Creamy Lemony Linguini with Exotic Mushrooms
This one comes out on a weeknight when we want something that feels a bit special without any real effort. Creamy, zingy, and loaded with gorgeous exotic mushrooms, it's the kind of pasta that makes you go quiet for a second when you taste it. The lemon cuts right through the richness of the sauce and the mushrooms bring this deep, savoury flavour that feels almost meaty. It all comes together in about 25 minutes, which honestly still surprises us every time. Make this tonight, you will not regret it.
Before You Start
- Large saucepan
- Large frying pan
- Microplane or fine grater
- Tongs
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp plant-based butter
- 300g mixed mushrooms
- 2 garlic cloves
- 150ml white wine
- 250ml oat cream
- 30g parsley
- 400g linguine
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 2 banana shallots
- 100g rocket
- Salt & pepper to taste
Method
Prepare the ingredients
- Slice the mushrooms
- Peel and finely slice the shallots
- Peel and grate the garlic
- Zest and juice the lemon
- Pick the parsley leaves and finely chop
Start the sauce
- Warm the olive oil in the frying pan over medium high heat
- Add the mushrooms to the pan along with a generous pinch of salt and pepper and stir for 2 minutes
Cook the pasta
- Put a large saucepan on the stove, pour the water from the kettle, add a big pinch of salt and the pasta and cook according to package instructions (approx 9 minutes)
Finish the sauce
- Add the shallots to the pan and stir for 1 minute
- Add the garlic and lemon zest and stir for 30 seconds
- Add the white wine, stir and simmer for 2 minutes
- Add the lemon juice and stir for 30 seconds
- Turn the heat down to medium, add the vegan butter and stir for 30 seconds
- Add the oat cream to the pan, stir to combine, reduce the heat slightly and simmer for 3 minutes stirring occasionally
Combine the elements and serve
- Taste the sauce and season to perfection with a little salt and lots of pepper
- Use tongs to transfer the linguine into the pan, sprinkle over the parsley and twist the linguine into the sauce
- Twist the linguine onto serving plates, dress with rockets, season with salt and pepper and serve immediately
Tips & Variations
- Get a good sear on the mushrooms: Don't overcrowd the pan or they'll steam instead of fry. Cook them in batches if you need to. That golden colour is where all the flavour lives.
- Use the pasta water: We always save a big mug of starchy pasta water before draining. Adding a splash to the sauce makes it silky and helps it cling to every strand of linguini.
- Lemon to taste: Henry always adds a bit of extra lemon juice right at the end. If it tastes a little flat, a squeeze of lemon is almost always the answer.
Why This Works
The trick is getting the mushrooms properly golden before anything else goes in. Don't rush that step, it builds the whole flavour base of the dish. Then the lemon zest at the end brightens everything up and stops it feeling heavy, which is what makes this sauce so completely moreish.