Description
This cozy, elegant Caramelized Leek and Mushroom Gruyere Pasta layers sweet, slow-cooked leeks with earthy mushrooms and nutty Gruyere in a silky sauce. Creamy without being heavy, weeknight-easy yet dinner-party worthy.
Ingredients
Scale
Ingredients
- 12 oz fettuccine or pasta of choice
- 2 large leeks, white & light green parts only, thinly sliced
- 8 oz cremini mushrooms, sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 cup Gruyere cheese, shredded
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- Salt & black pepper, to taste
- 1 tsp fresh thyme, chopped (optional, for garnish)
Instructions
- Cook the Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water; drain.
- Caramelize the Leeks: In a large sauté pan, heat olive oil and butter over medium-low. Add leeks, a pinch of salt; cook 15–20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden.
- Sauté Mushrooms & Garlic: Increase heat to medium. Add mushrooms; cook ~8 minutes until browned and moisture evaporates. Stir in garlic; cook 1–2 minutes.
- Build the Sauce: Lower heat. Stir in heavy cream, Gruyere, and Parmesan until melted and smooth.
- Combine: Add pasta; toss to coat. Loosen with splashes of reserved pasta water as needed.
- Season & Serve: Season with salt and black pepper. Garnish with thyme. Serve hot.
Notes
- Clean leeks well: Slice first, then rinse to remove grit.
- Don’t rush the leeks: Low-and-slow caramelization builds sweetness.
- Brown, don’t steam, mushrooms: Avoid overcrowding the pan.
- Cheese swaps: Fontina or Emmental work if Gruyere isn’t available.
- Brighten it: A little lemon zest at the end adds lift.
- Make it spicy: Add red pepper flakes with the garlic.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop, Sautéed
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 620
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 780mg
- Fat: 34g
- Saturated Fat: 18g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 62g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 27g
- Cholesterol: 90mg
Keywords: leek pasta, mushroom pasta, gruyere pasta, vegetarian dinner, caramelized leeks, creamy pasta without sauce, weeknight pasta