)
- Over medium-high heat, add garlic and mushrooms to the pan and sauté for 2-3 minutes until garlic is fragrant and mushrooms are tender. Stir in bacon pieces.
- Sprinkle flour over the garlic, mushrooms, and bacon and stir for 1 minute.
- Gradually whisk in chicken broth, then heavy cream, and milk. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a high simmer.
- Simmer for 5-10 minutes until sauce becomes thickened and creamy.
- Season with salt and pepper. Stir in pasta noodles.
- Taste, add salt and pepper if needed. Garnish with parmesan and parsley if desired and serve. Enjoy!
Notes
- For less mess, bake bacon in the oven instead of frying, then sauté mushrooms and garlic in butter.
- Alternatively, remove most bacon grease with a paper towel and add butter before cooking mushrooms.
- This sauce works well with many types of pasta such as fettuccine, bowtie, ziti, or penne.
- Using freshly grated Parmesan cheese enhances flavor and melts better than pre-grated cheeses.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 4servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 728 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 728kcal | 36% |
| Carbohydrates | 74g | 25% |
| Protein | 21g | 42% |
| Fat | 39g | 60% |
| Saturated Fat | 20g | 100% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 4g | 24% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 13g | 65% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 109mg | 36% |
| Sodium | 1072mg | 45% |
| Potassium | 620mg | 13% |
| Fiber | 3g | 12% |
| Sugar | 7g | 14% |
| Vitamin A | 987IU | 20% |
| Vitamin C | 6mg | 7% |
| Calcium | 137mg | 14% |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.9
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