Main dish

Shiitake Mushroom Pasta with a Newcastle Brown Ale Sauce

Thick pappardelle mushroom pasta coated with a rich beer sauce and fresh thyme. Serve with some sliced pan-fried garlic shiitake mushrooms on top.

To recipe
A rich mushroom pasta sauce made with vegetable stock and Newcastle brown Ale, served over pappardelle pasta and pan fried garlic shiitake mushrooms.

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Recipe insights & TIPS

It’s quite common to add wine to certain recipes, but let’s not forget that beer provides just as much flavor, maybe even more to some recipes. This Shiitake Mushroom Pasta is the perfect example!

A rich mushroom pasta sauce made with vegetable stock and Newcastle brown Ale, served over pappardelle pasta and pan fried garlic shiitake mushrooms.

I used Newcastle Brown Ale in the pasta sauce. Newcastle is a darker style beer, but don’t let that make you think it tastes bitter or over-hoppy.

It actually tastes really mellow with a great smooth finish. Being the No. 1 brown ale in America, Newcastle can be easily found at almost all retailers nationwide.

You can even use the handy Newcastle locator to stock up for your kitchen adventures! You can enjoy Newcastle Brown Ale many ways but using it as an ingredient creates a unique taste that can be hard to create with a light lager.

You can transfer that flavor by cooking the beer down over time to leave you with an incredible deep malty taste. I added the Newcastle to my basic roux along with some vegetable stock, fresh chopped thyme and a splash of heavy cream for extra richness.

A rich mushroom pasta sauce made with vegetable stock and Newcastle brown Ale, served over pappardelle pasta and pan fried garlic shiitake mushrooms.

The shiitake mushrooms are pan-fried in garlic butter and a little more Newcastle Brown Ale. And because mushrooms are like sponges, the flavor gets absorbed quickly and stays locked in.

This is such an easy meal to prepare with its own homemade sauce and it’s meat-free. Feel free to add some grilled chicken slices or skirt steak, but the mushrooms are seriously meaty enough.

A rich mushroom pasta sauce made with vegetable stock and Newcastle brown Ale, served over pappardelle pasta and pan fried garlic shiitake mushrooms.

A rich mushroom pasta sauce made with vegetable stock and Newcastle brown Ale, served over pappardelle pasta and pan fried garlic shiitake mushrooms.

A rich mushroom pasta sauce made with vegetable stock and Newcastle brown Ale, served over pappardelle pasta and pan fried garlic shiitake mushrooms.

This is a sponsored post for Newcastle brown Ale. All thoughts and opinions are solely my own.

An easy and meat-free hearty pasta sauce made with Newcastle Brown Ale and fresh thyme. Tossed with some pappardelle and pan-fried garlic shiitake mushrooms.

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Recipe

A rich mushroom pasta sauce made with vegetable stock and Newcastle brown Ale, served over pappardelle pasta and pan fried garlic shiitake mushrooms.

Course:
Main dish
COOKing TIME:
20 minutes
Total TIME:
60 minutes
CUISINE:
American
PREP TIME:
40 minutes
SERVINGS:
3

Ingredients

  • 5 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup Newcastle Brown Ale
  • 1 cup vegetable stock
  • 1/8 teaspoon onion powder
  • 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme divided
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon heavy cream
  • 8 ozs pappardelle pasta
  • 6 ounces shiitake mushrooms
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • 1 tablespoon Newcastle Brown Ale
  • salt and black pepper
  • Parmesan cheese

Ingredient Swaps

Instructions

  1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the pappardelle as per the instructions on the package.
  2. Drain the pasta, saving 1/2 cup of the water.
  3. In an 8-10 inch saute pan, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter. Add the flour and whisk for 3 minutes over a medium heat.
  4. Add the beer gradually whisking until all of it is incorporated.
  5. Gradually add the vegetable stock whisking to get rid of any lumps leaving a smooth sauce.
  6. Bring to a simmer and cook for about 10 minutes, whisking often.
  7. Add the onion powder, 1 teaspoon chopped thyme, salt, pepper and cream.
  8. Whisk to combine and taste for more salt and pepper if desired. Turn the heat to very low to keep warm.
  9. Slice the mushrooms roughly.
  10. Melt the remaining 3 tablespoons butter in a pan and add the minced garlic and Newcastle Brown Ale.
  11. Add the mushrooms and cook for 5-7 minutes and the mushrooms start to darken.
  12. Season with salt and black pepper and add the remaining 1 teaspoon chopped thyme to the mushrooms. Turn heat to low.
  13. Add the sauce and the 1/2 cup of reserved pasta water to the drained pasta and toss gently to coat.
  14. Place some of the pasta on a serving plate.
  15. Spoon some of the pan-fried mushrooms on top of the pasta and garnish with some more thyme and grated parmesan cheese.

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