Mushroom fans: Bookmark this recipe immediately. It will give you everything you want when you crave a creamy mushroom pasta as soon as the crisp fall air sets in. The hardworking trio of miso, Parmesan, and touch of soy sauce delivers an umami bomb of flavor that doesn’t overwhelm, but magnifies, the best of earthy mushrooms. Coupled with luscious noodles enrobed in a creamy (but not heavy) sauce, what’s not to love?
A few helpful notes for pasta success: (1) While any pasta will work, egg-based noodles, like the fettuccine I recommend here, are the best complement to the sauce. The nests (Rummo and De Cecco are great accessible brands) cook far faster than standard straight pasta, almost as fast as fresh. (2) Don’t be afraid to season your mushrooms! Yes, I know this goes against all that we’ve learned about salting them too early in the cooking process, but just a bit of salt will get them going and releasing their water faster for eventual crisp-browned edges. Don’t be alarmed if you see a pool of water at the start of the mushroom cooking—that’s to be expected and just keep going until it evaporates. (3) Don’t forget to reserve plenty of pasta cooking liquid, which is critical to the eventual sauce’s success. I prefer transferring the al dente noodles from the pasta pot to the skillet, letting any residual water come with it (and to ensure you don’t accidentally drain away that liquid gold).
Find more fall favorite meals here: Weeknight Pumpkin Chili; Cream-ish of Mushroom Soup; Mushrooms au Poivre.