Creamy Portobello and Porcini Pasta
This creamy portobello and porcini pasta combines meaty portobello mushrooms, earthy dried porcini, and heavy cream for a silky, umami-packed sauce that tastes restaurant-worthy but comes together quickly. Grated zucchini melts into the sauce for more (natural) creaminess and body. A wickedly good weeknight winner.
Ingredients
- ½ cup dried porcini mushrooms soaked in hot water then chopped finely (Note 1)
- 8 ounces medium pasta shells
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil divided (2 tablespoons + 1 tablespoon)
- 2 portobello mushrooms stems removed and chopped into small pieces
- 1 shallot peeled and minced
- 2 garlic cloves peeled and minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons porcini liquid (see recipe)
- 1 small zucchini skin-on, grated
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Ground black pepper
- ½ to 1 cup heavy cream
- Grated Pecorino Romano cheese
- Handful Italian flat-leaf parsley minced
Instructions
- Soak the porcini mushrooms for 15 minutes in a small bowl filled with ½ cup hot or boiling water. Drain the mushrooms through a sieve placed over another bowl to catch the liquid; set aside. Blot the porcini with a paper towel to absorb excess liquid. Once cool enough to handle, finely chop them.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta shells, and cook according to the directions or until al dente. Drain and reserve about 1 cup of pasta water.
- Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large pan on medium-low to medium heat. Add the portobello and porcini and cook until golden, stirring often, about 10 minutes. Halfway through, add the shallots and cook with the mushrooms. Add the garlic near the end and cook for about 1 minute, stirring frequently.
- Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 30 seconds, stirring continuously. Add the 2 tablespoons of the porcini liquid set aside earlier and simmer for 1 minute.
- Add the last 1 tablespoon olive oil, zucchini, salt, and pepper, and stir everything together, letting the zucchini cook for about 1 minute. Stir in the heavy cream, heating it through over low, about 1 minute.
- Add the cooked pasta shells to the mushroom mixture, stirring everything together and adding some of the pasta water to loosen the sauce and help make it creamy. Add some more heavy cream if you wish.
- Serve in bowls and top each with grated Pecorino and fresh, minced parsley if you want. Enjoy!
Notes
Note 1: Ensure you chop the porcini finely, as it will permeate the sauce more easily.
General Notes:
- Don't forget to reserve some pasta water(!); it's important for this dish.
- Serve this right after it's assembled; that's when it will be at its most creamy and luscious.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 547kcal | Carbohydrates: 53g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 0.003g | Cholesterol: 67mg | Sodium: 673mg | Potassium: 626mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 1095IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 69mg | Iron: 2mg
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