A creamy, rich, and earthy Porcini Mushroom Pasta made from dried mushrooms and their soaking liquid- with cream, parmesan and fresh spinach for a restaurant quality pasta at home!
JUMP TO RECIPEThis glossy, saucy Porcini Mushroom Pasta brings dried porcini mushrooms to life, using the chopped rehydrated mushrooms and their soaking liquid to build a deeply rich sauce that gets even more umami depth from white miso paste and grated parmesan cheese.
Infused with dry white wine for balanced acidity, and finished with plenty of fresh baby spinach- this earthy and flavorful pasta makes a great addition to your pasta night rotation.
Table of Contents
- Porcini Pasta Ingredient Notes
- How to Make Porcini Mushroom Pasta
- Working with Dried Porcini Mushrooms
- Porcini Pasta Variations
- What to serve with Porcini Pasta
Porcini Pasta Ingredient Notes
Dried Porcini Mushrooms. Pantry friendly Dried Porcini Mushrooms are more potent than fresh porcinis in terms of flavor, and have a meaty and tender texture once rehydrated. Getting them softer will require about a 30 minute soak in boiling water, which will also yield a deep, dark, rich mushroom broth you'll use to infuse the pasta with tons of mushroom flavor. You can find dried porcinis in some grocery stores, Italian specialty stores, and online.
White Miso Paste. The small amount of miso paste added to the sauce makes a big impact, enhancing the flavor of the mushrooms, and adding a complex, salty background note to the pasta.
Dry White Wine. Mushrooms are essentially like sponges. When deglazed with dry white wine like Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio, the alcohol cooks off, but the bright acidity and flavor of the wine absorbs into the mushrooms and sauce for a perfectly balanced sauce. If you'd prefer to cook without wine, you could substitute low sodium chicken broth.
Heavy Cream & Parmesan Cheese. The heavy cream is added along with the reserved mushroom soaking liquid (aka mushroom broth), and simmered until thickened to build the base of the creamy pasta sauce. Finishing with parmesan cheese gives the pasta a nutty finish and helps the pasta sauce fully thicken into glossy, saucy goodness.
Baby Spinach. Adding baby spinach at the end until it just wilts adds volume, and a fresh finish to the pasta, as well as a pop of beautiful color.
How to Make Porcini Mushroom Pasta
Below is a step-by-step visual guide to making the perfect Porcini Mushroom Pasta, every time!
Working with Dried Porcini Mushrooms
Dried mushrooms are extremely dry and firm right out of the package, and require soaking to soften them up. Plan to leave 30 minutes of time for them to soak in boiling water so that they soften enough to chop and add to the pasta.
The soaking liquid is used in this Porcini Pasta recipe as well, and brings an umami-rich boost of earthy mushroom flavor to the pasta sauce!
Porcini Pasta Variations
| Mushrooms | Add even more mushrooms, by sautéing some fresh sliced cremini mushrooms, button mushrooms, or fresh porcini mushrooms before adding the rehydrated dried mushrooms. |
| Pasta | I use Mafaldine pasta for this recipe, but any long shape of pasta, such as linguine, pappardelle, or tagliatelle would work great! |
| Spinach Swaps | Swap the baby spinach for chopped earthy Swiss chard leaves or baby arugula to add a peppery bite. |
Porcini Pasta Recipe
Equipment
- large skillet or saute pan
Ingredients
- 8 oz Mafaldine pasta , (or other long pasta, such as pappardelle)
- 2 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 shallot, minced
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon white miso paste
- 1 cup dried porcini mushrooms, (heaping cup)
- ½ cup dry white wine (such as Sauvignon Blanc), (or low sodium chicken broth)
- ½ cup reserved porcini soaking liquid , (see recipe)
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 5 oz baby spinach
- ¾ cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 cup reserved pasta water (as needed)
Instructions
- Cover dried porcini mushrooms with 2 cups boiling water for 30 minutes. Add a cover to keep them submerged, if needed. 2. When softened, strain and reserve soaking liquid, and give them a rough chop. Set aside. 3. Boil pasta in a large pot of salted water according to package directions for al dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta water before draining. 4. Add butter to a large skillet, and melt over medium heat. 5. Once butter is melted, add shallot, season with salt and pepper, and cook 2-3 minutes, until softened. 6. Add garlic and miso paste, stir to combine, and cook- stirring occasionally for 1 minute. 7. Add chopped porcini mushrooms and cook 1 minute more. 8. Add dry white wine, and cook, stirring occasionally, until mostly evaporated, 3-4 minutes, scraping up and browned bits from bottom of the pan. 9. Add reserved mushroom soaking liquid and heavy cream, and cook until thickened slightly, 5-7 minutes. 10. Stir in baby spinach and cook until just wilted, 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally. 11. Turn off the heat, and add the drained pasta. Toss to coat in the sauce. 12. Fold in the parmesan cheese. 13. Add pasta water a little bit at a time, as needed until sauce is desired consistency. Serve with additional parm and chives, if desired.
Nutrition
What to serve with Porcini Pasta
| Bread | Add a side of crusty Italian bread or garlic bread to sop up the sauce. |
| Salad | Serve alongside a simple side salad with an acidic vinaigrette to help balance the richness of the pasta. |
| Veggies | Make a quick fresh veggie to serve on the side, like grilled asparagus or sautéed broccolini. |
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