Fall has officially arrived, and with it comes an abundance of wild mushrooms. Whether at the farmers’ market or your local grocery store, there’s usually a good selection this time of year. One of the best ways to let those mushrooms shine is in a wild mushroom cream sauce with sautéed shallots, garlic, thyme, and finished with a generous splash of heavy cream.
This sauce is simple and pretty perfect. Just a handful of ingredients and in about 20 minutes, and you have one of the most delectable and luxurious pasta sauces. I paired it with some homemade fresh farfalle giganti, but it works beautifully with any fresh or dried pasta you like. You could also spoon it over a steak or even some roasted chicken.
This sauce is simple and pretty perfect. Just a handful of ingredients and in about 20 minutes, and you have one of the most delectable and luxurious pasta sauces.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Mushrooms – You can use an assortment (chanterelle, cremini, shiitake, oyster) or stick to one variety. Even common button mushrooms work beautifully as long as you get them nice and browned, and season them well.
- Olive Oil – You’ll use a combo of olive oil and butter in this recipe. Both for flavor and the olive oil will let you get those mushrooms nice and browned without burning or smoking.
- Butter – The butter gets added in after the mushrooms have had time to get lots of color in the olive oil. As the sauce cooks the butter will brown and give lots of added nutty flavor.
- Shallot – You could swap in an onion here if needed, but the mild flavor of a shallot is ideal for this recipe.
- Garlic – Perfect paired with the mushrooms.
- Fresh thyme – The fresh thyme adds lots of flavor to this sauce. You can also use a sprig of fresh rosemary.
- Heavy cream – Heavy cream deglazes the pan and helps thicken the sauce.
- Salt – Quick Tip: Add the salt to the mushrooms after they have taken on some color. When you salt them too early, they tend to release a lot of their liquid and end up steaming or boiling rather than browning.
- Black pepper – Freshly ground black pepper, as always.
- Parmesan – The whole dish gets finished with lots and lots of freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
Note: If you want to make this sauce without the cream you can omit it and add in some additional pasta water or even substitute with some wine to deglaze that pan, red or white, or even stock.
How To Make The Wild Mushroom Cream Sauce
- Prep your Mushrooms
Clean and prep your mushrooms, tearing or cutting them into bite-sized pieces. - Sautée The Mushrooms
Heat your olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add in the mushrooms and let them brown undisturbed on one side. Should take about 5 minutes. Once they’re nice and golden, toss them in the pan and season with salt. - Add in your Aromatics
Once your mushrooms are nice and browned, add in your butter, shallots, garlic, and thyme. Season with fresh ground black pepper and cook until the shallots are soft, translucent and the garlic is just starting to brown — be careful not to let it burn. - Deglaze The Pan
Add in the heavy cream and deglaze the pan. Lower the heat and let the sauce simmer gently until slightly reduced. If it thickens too much, add a splash or two of pasta water. - Toss with Pasta
Toss in your pasta along with a bit of pasta water. Stir gently until the sauce clings to the pasta and turns nice and silky. - Finish with Lots of Parmesan
To finish, plate your pasta and top with some fresh ground black pepper and lots of freshly grated Parmesan.
FAQs
Can I make mushroom cream sauce without cream?
You could swap in crème fraîche or even mascarpone if you wanted. But, if you don’t want a creamy sauce you could add in extra pasta water, or even deglaze the pan with wine, red or white, or stock.
What mushrooms are best for this mushroom sauce?
I would say any fresh high-quality mushrooms you have available. Good options for varieties to look for are chanterelles, shiitake, oyster, and cremini. But, honestly, even simple white button mushrooms will work. Just be sure to get them nicely browned and season them well.
Can I use dried mushrooms?
Yes. Great idea! I haven’t tested this recipe with dried mushroom, but you would want to rehydrate them in hot water, then use them as you would fresh mushrooms. The soaking liquid can also be added in for extra flavor.
How do I thicken mushroom cream sauce?
Let it simmer and gently reduce to thicken. It should lightly coat the pasta.
More Delicious Pasta Recipes to Try
Farfalle Giganti – These giant bow-ties, Farfalle Giganti, are made with a rich egg yolk pasta dough. hand-shaped, delicate, and perfect for a dinner for two, a few, or a special occasion.
Ragu Bianco (White Bolognese Sauce) – A delicious tomato-free version of classic Ragu Bolognese, this ragu bianco is simmered slowly and made with pancetta, beef, pork, and lots of fresh rosemary and sage.
Homemade Ricotta Cavatelli – Homemade ricotta cavatelli are easy to make and go perfectly with any sauce. Just a few ingredients and no special equipment needed. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned pasta pro, this is a go-to homemade pasta shape.
Brown Butter Sauce with Sage and Walnuts – Brown butter, crispy sage and toasted walnuts make one of the easiest and most delicious pasta sauces. Pairs great with agnolotti, gnocchi or ravioli.
Ricotta Agnolotti – These agnolotti are a delicious stuffed pasta, filled with fresh ricotta, parmesan, and a touch of nutmeg.
Cacio e Pepe Mac and Cheese – This cacio e pepe baked mac and cheese has lots of black pepper, Parmesan, and Pecorino Romano with a rich, creamy sauce and crispy panko topping. A perfect mash-up of roman pasta and classic comfort food!
Pasta alla Genovese – Genovese sauce is a traditional beef and onion ragù from Naples. Slowly simmered with white wine, this sauce develops a rich, deep flavor perfect for pairing with pasta.
Homemade Garganelli Pasta – Make homemade garganelli—mini, ridged pasta tubes—with lemon, asparagus, parmesan, and black pepper in a light, fresh pasta sauce. Simple, springtime comfort.
Did you make this Wild Mushroom Cream Sauce?
Leave a rating and comment below—or tag @TheMostHungry on Instagram. I can’t wait to see it!
Wild Mushroom Cream Sauce
Ingredients
- 8 oz mushrooms cleaned and chopped or torn into bite-sized pieces
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 shallot finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic finely diced
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1/4 cup heavy cream more of less, you may use closer to a 1/2 cup if you need it
- salt
- pepper freshly ground
- parmesan to finish
Instructions
- Clean and prep your mushrooms, tearing or cutting them into bite-sized pieces.
- Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add in your mushrooms and let them brown undisturbed on one side, about 5 minutes. Once golden, toss them in the pan and season with salt.
- Once your mushrooms are nice and browned, add the butter, shallots, garlic, and thyme. Season with pepper and cook until the shallots are soft and translucent and the garlic is just starting to brown — be careful not to let it burn.
- Add in the heavy cream and deglaze the pan. Lower the heat and let the sauce simmer gently until slightly reduced. If it thickens too much, add a splash or two of pasta water.
- Toss in your pasta along with a bit of pasta water. Stir gently until the sauce clings to the pasta and turns nice and silky.
- To finish, plate pasta and top with some fresh ground black pepper and lots and lots of grated Parmesan.
Video
Did You Make This Recipe?
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Hi, I'm Rachel — the cook, photographer, and recipe developer behind Most Hungry.
This is my go-to spot for bold, approachable recipes rooted in Italian and Italian-American cooking, from hand-rolled fresh pasta to fall-off-the-bone ribs. Great food should be fun, doable, and absolutely delicious. Learn more about me →
