Buttery Pappardelle with Mushrooms and Sage is a decadent plate of crispy mushrooms cooked in brown butter, fresh sage and garlic and tossed in Pecorino Romano.
In my family, pasta is a very personal matter. My husband requests pasta doused in meatballs and tomato sauce. My children love it plain with a 2:1 ratio of cheese to pasta. However, one daughter wants hers “slightly” melted, the other simply wants the pasta warm but the cheese not melted. I, on the other hand, love pasta the same way I have since childhood; sneaking pieces of pasta, still warm, out of the colander on the counter while the other food is being prepared. What can I say? I’m a lover of the sneaky, simple things in life. Other than that, I never really had a pasta dish preference.
Until the day I did.
In recent years, I have rekindled my relationship with pasta. That moment, not surprisingly, and, precisely, was in Italy where pasta truly is a way of life. It’s a part of their love language, which of course, is food; just like mine. It was during this trip to Italy I ate sage fried in butter tossed with pasta and cheese. This sounds simple in practice, but the effect is a long lasting memory that still captivates me. The story put forth on the table; highly curated yet effortlessly created by housewives and restaurant chefs alike.
I know what you’re going to say because I’ve heard it before, sage is a strong flavor…”what if I don’t like sage?” Trust me when I say you will when it’s fried in butter.
I firmly believe everything is best in moderation. Except butter. You can never have too much butter. Correction, you can never have too much browned butter. Browned butter, the patron saint of bakers and chefs everywhere, takes something already delicious and elevates it to a crescendo of “OH, what’s in this?!”
Buttery Pappardelle with Mushrooms and Sage is the blog’s most clicked recipe!
Buttery Pappardelle with Mushrooms and Sage is fast cooking. It celebrates the simplicity of the minimal ingredients and the sauce cooks in roughly the same amount of time it takes the pasta to become al dente. This dish is perfect when you want a quick dinner with a gourmet flare. Crispy mushrooms cooked in browned butter, fresh sage, and garlic, tossed in cheese. Trust me when I say it does not get better than this. The sage has a potent, very distinct flavor, which perfectly counters the decadence of the browned butter, cheese, and earthiness of the mushrooms. The lemon juice is optional, but will take this dish to the next level. This will easily become a weeknight quick fix AND your go-to fancy pasta.
Believe in browned butter. You won’t regret it.
Crash Course Cooking School: Gourmet Pasta At Home
The Building Blocks
The technique here is brown the butter, add the vegetables, cook until browned and you see some crispy bits. Add your herbs, reserved pasta water, and cheese. Using this method, you can add in vegetables like marinated artichokes with chili flakes, fresh garlic, parsley, and parmesan cheese. Alternatively, you could add sundried tomatoes with fresh garlic, rosemary, and goat cheese. The combinations are endless.
The Details
Don’t Crowd The Mushrooms: When mushrooms cook they release liquid. Crowding mushrooms in the pan will result in steamed, wet mushrooms. The key to a delicious mushroom dish is well-browned, crispy mushrooms. The best way to get them there is to cook in batches so they have the room they need..
Mix and match your mushrooms: Shiitake, cremini, chanterelle, and oyster mushrooms are all delicious options. Each mushroom brings a slightly different texture and flavor to your dish. I tend to champion shitake for their deep umami flavor and cremini (also known as the all-purpose mushroom) for its versatility.
Reserve the pasta water: Always reserve ½ cup of water from your boiling pot of pasta before you drain it. The magic comes from the starch pasta releases while it cooks. Pasta water is a great way to loosen or create sauces for your dish.
Browning Butter: Browning butter when cooking or baking is a quick way to dramatically enhance flavor. The browning lets the butter develop a nutty, almost caramel flavor, adding a sense of decadence.
Buttery Pappardelle with Mushrooms and Fresh Sage
Ingredients
- ¾ lb. pappardelle or pasta of choice
- 9 tablespoons butter
- 6 cloves garlic minced (about 4 tablespoons)
- 6 tablespoons minced fresh sage
- 20 oz. about 2½ cups cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced (see “crash cooking”)
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 oz. Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese plus more for serving
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice do not use bottled
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package directions, until al dente. Reserve ½ cup cooking water, then drain pasta and set aside.
- In a 12-inch skillet, brown the butter over medium heat. When it turns light brown and begins to smell nutty, add the garlic and sage. Cook for 1 minute or until fragrant.
- Add the mushrooms and salt. Cook until browned and the edges turn crispy, about 8–10 minutes.
- Add the pasta and gently toss. Add ¼ cup reserved pasta water. Add the cheese and stir; as the cheese melts and combines with the butter and the starchy water, the pasta will become creamy. (If needed, add more of the reserved pasta water, 1 tablespoon at a time.)
- Add 2 teaspoons of fresh lemon juice, toss to combine.
- Sprinkle with extra grated pecorino Romano or Parmesan and serve.
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