Orecchiette with Mushroom Thyme Sauce Recipe
This comforting Orecchiette with Mushroom Thyme Sauce is a rich, savory pasta dish featuring crispy bacon, sautéed mushrooms, and a creamy thyme-infused sauce. Perfect for a cozy dinner, it combines tender orecchiette pasta with a flavorful mixture of half-and-half, garlic, and Parmesan cheese to create a deliciously satisfying meal.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
Scale
Meat & Dairy
- 6 slices thick-cut bacon
- 1 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 cup half-and-half
- 1 cup milk
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Pasta
- 16 oz. orecchiette pasta
Produce & Herbs
- 16 oz. button mushrooms, sliced
- 1½ tsp minced garlic
- 2 tsp minced fresh thyme (or ½ tsp dried thyme)
Pantry Items & Seasonings
- 1 Tbsp cornstarch
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Cook bacon: Using a large skillet, cook the bacon slices over medium heat until crispy. Transfer the bacon to a paper-towel lined plate to drain excess grease. Leave approximately 2 teaspoons of bacon fat in the skillet to add flavor to the sauce.
- Prepare pasta: Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the orecchiette pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Drain the pasta and set aside.
- Sauté mushrooms: Add the butter and sliced mushrooms to the skillet with the reserved bacon fat, and cook over medium heat. Sauté for 3-4 minutes without stirring to allow mushrooms to brown, then flip the mushrooms over.
- Add garlic and continue cooking: Add the minced garlic to the skillet and continue sautéing the mushrooms for another 3-4 minutes without stirring, allowing the flavors to develop.
- Make the sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and half-and-half until smooth. Pour this mixture into the skillet along with the milk, crumbled cooked bacon, kosher salt, black pepper, thyme, and grated Parmesan cheese. Stir everything together until well combined.
- Simmer sauce: Reduce heat to medium-low and let the sauce simmer, stirring occasionally, for 6-8 minutes until it thickens nicely.
- Toss pasta in sauce: Add the cooked orecchiette into the skillet with the sauce and toss gently until the pasta is evenly coated and heated through. Serve immediately.
Notes
- You can substitute fresh thyme with dried thyme if fresh is unavailable.
- For a vegetarian version, omit the bacon and use butter or olive oil for sautéing.
- Make sure not to overcook the mushrooms; letting them brown enhances their flavor.
- Reserve some pasta cooking water to loosen the sauce if it becomes too thick.
- Use Parmesan cheese for authentic flavor, but Pecorino Romano can be a good substitute.
Keywords: Orecchiette, mushroom sauce, bacon, creamy pasta, thyme, Italian pasta dish, mushroom thyme sauce, easy pasta recipe
