Gorgonzola Mushroom Pappardelle is a luxurious main course for any occasion. It features al dente pappardelle in a creamy gorgonzola mascarpone sauce with sautéed mushrooms and onions. Whether it's a date night or family dinner, this pasta is the perfect choice!
We love the symphony of textures and flavors in this pasta. The sharp gorgonzola balances the rich sauce and compliments the pasta and earthy mushrooms. Enjoy it with a delicious appetizer, like our Prosciutto and Goat Cheese Figs, or a fresh Pear and Prosciutto Rocket Salad, or on its own with sliced Italian bread.
If you are looking for a richer flavored mushroom pasta, try our truffle mushroom pasta.
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Why You'll Love Gorgonzola Mushroom Pasta
- Taste - The pasta is a harmony of rich, pungent flavors.
- Texture - The sauce is perfectly creamy, the pasta is al dente, and the mushrooms are tender.
- Effort - This luxurious pasta has a few simple steps. You just need to cook the mushrooms, sweat the onions, cook the sauce and pappardelle, then combine everything.
- Time - It takes about 30-45 minutes of prep and cooking for everything.
Key Ingredients
- Gorgonzola - Gorgonzola is buttery with a sharp and pungent flavor. It also makes the sauce thick.
- Mascarpone cheese - Mascarpone is lightly sweet and balances the gorgonzola.
- Mushrooms - We like crimini mushrooms because they have a light and earthy flavor.
- Pappardelle - Pappardelle has a large surface area, which makes it great for soaking up the sauce.
- Yellow onion - Yellow onions are lightly sweet.
- White wine - White wine adds acidity and deglazes the pan.
- Flat leaf parsley - Flat leaf parsley adds a bright fresh flavor.
See recipe card for quantities.
Substitutions and Variations
- Gluten-free - Make this recipe gluten-free by using a gluten-free pappardelle.
- Risotto - Use arborio rice and follow the steps for our risotto, then simmer the risotto in the sauce.
- Crispy Pancetta or Prosciutto - Add crispy pancetta or prosciutto for a rich and crispy accent.
- Toasted Nuts - Top the pasta with toasted walnuts or toasted pine nuts for tasty crunch.
- Pasta - This recipe will also be delicious with other pasta shapes like linguine or tagliatelle.
- Lighter - If 5 oz of gorgonzola is too heavy or rich, dilute it! Use half or less and substitute the remaining amount with more mascarpone. Alternatively, use gorgonzola dolce, which has a milder flavor than regular gorgonzola.
- Stock - If you prefer to not use wine, opt for a rich vegetable or chicken stock to deglaze and reduce.
How to Make Mushroom Pappardelle
Sauté Mushroom Medley
- Sauté mushrooms - In a large lidded pan or braiser, add olive oil and warm on medium heat. Then stir in the mushrooms and cook until browned, about 10 minutes. If the pan gets too hot, lower the heat and stir the mushrooms. (Photo 1 and 2)
- Season and transfer - Season with kosher or sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Then transfer the mushrooms from the pan to a bowl and set aside. (Photo 3 and 4)
Make Creamy Gorgonzola Sauce
- Sweat onions - Add the second tablespoon of olive oil to the pan and stir in the finely chopped onions. Then reduce the heat to medium-low and cover with a lid, occasionally stirring. Sweat the onions down until they are translucent and almost disintegrated, about 7-10 minutes. (Photo 5, 6, and 7)
- Reduce wine - Then, deglaze the pan with the white wine and let it reduce. (Photo 8)
- Add cheese - Once the wine is reduced by about half, stir in the gorgonzola, breaking it up with a wooden spoon or fork. Add the mascarpone and stir the mixture until the gorgonzola and mascarpone melt into the onions. (Photo 9 and 10)
- Add mushrooms - Then stir in the mushrooms. (Photo 11)
- Cook pappardelle - While the sauce cooks, boil the pappardelle. In a large pot, bring salted water to a rolling boil over medium-high heat. Then add the pappardelle to the water and cook until al dente per the packaging instructions. Time the pasta so it’s ready when the sauce is done, about 9 minutes. (Photo 12)
Assemble the Final Dish
- Assemble - Use tongs to transfer the pasta to the sauce. Then stir in a little pasta water, about a quarter cup at a time, until the pasta sauce reaches a silky consistency. You don’t have to use all of the pasta water. (Photo 13 and 14)
- Toss the pasta - Toss the pasta until it is coated in the sauce and stir in the fresh parsley. (Photo 15)
- Serve - Then serve immediately with grated Parmigiano-Reggiano. (Photo 16)
Pro tip - Start making the sauce first so everything is done at the same time and you don't overcook the past.
Cooking Tips
- Salt the pasta water - Make sure you salt the pasta water so the pasta noodles will be extra tasty.
- Don't cook the mushrooms on too high of heat or they will burn. If they are browning too quickly, add some olive oil and lower the heat.
- Serve pasta with bread - Try the pasta with baguette or roll to dip in the rich gorgonzola sauce. In Italian, this is called "fare la scarpetta," or "make the little shoe."
Recipe FAQs
No, gorgonzola cheese is technically not vegetarian because it's typically made with animal rennet, which is from animal stomach lining.
Yes, you can make the sauce ahead of time then later reheat it and add the pasta.
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📖 Recipe
Gorgonzola Mushroom Pappardelle
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon olive oil divided
- 16 oz mushrooms sliced crimini, trumpet, brown beech mushrooms, or mushrooms of your choice
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 small yellow onion finely chopped
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 5 oz gorgonzola or gorgonzola dolce (for a milder flavor)
- 2 tablespoon mascarpone
- ½ lb pappardelle
- 2 tablespoon Italian flat leaf parsley finely chopped
- Parmigiano-reggiano for serving
Instructions
- Cook mushrooms - In a large lidded pan or braiser, add olive oil and warm on medium heat. Stir in the mushrooms and cook until browned, about 10 minutes. If the pan gets too hot, lower the heat and stir the mushrooms. Season with kosher or sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Transfer the mushrooms from the pan to a bowl and set aside.2 tablespoon olive oil, 16 oz mushrooms, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- Sweat onions - Add the second tablespoon of olive oil to the pan and stir in the finely chopped onions. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cover with a lid, occasionally stirring. Sweat the onions down until they are translucent and almost disintegrated, about 7-10 minutes.2 tablespoon olive oil, 1 small yellow onion
- Add cheese - Deglaze the pan with the white wine and let it reduce. Once the wine is reduced by about half, stir in the gorgonzola, breaking it up with a wooden spoon or fork. Add the mascarpone and stir the mixture until the gorgonzola and mascarpone melt into the onions. Stir in the mushrooms.½ cup dry white wine, 5 oz gorgonzola, 2 tablespoon mascarpone
- Cook pappardelle - While the sauce cooks, boil the pappardelle. In a large pot, bring salted water to a rolling boil over medium-high heat. Add the pappardelle to the water and cook until al dente per the packaging instructions. Time the pasta so it’s ready when the sauce is done, about 9 minutes.½ lb pappardelle
- Assemble - Use tongs to transfer the pasta to the sauce. Stir in a little pasta water, about a quarter cup at a time, until the pasta sauce reaches a silky consistency. You don’t have to use all of the pasta water. Toss the pasta until it is coated in the sauce and stir in the fresh parsley. Serve immediately with grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.2 tablespoon Italian flat leaf parsley, Parmigiano-reggiano
Video
Notes
- Refrigerate leftover gorgonzola mushroom papperdelle for up to 5 days in an air-tight container. In order to reheat the pasta, place the leftover pasta in a braiser or dutch oven over low heat, stirring occasionally until warm.
- Salt the pasta water - Make sure you salt the pasta water so the pasta noodles will be extra tasty.
- Don't cook the mushrooms on too high of heat or they will burn. If they are browning too quickly, add some olive oil and lower the heat.
- Serve pasta with bread - Try the pasta with baguette or roll to dip in the rich gorgonzola sauce. In Italian, this is called "fare la scarpetta," or "make the little shoe."
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