Orecchiette with Mushroom Thyme Sauce Recipe
This savory Orecchiette with Mushroom Thyme Sauce recipe combines crispy bacon, sautéed mushrooms, and a creamy thyme-infused sauce to perfectly coat tender orecchiette pasta. A comforting and flavorful dish that highlights simple ingredients with an elegant twist.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
Meat
- 6 slices thick-cut bacon
Pasta
- 16 oz. orecchiette pasta
Dairy
- 1 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 cup half-and-half
- 1 cup milk
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Produce
- 16 oz. button mushrooms, sliced
- 1½ tsp minced garlic
- 2 tsp minced fresh thyme or ½ tsp dried thyme
Pantry
- 1 Tbsp cornstarch
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Cook Bacon: Using a large skillet, cook the bacon slices until crispy. Once done, transfer the bacon to a paper-towel lined plate to drain excess grease, leaving approximately 2 teaspoons of bacon fat in the skillet to add flavor to the sauce.
- Cook Pasta: Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the orecchiette pasta according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain the pasta and set aside for later.
- Sauté Mushrooms: Add unsalted butter and the sliced button mushrooms to the skillet with the reserved bacon fat over medium heat. Sauté the mushrooms for 3-4 minutes without stirring to allow them to brown on one side. Then flip them over, add the minced garlic, and sauté for an additional 3-4 minutes without stirring to develop deep flavor.
- Prepare Sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and half-and-half until smooth. Add this mixture, along with the milk, crumbled bacon pieces, kosher salt, black pepper, thyme, and grated Parmesan cheese to the skillet. Stir the ingredients until well combined.
- Simmer Sauce: Reduce the heat to medium-low and let the sauce simmer for 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it thickens to a creamy consistency.
- Combine Pasta and Sauce: Add the cooked orecchiette pasta to the skillet and toss everything together until the pasta is evenly coated with the mushroom thyme sauce. Serve immediately.
Notes
- For best flavor, use fresh thyme; however, dried thyme is a suitable substitute if fresh is not available.
- Be careful not to overcook the mushrooms; cooking them without stirring helps develop a nice caramelization.
- If a thicker sauce is desired, simmer a few minutes longer or add a little more cornstarch slurry.
- Use whole milk instead of half-and-half for a lighter sauce, adjusting with more butter for richness if needed.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated gently on the stovetop or microwave.
