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Mushroom Gruyere Pasta

Mushroom Gruyere pasta with deeply golden mushrooms and a silky cream sauce, tossing rigatoni (or pappardelle) until each bite is coated. Gruyere melts into the sauce for a rich, stretchy finish and fresh thyme adds a fragrant lift.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: French-American
Calories: 690
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Rigatoni or pappardelle
  • 1 lb rigatoni or pappardelle Use rigatoni for ridges or pappardelle for wider ribbons.
Mushrooms
  • 1.5 lb mixed mushrooms Slice cremini, shiitake, and oyster mushrooms.
Aromatics & herbs
  • 4 clove garlic Minced.
  • 1 shallot Minced.
  • 1 tbsp fresh thyme Leaves only, chopped.
  • 1 tbsp fresh parsley Chopped, for finishing.
Wine & dairy
  • 0.5 cup dry white wine Use a dry wine for deglazing.
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 0.5 cup chicken or vegetable broth
Cheese & fat
  • 1.5 cup Gruyere Shredded (about 1 1/2 cups).
  • 3 tbsp unsalted butter
Pasta water
  • 0.5 cup pasta water Reserve from cooking pasta.
Seasoning
  • salt and pepper To taste.

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet
  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Cook the pasta
  1. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the rigatoni or pappardelle until al dente, then reserve 1 cup pasta water.
  2. Set the pasta aside and keep the reserved pasta water nearby for thinning the sauce later.
Brown the mushrooms
  1. Melt 3 tablespoons unsalted butter in a large skillet over high heat.
  2. Add the sliced mixed mushrooms in an even layer and cook 4-5 minutes without stirring, until deeply golden.
Build the sauce
  1. Stir the mushrooms and cook 3 more minutes.
  2. Add minced shallot, minced garlic, and fresh thyme, then cook 2 minutes until fragrant.
  3. Pour in the dry white wine to deglaze, scraping up browned bits from the pan.
  4. Add heavy cream and chicken or vegetable broth and simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened.
  5. Reduce heat as needed and stir in the shredded Gruyere until fully melted and glossy.
  6. Add the drained pasta to the skillet and toss, adding reserved pasta water as needed to make the sauce coat the pasta.
Finish & serve
  1. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  2. Top with fresh parsley and serve immediately, with mushrooms and Gruyere visibly coating the pasta.

Notes

For best browning, avoid crowding the pan—cook in batches if needed so the mushrooms steam less and turn deeply golden. Store leftovers in the fridge up to 3 days in an airtight container; reheat gently with a splash of broth or cream to loosen the sauce. Freezing is not recommended because the cream sauce can separate. For a lighter option, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream (expect a thinner sauce).