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Mushroom Gruyere Pasta

Mushroom Gruyere pasta with a silky cream sauce and deeply golden mushrooms coating rigatoni. Gruyere melts throughout for a rich, glossy finish, with thyme and parsley for bright herbal notes.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: French-American
Calories: 850
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Pasta
  • 1 lb rigatoni or pappardelle
  • 0.5 cup pasta water
Mushrooms and aromatics
  • 1.5 lb mixed mushrooms (cremini, shiitake, oyster)
  • 4 garlic, minced
  • 1 shallot, minced
  • 1 tbsp fresh thyme
Cream sauce
  • 0.5 cup dry white wine
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 0.5 cup chicken or vegetable broth
  • 1.5 cups Gruyere, shredded
  • 3 tbsp unsalted butter
Finishing
  • 1 tbsp fresh parsley
  • 0.25 salt
  • 0.25 pepper

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Cook pasta
  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook rigatoni or pappardelle until al dente, then reserve 1 cup pasta water.
Brown the mushrooms
  1. Melt unsalted butter in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat.
  2. Add mixed mushrooms and cook over high heat without stirring for 4-5 minutes until deeply golden.
  3. Stir the mushrooms and cook for 3 more minutes.
Build the sauce
  1. Add shallot, garlic, and fresh thyme, then cook for 2 minutes until fragrant.
  2. Deglaze with dry white wine, scraping up browned bits from the pan.
  3. Add heavy cream and chicken or vegetable broth and simmer for 5 minutes.
  4. Stir in Gruyere until melted, then toss in pasta and add pasta water as needed to make the sauce silky and clingy.
Finish and serve
  1. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  2. Top with fresh parsley and serve immediately.

Notes

For the best mushroom color, keep the skillet hot and resist stirring during the first 4-5 minutes so moisture evaporates and browning can happen. Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days; reheat gently with a splash of cream or broth to loosen the sauce. Freezing is not recommended because the cream can separate after thawing. For a lighter option, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream and consider reducing Gruyere slightly so the sauce stays creamy without becoming overly heavy.