Creamy Brown Butter Mushroom Pasta (Printable)

Golden mushrooms in a nutty brown butter cream sauce over fettuccine with parmesan and herbs.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz fettuccine or linguine

→ Mushrooms

02 - 14 oz cremini or button mushrooms, sliced
03 - 1 tbsp olive oil
04 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter

→ Brown Butter Cream Sauce

05 - 5 tbsp unsalted butter
06 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 3/4 cup plus 2 tbsp heavy cream
08 - 2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
09 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
10 - Pinch of nutmeg (optional)

→ Garnish

11 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley or chives
12 - Extra grated Parmesan, for serving

# Directions:

01 - Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a rolling boil. Add the fettuccine and cook according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of the starchy pasta water before draining.
02 - While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil and 2 tbsp butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sliced mushrooms in an even layer and sauté without stirring for the first 3 minutes to develop color. Continue cooking 4 to 5 more minutes, stirring occasionally, until deeply golden and all released moisture has evaporated. Transfer the mushrooms to a plate and set aside.
03 - Reduce the heat to medium. Add the remaining 5 tbsp butter to the same skillet. Cook, swirling the pan frequently, for 3 to 4 minutes until the butter foams, then turns a warm amber color and gives off a toasted, nutty aroma. Watch carefully to prevent burning.
04 - Add the minced garlic to the browned butter and sauté for about 1 minute until fragrant and lightly golden. Pour in the heavy cream, whisking to loosen any caramelized bits from the bottom of the pan. Let the mixture simmer gently for 2 to 3 minutes until it coats the back of a spoon.
05 - Stir in the grated Parmesan until melted and smooth. Season with salt, black pepper, and a pinch of nutmeg if using. Return the seared mushrooms to the pan and toss to coat in the sauce.
06 - Add the drained pasta to the skillet and toss gently until every strand is evenly coated. Splash in the reserved pasta water a tablespoon at a time if the sauce feels too thick. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Remove from the heat, finish with chopped parsley or chives, and serve immediately with extra Parmesan alongside.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The brown butter does most of the work for you, creating a deeply nutty sauce with almost no effort.
  • It transforms basic grocery store mushrooms into something that feels restaurant worthy.
  • Cleanup is minimal since everything happens in one skillet and one pot.
  • It is forgiving enough for weeknights but impressive enough for a date night at home.
02 -
  • Do not stir the mushrooms constantly because they need dry, uninterrupted contact with the hot pan to caramelize properly instead of steaming.
  • Watch the brown butter like a hawk because it goes from perfectly nutty to burnt in a matter of seconds once the color starts changing.
  • Serve this immediately because the sauce thickens as it sits and reheating can cause the cream to separate.
03 -
  • Grate your parmesan on the finest holes of a microplane so it melts into the sauce invisibly rather than forming stringy clumps.
  • Salt your pasta water until it tastes like mild broth because that is your one chance to season the pasta itself from the inside out.

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