Description
Orecchiette with Mushroom Thyme Sauce is a delightful pasta dish featuring tender orecchiette pasta tossed in a creamy mushroom and thyme sauce, topped with crispy bacon and Parmesan cheese.
Ingredients
Scale
- 16 oz. orecchiette pasta
- 1 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 16 oz. button mushrooms, sliced
- 1½ tsp minced garlic
- 1 Tbsp cornstarch
- 1 cup half-and-half
- 1 cup milk
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 2 tsp minced fresh thyme or ½ tsp dried thyme
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 4 slices bacon
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the orecchiette and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon until crispy. Remove the bacon from the skillet, crumble it, and set aside, leaving the drippings in the pan.
- In the same skillet with the bacon drippings, add the butter. Once melted, add the sliced mushrooms and sauté for about 5-7 minutes until they are golden brown. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for an additional minute until fragrant.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch with a few tablespoons of the half-and-half to create a slurry. Pour the remaining half-and-half and milk into the skillet with the mushrooms, followed by the cornstarch mixture. Stir to combine and cook until the sauce thickens slightly, about 3-5 minutes.
- Add the kosher salt, black pepper, and thyme to the sauce. Mix well to incorporate the flavors.
- Add the cooked orecchiette and crumbled bacon to the skillet, tossing to coat the pasta evenly in the sauce. Cook for another 2-3 minutes to heat through.
- Remove from heat and stir in the grated Parmesan cheese. Serve hot, garnished with additional Parmesan if desired.
Notes
- For a vegetarian version, omit the bacon and use olive oil instead of bacon drippings.
- Feel free to substitute button mushrooms with cremini or portobello mushrooms for a richer flavor.
- Adjust the thickness of the sauce by adding more milk if needed.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 50g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 15g
- Cholesterol: 40mg
Keywords: Orecchiette with Mushroom Thyme Sauce, pasta, Italian, creamy sauce, vegetarian