Tagliatelle with creamy roasted mushroom and thyme sauce Recipe
This dish is a nod to Italian mushroom pastas, but in a simpler, home-style version. Mushrooms roasted in the oven with garlic and thyme develop a deep flavour and then turn into a velvety sauce. It’s an ideal lunch for cooler days when you’re craving something creamy and comforting.
This tagliatelle combines Italian simplicity with the deep, roasted flavour of mushrooms – instead of frying, the mushrooms caramelise in the oven together with garlic and thyme. Thanks to this, the sauce has pronounced umami notes, is thick and velvety, but without heavy cream as the main player. It’s exactly the kind of pasta that tastes like it’s from a small trattoria, yet is made from easily available ingredients.
Chef's tips
Spread the mushrooms on the tray in a single layer so they roast and lightly brown at the edges instead of stewing in their own juices – that’s the key to an intense flavour. When blending the sauce, add the liquid gradually until you reach the consistency of thick cream; it’s better for the sauce to be slightly too thick and then thin it with pasta cooking water. Be careful not to overcook the tagliatelle – drain it while it’s still clearly al dente, as it will finish cooking in the sauce in 1–2 minutes.
How to serve
Serve the pasta immediately after tossing with the sauce, sprinkled with fresh thyme and a little grated Parmesan or pecorino. A glass of dry white wine, such as Pinot Grigio, or homemade lemonade with lemon and rosemary pairs beautifully with this creamy mushroom dish. It’s the perfect dinner for a chilly autumn evening after work when you want something “restaurant-style” without leaving home.
Ingredients
- pasta - 320 g
- mushrooms cleaned, larger ones halved - 500 g
- garlic in skins - 3 cloves
- fresh thyme leaves, plus a few sprigs for roasting - 1 tablespoon
- olive oil - 3 tablespoons
- 30% cream you can use 18%, but the sauce will be thinner - 200 ml
- vegetable stock or water - 100 ml
- grated Parmesan for the sauce and serving - 40 g
- butter optional, for deeper flavour - 20 g
- salt to taste
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 200°C. Line a baking tray with baking paper.
- Cut the mushrooms into halves or quarters if they are large. Spread them on the tray in a single layer.
- Add the garlic cloves in their skins and a few sprigs of thyme to the tray. Drizzle everything with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and mix with your hands.
- Roast for 15–20 minutes, until the mushrooms soften, lightly brown and release their juices.
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to the boil, salt it and cook the pasta according to the package instructions until it is slightly firm in the centre.
- Remove the roasted mushrooms from the oven. Discard the garlic skins and squeeze the soft centres into a bowl or tall container. Add most of the mushrooms (reserve a few for garnish), the thyme leaves that have fallen off the sprigs, and the stock.
- Blend everything with a hand blender into a smooth sauce. If it’s very thick, add a little more stock or water.
- Pour the sauce into a pan, add the cream and butter. Heat over medium heat for 3–4 minutes, stirring, until the sauce thickens slightly. Season with salt and plenty of freshly ground black pepper.
- Add the grated Parmesan and stir until it melts and the sauce becomes very creamy.
- Drain the pasta, reserving about 1/2 cup of the cooking water. Transfer the pasta to the pan with the sauce and toss to coat. If the sauce seems too thick, add some of the pasta water.
- Serve immediately, garnishing each portion with a few roasted mushrooms and fresh thyme, and sprinkling with extra Parmesan.
Storage
Store leftover pasta with sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat gently in a pan over low heat, adding a splash of water or cream if the sauce has thickened too much.
