There’s a version of mushroom pasta that’s beige and forgettable, and then there’s this one. The difference? Mushrooms that start with an undisturbed sear in a hot pan — no stirring or rushing — before shallots, thyme, and a pinch of red pepper enhance the rest of the sauce. Using crème fraîche instead of heavy cream makes this rich and tangy pasta a meal in 25 minutes.

A bowl of pasta with creamy mushroom sauce, garnished with chopped herbs and grated cheese, with a fork twirling some pasta. A beige cloth and a small dish of cheese are in the background.

Why This Recipe Works

  • The no-stir mushroom sear is the game changer: Leaving mushrooms undisturbed in a hot pan for several minutes builds the kind of deep, nutty browning that merges into the sauce the moment you add liquid.
  • Crème fraîche instead of heavy cream: It has a natural tangy flavor that cuts through the richness, and it doesn’t break or curdle the way heavy cream can when you add lemon juice or pasta water.
  • Chunky mushrooms. Torn — not thinly sliced — mushrooms have irregular edges that catch the sauce and brown more aggressively than sliced ones — more surface area equals more flavor.

For a deeper, longer-cooked mushroom sauce, this bolognese sauce with mushrooms is what you’re looking for.

Ingredients I reach for

Ingredient to make mushroom pasta sauce arranged on a surface, including button mushrooms, thyme, shallot and cream.
  • Mushroom mixture: For body and depth, I use a half-and-half mix of cremini (also labeled “baby bella”) and white button mushrooms. Button mushrooms are milder and release liquid more quickly, while the cremini are denser and earthier in flavor. You can go all cremini for a more robust result, or substitute a portion with shiitake or oyster mushrooms — both hold up well in a hot pan and add complexity (case in point: these garlicky sautéed oyster mushrooms). Avoid portobello caps. They’ll bleed into the sauce and turn it gray. Whichever variety you use, tear them rather than slicing — the irregular surfaces brown better and gives the sauce more to cling to.
  • Creme fraiche: I don’t like to use flour as a thickener because it can make the sauce pasty and unpleasantly starchy. Enter crème fraîche, a type of cultured cream — richer than sour cream, tangier than heavy cream — with a high fat content that makes it stable. You can add lemon juice directly to crème fraîche without worrying about it breaking. The flavor it contributes is buttery with a faint cultured sourness and it rounds out the earthy taste of the mushrooms without covering them up. It keeps for weeks in the coldest part of the refrigerator, so it’s worth having on hand.
  • Thyme: An herb that actually gets better with heat — the leaves release a piney, faintly smoky flavor as they cook with the shallots and garlic, and their woodsy quality turns out to be a natural match for mushrooms in an even better way than softer herbs like parsley. I use a full tablespoon. If you only have dried, decrease to a teaspoon.

Why you shouldn’t stir the mushrooms (at first)

  • A wide skillet filled with sliced brown and white mushrooms, placed on a light-colored surface. The pan has a gold-colored handle.
    Add the mushrooms to a large skillet over medium-high heat in a single layer.
  • Sliced mushrooms being sautéed in a white frying pan with a wooden spoon resting on the side, on a light-colored surface.
    Five minutes of undisturbed contact with a hot pan is the key to getting good caramelized browning — if you stir too soon they’ll steam instead of sear.
  • A white frying pan with chopped mushrooms, minced garlic, diced shallots, fresh herbs, and spices being stirred with a wooden spoon on a light countertop.
    Once the mushrooms are browned, add salt, shallot, garlic, thyme, and red pepper. The salt draws out moisture immediately, softening the shallots and lifting all the brown bits from the pan.
  • A white skillet containing sautéed mushrooms and onions with a dollop of creme fraiche in the center, resting on a white surface.
    Add the crème fraîche — it will liquify in about 30 seconds. Simmer a minute or two with some pasta water to make the sauce.
  • A white saute pan containing cooked linguine pasta and creamy sautéed mushrooms sits next to a bowl of plain pasta on a light surface. A fork rests in the pan, ready to mix the pasta with the mushroom sauce.
    Add the cooked pasta directly to the pan over low heat. The starchy pasta water, mushrooms, and pasta marry into a cohesive sauce.
  • A cream colored skillet filled with spaghetti, sautéed mushrooms, and herbs, topped with grated cheese, with metal tongs resting inside. A small dish of grated cheese is nearby on a light-colored surface.
    The light cream sauce and grated Parmesan coats the pasta when you toss directly in the skillet.
A bowl of linguine with creamy sauce, sautéed mushrooms, grated parmesan, and fresh herbs, with a fork twirled into the pasta.
4.92 from 57 ratings

Creamy Mushroom Pasta Sauce with Crème Fraîche

Karen Tedesco
A 25-minute mushroom sauce with chunky browned mushrooms, shallots, thyme and creme fraiche. Toss with linguine, fettuccine, or spaghetti or short cuts like rigatoni or penne.
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Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients
 

  • 1½ pounds white button or cremini mushrooms, or a mixture of both
  • Kosher salt
  • ½ pound fettuccine or linguine pasta
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • ¼ cup finely chopped shallot
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme, or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • ¼ teaspoon crushed red chili flakes
  • ¾ cup creme fraiche or heavy cream
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
  • 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
  • ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions
 

  1. Prepare the mushrooms: Trim the stems off 1½ pounds white button or cremini mushroomss. Tear the caps into generous bite-sized pieces – you want a rustic, chunky texture.
  2. Bring a large (5-6 quarts) water to a boil along with 4 tablespoons kosher salt (or use 1 ½ tablespoons regular table salt). Cook ½ pound fettuccine or linguine pasta according to package directions, until al dente. Before draining the pasta, scoop out 1 cup of the cooking water and reserve.
  3. While the pasta cooks, heat 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil in a large (12-inch) skillet (preferably nonstick) over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms to the pan and spread them out in one layer. Cook 5 minutes without stirring. Give the pan a shake and stir the mushrooms around. Cook another 5 minutes.
  4. At this point, the mushrooms should be taking on some color and releasing some liquid. Add 1 teaspoon salt, ¼ cup finely chopped shallot, 1 tablespoon minced garlic, 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme and ¼ teaspoon crushed red chili flakes and stir well. Cook until the shallots are softened, about 2 minutes.
  5. Add ¾ cup creme fraiche or heavy cream and 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley to the mushrooms. Gently simmer until the sauce thickens. Add ⅓ cup of the reserved water and 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice and stir, scraping the pan to release any browned bits.
  6. Put the cooked pasta in the pan and use tongs to toss in the sauce. Add a bit more pasta water if the sauce seems dry. Remove from the heat, sprinkle with ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese and serve.

Notes

  • Heavy cream instead of creme fraiche: The sauce will be richer, but less tangy. Also, heavy cream can break when acid hits it at high temperature — stir in the lemon juice off the heat.
  • Make it vegan: Replace crème fraîche with full-fat oat cream or cashew cream (not oat milk — it’s too thin and will break). Omit the Parmesan or substitute a non-dairy version. 
  • Variations: Toss in a few large handfuls of spinach leaves after the mushrooms are cooked and let them wilt before adding the cream. Bacon or pancetta: Cook about 6-8 ounces separately until crisp, and use the rendered fat in place of some of the olive oil. Add it back to finish the dish with the pasta.
 

Nutrition per serving

Calories: 461kcal Carbohydrates: 52g Protein: 17g Fat: 22g Sodium: 170mg Fiber: 4g Sugar: 7g

Nutrition facts are calculated by third-party software. If you have specific dietary needs, please refer to your favorite calculator.

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