Pasta with Wild Mushrooms Recipe

Pasta with Wild Mushrooms is an easy-to-make pasta recipe sent in to us by Federica, a site visitor whose family was originally from Piedmont.  Earthy, rich, and deeply comforting—this is Italian autumn on a plate. The combination of dried porcini, pancetta, and fresh mushrooms makes this dish unforgettable.

This recipe has proved to be one of the most popular recipes on the site, although not yet to the level of my wife Maria's meatball recipe

Ingredients

Cooking Instructions

1. Rehydrate the Porcini
Place the dried porcini mushrooms in a bowl with the white wine and soak for 30 minutes. Then strain through a fine sieve or cheesecloth to remove grit. Reserve the liquid and chop the mushrooms.

2. Prepare the Pasta Water
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta when your sauce is nearly ready, reserving about 1/2 cup of the pasta water before draining.

3. Cook the Pancetta
In a large sauté pan over medium heat, cook the pancetta until lightly crispy. Lower the heat if needed to prevent burning.

4. Sauté the Mushrooms
Add the butter to the pan. Once melted, stir in the fresh mushrooms. Sauté until they release their juices and the liquid evaporates, about 10–12 minutes.

5. Build the Sauce
Raise the heat to high. Add the chopped porcini and the strained wine. Stir in the shallots and thyme leaves. Cook until the wine reduces and the mixture becomes fragrant and slightly thickened.

6. Finish the Sauce
Season with salt and pepper. Stir in either the grated cheese (the traditional way to make the dish) or the cream (not both). Let it simmer briefly until the sauce is glossy and coats the mushrooms.

7. Combine with Pasta
Add the cooked pasta to the mushroom sauce. Toss gently to combine, adding a splash of reserved pasta water if needed to loosen the sauce and help it cling to the pasta.

8. Serve
Divide among plates and sprinkle generously with chopped parsley. Serve immediately.

🍷 Suggested Pairing:

A glass of dry white wine like Pinot Grigio or Verdicchio complements the earthy mushrooms beautifully.

Print this recipe...