Description
This creamy rigatoni with mushroom sauce is a comforting and flavorful pasta dish featuring tender cremini mushrooms simmered in a rich heavy cream and Parmesan cheese sauce. Enhanced with garlic, thyme, and a touch of broth, it’s an easy yet elegant meal perfect for weeknight dinners or special occasions.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 12 ounces (340g) rigatoni pasta
Sauce
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound (450g) cremini mushrooms, sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 cup (240ml) chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 cup (240ml) heavy cream
- 1/2 cup (50g) grated Parmesan cheese
Garnish
- Fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Cook the Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the rigatoni pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Drain the pasta, reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water, and set aside.
- Prepare the Mushroom Sauce: In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the sliced mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until they release their moisture and start to brown, about 5-7 minutes.
- Add the Aromatics: Add the minced garlic and dried thyme to the skillet with the mushrooms. Cook for an additional 1-2 minutes, or until the garlic is fragrant.
- Season and Deglaze: Season the mushroom mixture with salt and pepper to taste. Pour in the chicken or vegetable broth, using a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet.
- Simmer: Bring the broth to a simmer and cook for 3-4 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld and the liquid to reduce slightly.
- Add the Cream: Stir in the heavy cream and bring the sauce back to a simmer. Let it cook for another 2-3 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened slightly.
- Combine Pasta and Sauce: Add the cooked rigatoni pasta to the skillet with the mushroom sauce. Toss everything together until the pasta is well coated in the sauce. If the sauce is too thick, thin it out with some of the reserved pasta cooking water.
- Finish and Serve: Stir in the grated Parmesan cheese until melted and creamy. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley before serving.
- Serve: Divide the creamy rigatoni with mushroom sauce among serving plates. Serve hot, garnished with additional grated Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley if desired.
Notes
- Reserve some pasta cooking water to adjust the sauce consistency as needed.
- Use vegetable broth to make this dish vegetarian.
- For a richer flavor, sauté mushrooms until nicely browned but not burnt.
- Fresh thyme can be used instead of dried thyme if available.
- Garnish with additional Parmesan or parsley for presentation.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Keywords: creamy rigatoni, mushroom pasta, easy pasta recipe, vegetarian pasta, cremini mushrooms, garlic pasta, Italian dinner
