Mushroom Sun Dried Tomato Pasta

Mushroom Sun Dried Tomato Pasta is an easy to make dish made with sun-dried tomatoes, basil, white wine, and mushrooms, tossed with Parmesan cheese over long pasta. Simple and delicious.

If you’re looking for a delicious and easy-to-make recipe to add to your dinner rotation, give this creamy mushroom pasta with sun-dried tomatoes a try. The combination of flavors in this vegetarian pasta dish from the Mushroom Gastronomy Cookbook is pure comfort food.

This dish reminds me of my white bean sun dried tomato gnocchi and a bit of the Pasta in cashew cream with mushrooms.

I was given a copy of Mushroom Gastronomy by the publisher, but all my opinions are my own.

We appreciate your support

Please let me know if you have any questions about this recipe. I read all the comments myself and I try to help as soon as I can. I have readers from all levels of comfort and experience in the kitchen on my site, and I’ve tried to answer some of your questions already in the post. But if I’ve missed anything, please feel free to leave a comment and ask.

Mushroom Gastronomy: The Art of Cooking with Mushrooms

First off, let me say that this book, {affiliate link} Mushroom Gastronomy: The Art of Cooking with Mushrooms, is beautiful. I just love mushrooms, and it’s obvious that the author, Krista Towns does too.

This cookbook has over 100 creative and classic recipes to please vegetarians and carnivores alike, for appetizers, soups and broths, main dishes, desserts, and even cocktails. And they all have one thing in common, they celebrate the delicious and mysterious mushroom.

There are so many kinds of mushrooms featured in this special book, 25 of the most popular edible and delicious mushrooms, to be exact. Stunning photographs introduce each variety of mushroom, including their unique nutritional values, ideal cooking methods, culinary tips, and flavor pairings. This cookbook is a go to resource for anyone who loves mushrooms.

She also offers valuable tips for selecting, storing, and preserving each of the types of mushrooms. I can’t wait to try the Chantilly Potatoes with Truffled Mushrooms from page 43!

I took a mushroom foraging class a couple years back. And, well, I learned that I’m not brave enough to forage for mushrooms. But this book is not only for people like me who would rather forage at the store or farmer’s market than in the woods. But, it’s great for bold mushroom hunters as well.

You can even {affiliate links} grow your own mushrooms, and grow your own brown beech mushrooms (which is the type of mushrooms that are featured in this recipe in the book).

How to make

This is a great easy to make dinner for two, making it perfect for date night. The recipe also doubles nicely if you need to serve more than two.

The full printable recipe ingredients and instructions are available in the recipe card at the bottom of the post. You can find important tips and tricks in the post.

Make the Quick Mushroom Broth:

If you’d like to make the Quick Mushroom Broth to up the mushroom flavor in your pasta dish, you can. Otherwise, simply use your favorite vegetable broth or chicken broth.

This is a fast and easy light broth that will add a little extra mushroom flavor to your dish without a lot of effort. Use it to cook vegetables or add it to sauces. Be creative and use a combination of dried mushrooms you may have in your pantry.

Porcini and shiitake are both good choices for umami-rich broths, or use lobster mushrooms for a seafood-flavored broth. I used shiitake and chanterelle mushrooms for the broth that you see in the pictures.

Make sure to use a fine-mesh strainer to remove any residual dirt from the dried mushrooms. I also like that this means you don’t have to clean the mushrooms before cooking with them!

In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, combine the dried mushrooms and water and bring to a simmer. Cook for 20 minutes, or until the broth reaches your desired flavor.

Strain through a fine-mesh strainer and cool.

This broth recipe makes more broth than you will need for the pasta dish.

The extra broth can be stored in airtight containers or sealable freezer bags in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or frozen for up to 3 months.

Cook the pasta:

For the pasta: you can use bucatini, thick spaghetti, linguini, or any other long pasta that you like.

Cook the pasta until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water. Drain the rest and set the pasta aside.

Make the sauce:

Heat the oil in a large, deep skillet over medium-low heat and sauté the garlic and shallot for until just softened.

Raise the heat to medium, stir in the mushrooms, sprinkle with the salt, and cook for until lightly golden.

What kind of mushrooms?

The cookbook features this recipe with beech mushrooms, those tiny clusters of mushrooms perched on thin elegant stems. Beech mushrooms have a beautiful whimsical appearance, but they also have great flavor and a crunchy texture.

Beech mushrooms may be hard to find for some people. Check your local Asian store or natural foods market as well as Farmer’s Markets.

But don’t let it stop you if you can’t find beech mushrooms. Use any kind of mushroom you like here! I went with baby bella mushrooms for the dish you see in the pictures. Besides being easy to find, these brown mushrooms are budget friendly and delicious.

And, this dish is very flexible. If you have fancy wild mushrooms, they’ll be great in this pasta dish – chanterelle, lobster, shiitake, oyster, even white button mushrooms.

What if I can’t find sun dried tomatoes packed in oil?

Be sure to check on the pasta aisle of the store as well as the tomato aisle (though those may even be the same aisle).

If you can only find dry-packed tomatoes, the ones that have a texture similar to dried fruit, slice them finely, and hydrate them in some warm water or oil to plump them up.

You can also marinate the dry packed ones in oil if you can only find dry pack.

The oil packed ones will add a lot of flavor to the dish, and will make a silkier sauce.

Use the leftover oil from the tomatoes to cook with or to make vinaigrette.

Continue cooking the sauce:

Add the wine and cook for about 1 minute until it’s absorbed. Stir in the tomatoes, broth, and heavy cream and cook for 5 to 6 minutes at a low simmer. Taste, and adjust the seasoning with salt and a few good twists of freshly ground black pepper.

Can I use something other than wine:

Yes, you can use more broth instead of wine. And, as always, use your favorite broth in this dish. Using what already tastes good to you is always the best bet. I usually use homemade vegetable broth or {affiliate link} Better then Bouillon vegetable base. Keep in mind that if you use chicken broth, the dish is no longer vegetarian.

Finish the pasta dish:

Add the cooked pasta to the sauce and toss thoroughly. Stir in some of the reserved pasta water, a little at a time, to smooth the sauce.

Stir in the cheese and basil leaves and toss again to coat the pasta. I like to stir and toss with tongs; I find it makes it easier to toss the pasta.

Serve topped with additional grated Parmesan if desired.

Serving suggestions

Enjoy this vegetarian pasta as is, or serve it with chicken or Grilled Shrimp and added veggies like roasted asparagus or roasted green beans.

Don’t forget to serve some crusty bread on the side. And start the meal with an ice green salad.

Changes to the recipe

I’m a big fan of making a recipe as written the first time, then swapping it up. Maybe based on what you have and need to use up, or maybe just to fancy it up a bit.

This dish is great with some fresh spinach leaves tossed in at the end.

Feel free to add any proteins like chicken, shrimp, bacon, or Italian sausage. Or top it with mushroom bacon for a vegetarian twist.

Top the dish with fun cheese like fresh mozzarella, burrata, or ricotta.

Add a pinch of red chili flakes to give it a little spicy kick.

I like the long twirlable strands of pasta like bucatini, linguini, or spaghetti. But really you could use just about any pasta like penne or rotini.

Make it gluten free by using gluten-free pasta.

You could even double the sauce part of the recipe and serve it over baked chicken, shrimp, or steak.

Can I make this a vegan pasta dish?

Yes, this dish could be made vegan with a couple simple subs.

Use plant-based cream in place of the heavy cream. Be sure to go with an unsweetened and more neutral flavor cream. Though a canned coconut milk or coconut cream will work, it will change the flavor profile.

And, use a vegan Parmesan cheese or just leave the cheese off at the end.

For more vegan pasta recipes check out my miso tahini pasta and avocado pasta.

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