Meatless Monday: Tagliatelle in decadent porcini mushroom cream sauce

My heart pitter-patters over a pasta dish like this. Porcini mushrooms are an Italian delight, and what better way to serve these ‘shrooms than with a wide, flat pasta, like tagliatelle, in a rich cream sauce sprinkled with Parmesan, pepper and parsley.

This Meatless Monday dish is so rich and delicious — it’s one of my favorites. Tagliatelle is similar to fettuccine. In fact, if you can’t find tagliatelle, go ahead and use fettuccine. These wide-style pastas are perfect for the sauce in this dish. And you’ll want to enjoy every bite.

I used dried porcini mushrooms to make this sauce irresistible. They’re rich and hearty, with an amazing flavor. I supplemented them with some fresh cremini mushrooms since they can run a little on the pricey side for a small amount. You’ll find a little goes a long way, so they’re perfect for this creamy, dreamy sauce.

Tagliatelle in cream sauce with porcini mushrooms

Serves 4

Prep time: 20 minutes | Cook time: 20 minutes | Total time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

• 6 ounces uncooked tagliatelle pasta (or fettuccine)
• 1/2 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 shallot, diced
• 1/4 cup diced fresh cremini mushrooms
• 1-1/4 cups heavy cream
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper, plus extra for topping
• 5 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for topping
• Fresh parsley leaves, for garnish

Directions:

1. To a saucepan, add the dried porcini mushrooms with 1 cup of water. Simmer for about 15 minutes. Reserve the liquid, straining it through with a fine mesh sieve. Set aside the mushrooms and the liquid.
2. After the mushrooms have simmered, cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain, and set aside.
3. When the pasta has about 5 minutes of cooking time left, begin the sauce by adding the butter to a large skillet over medium heat.
4. When the butter is hot, add the shallot, and cook for 3 minutes. Add the procini and the cremini mushrooms to the skillet. Cook for a minute or so, then add the reserved liquid from the mushrooms.
5. Add the salt and pepper to the skillet. Cook for a minute or so, then add the heavy cream. Cook, stirring on medium heat. Add the Parmesan cheese, and stir. After a few minutes the mixture should thicken a bit. Add the drained pasta to the skillet, and toss to combine. Cook for a minute or so, until the pasta is heated through.
6. Serve garnished with fresh torn parsley leaves, ground black pepper and a bit of grated Parmesan cheese.

More Meatless Monday recipes

Sichuan vegetable and tempeh stir-fry with brown rice
Grilled sweet potato and asparagus brown rice bowl with spicy cashew cream
Lightened-up vegetable korma