For a pasta salad with a difference, why not try this creamy mushroom pasta salad, with a tangy fruit chutney and oyster sauce dressing? Once you've tasted the unique flavour of this pasta salad, you'll be making it time and time again!
This creamy mushroom pasta salad strikes the perfect balance between sweet, savoury and creamy flavours. The soft pasta shells are ideal for catching all the delicious sauce, while the mushrooms and onions add plenty of additional flavour and texture.
What sets this mushroom pasta salad apart (and prevents it from being just another pasta salad) is the combination of oyster sauce and chutney in the dressing. You might not think that the sweet tang of fruit chutney would pair well with the savoury umami taste of oyster sauce, but trust me, they work beautifully. The result is a unique, moreish taste that ties the whole dish together.
This quick pasta salad recipe actually evolved from my sautéed mushroom recipe, which I make with chutney and oyster sauce. I was looking for a different pasta salad to serve with some slices of this oven-baked gammon. I thought that adding a few sautéed onions to the mushrooms, along with a little cream for richness, would make a great-tasting dish when stirred through a bowl of pasta. Turns out I wasn't wrong! It tasted amazing!
Served warm, this salad makes a great meal for your 'Meatless Monday' supper. But it's just as delicious when served cold, making it the perfect make-ahead dish for your al fresco dining. And if you're having a summer BBQ or need something to take along to a potluck, this quick pasta salad recipe is ideal. There's just enough sauce to add flavour and coat the pasta without making it soggy, so it travels well, and tastes just as good the next day!
You can use any fruity chutney you prefer, but I'd recommend using Mrs Balls chutney, which you can make yourself if you can't source it (it is readily available on Amazon). However, any fruity chutney would work well. Why not try this pear and onion chutney?
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Why you'll love this salad
I think you'll love this pasta salad:
- Only 6 ingredients - with the exception of the oyster sauce (which is widely available in the Asian aisle at most supermarkets), these are all everyday pantry ingredients.
- Quick and easy to make - if you can boil a pan of pasta, you're halfway there!
- Unique pasta salad flavour - the combination of fruity chutney and savoury oyster sauce is unbelievably good, and not something you would expect to find in a pasta salad.
Recipe information
Prep time: 5 minutes (or however long it takes you to peel and chop an onion and slice a few mushrooms).
Cooking time: 20 minutes (put the pasta on first so that it can boil while you fry the mushrooms and onions).
Yield: This will be sufficient for 2 to 3 people as a main meal, or 4 to 6 people as side dish. Leftovers are great for a quick lunch the next day too!
Ingredients
**You can find the exact ingredient quantities for making this creamy mushroom pasta on the printable recipe card at the end of this post.**
- Pasta shells - I like to use conchiglie or shell noodles as they scoop up the mushrooms and onions like little spoons. But that's just my preference; you could use any noodle shape you prefer. The pasta should be boiled in lightly salted water, according to the instructions on the packet.
- Mushrooms - you could use chestnut mushrooms or white closed-cap, which should be thickly sliced. Baby button mushrooms will also work well; these can be left whole or simply cut in half.
- Onions - you need the equivalent of one large onion for every 250 grams (or 4 ounces) of mushrooms.
- Chutney - you want to use a nice mild, fruity chutney. I'd tend to steer clear of spicy or hot chutney as it would overpower the flavour.
- Oyster sauce - this is made from the liquid extracted by boiling oysters. A vegetarian version of oyster sauce is available, which is made from shitake mushrooms and manufactured by both Kikkoman and Lee Kum Kee.
- Double or heavy cream - this is stirred in once the mushrooms and onions have been cooked, and allowed to simmer for a few minutes to let it thicken. You should use double cream rather than single or pouring cream as the double cream will thicken nicely.
- Vegetable oil (not pictured) for frying the mushrooms and onions. You can use any neutral-flavoured vegetable oil; I like to use rapeseed. If you prefer, you could use butter instead.
Note: Other than for boiling the pasta, I haven't included salt as an ingredient, as oyster sauce can be quite salty. Taste the finished dish and adjust the seasoning to your own taste.
Instructions
Preparation
- Peel the onions and cut them into half-inch dice.
- Wipe the mushrooms with a damp cloth or paper towel to remove any bits of dirt and slice them thickly.
- Bring a pan of lightly salted water to a boil, then add the pasta and boil for the time stated on the package.
- Once the pasta is soft, drain it in a colander and run it under cold water to stop the cooking process. Leave it in the colander until needed.
Mushroom and onion sauce
Step 1: Heat the oil in a large pan, then add the mushrooms and onions. Turn the heat to simmer and cover the pan with a lid. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent and the mushrooms are starting to release their moisture.
Step 2: Stir in the chutney and oyster sauce. There should be a fair amount of liquid in the pan at this stage, from the mushrooms.
Step 3: Continue to cook over a low heat for another 3 to 4 minutes until most of the liquid has evaporated.
Step 4: Stir in the cream and cook for a further 3 to 4 minutes until it has reduced and thickened slightly. Taste for seasoning and add salt if necessary.
Note: Not all brands of chutney and oyster sauce are created equal! Depending on the brand you use, you may need to adjust the amount of chutney and/or oyster sauce to get the correct balance of flavour. For extra sweetness, add a little extra chutney and for more of a savoury taste, add a little extra oyster sauce.
Assembly
Step 5: Transfer the pasta to a serving dish and stir in the creamy mushrooms.
Step 6: Optionally, garnish with chopped parsley.
Tips for a successful outcome
Here are my top tips to ensure your mushroom and onion pasta salad always turns out perfectly:
- Saute the mushrooms and onions in a covered pan over a low to moderate heat so they don't burn. The onions should be just translucent, and the mushrooms should have released their moisture into the pan.
- Once the chutney and oyster sauce have been stirred into the mushrooms, remove the lid and continue to cook until most of the moisture from the mushrooms has evaporated. There should be 3 to 4 tablespoons of liquid; if there is too much moisture in the pan, the cream will not thicken.
- Remove the pan from the heat before stirring in the cream. Then return the pan and stir the sauce over moderate heat until the cream boils and thickens. The sauce will not be very thick. That's perfectly fine. It will coat the pasta nicely once you stir it in.
- Note that this recipe is not intended to have a lot of sauce. There should be just enough to coat and flavour the pasta.
Serving suggestions
Here are a few ways in which you could enjoy this creamy mushroom pasta:
Al fresco lunch
- Serve at room temperature with slices of cold meat such as gammon or leftover roast chicken.
- Add a crisp green salad on the side.
- Include a side of crusty garlic bread.
Light supper or 'Meatless Monday' meal
- Serve warm, topped with a sprinkle of grated Parmesan cheese.
- Add sides of steamed broccoli or green beans, or a simple tomato salad to round out the meal.
BBQ or potluck
- Serve as a side dish with your favourite grilled meat, such as steak, chops or sausages.
- Include it on a buffet table with other salads such as spicy beetroot salad, curried green bean salad, or copper penny salad.
Pack it into your lunchbox
- Pack it into a small Tupperware container for an easy lunch.
- Add a boiled egg or slice of ham for extra protein.
- Add a few pickles or gherkins for crunch.
Variations
This is just the basic recipe, and there are lots of ways you can vary it:
- Garlic - add one or two cloves of finely chopped garlic to the mushrooms and onions.
- Vegetables - combine the pasta salad with other vegetables. Add a handful of defrosted frozen peas or a chopped roasted red pepper (from a jar). Stir in one or two finely chopped gherkins.
- Herby - add a teaspoon of dried thyme when cooking the mushrooms and onions. Mushrooms and thyme go so well together.
- Cheesy mushroom pasta bake - stir in a cup of milk combined with a tablespoon of cornflour or cornstarch and seasoned with salt and pepper. This will make a creamier sauce and prevent the pasta from drying out in the oven. Top with grated cheese (and optionally one or two sliced tomatoes) and bake for 10 to 15 minutes in a hot oven (200C/400F).
Equipment
Not too much needed by way of equipment!
- Large saute pan or saucepan with a lid for making the mushroom and onion sauce.
- Saucepan and a colander for cooking and draining the pasta.
- Sharp knife and chopping board for preparing the onions and mushrooms.
- Spatula for stirring.
Storage
This mushroom pasta salad can be stored in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to three days.
If serving as a side salad, allow it to come to room temperature before serving.
This dish can also be served warm by reheating it in a saucepan on the stove (add a splash of milk to loosen it) or in the microwave.
Unfortunately, this pasta salad is not suitable for freezing.
FAQ
Yes, the flavours actually intensify as the salad stands. Keep it in a covered container in the refrigerator, and stir before serving.
Yes, because there is just enough sauce to coat the pasta without drowning it, this pasta salad doesn't turn soggy as it stands.
To make sautéed chutney mushrooms, I simply fry sliced mushrooms in butter until softened. Depending on how many mushrooms I'm making, I stir in a tablespoon or so of chutney and the same amount of oyster sauce and cook for 2 or 3 minutes longer. These mushrooms are delicious served as a side dish with other salads and slices of cold meat.
They are also good served with scrambled eggs for breakfast!
Save for later
If you would like to make this easy pasta salad, why not save the recipe to one of your Pinterest boards so you can find it easily? Just click the image below.
Alternatively, you can save the recipe by clicking on the floating heart icon on the right-hand side of the screen.
Related recipes
Visit my sides and salad recipes page for other tasty salad ideas. Here are a few pasta salads you might enjoy:
📋The recipe
Creamy mushroom pasta salad - with a tangy twist
(Click the stars to rate this recipe)
Equipment
- Large saute pan with lid
- Saucepan
- Colander
- Sharp Knife
- Chopping Board
- Spatula
Ingredients
- 5½ ounces / 160 grams dried pasta shells
- 8 ounces / 225 grams mushrooms sliced
- 1 large onion peeled and diced
- 2 tablespoons fruit chutney
- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- ½ cup / 120 ml double or heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil for frying
- Salt to taste optional
- Chopped parsley for garnish - optional
Instructions
Preparation
- Peel the onions and cut them into half-inch dice.1 large onion
- Wipe the mushrooms with a damp cloth or paper towel to remove any bits of dirt and slice them thickly.8 ounces / 225 grams mushrooms
- Bring a pan of lightly salted water to a boil, then add the pasta and boil for the time stated on the package.5½ ounces / 160 grams dried pasta shells
- Once the pasta is soft, drain it in a colander and run it under cold water to stop the cooking process. Leave it in the colander until needed.
Mushroom and onion sauce
- Heat the oil in a large pan, then add the mushrooms and onions. Turn the heat to simmer and cover the pan with a lid. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent and the mushrooms are starting to release their moisture.2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- Stir in the chutney and oyster sauce. There should be a fair amount of liquid in the pan at this stage, from the mushrooms.2 tablespoons fruit chutney, 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- Continue to cook over a low heat for another 3 to 4 minutes until most of the liquid has evaporated.
- Stir in the cream and cook for a further 3 to 4 minutes until it has reduced and thickened slightly. Taste for seasoning and add salt if necessary.½ cup / 120 ml double or heavy cream, Salt to taste
- Note: Not all brands of chutney and oyster sauce are created equal! Depending on the brand you use, you may need to adjust the amount of chutney and/or oyster sauce to get the correct balance of flavour. For extra sweetness, add a little extra chutney and for more of a savoury taste, add a little extra oyster sauce.
- Transfer the pasta to a serving dish and stir in the creamy mushrooms.
- Optionally, garnish with chopped parsley just before serving.Chopped parsley
Notes
- Saute the mushrooms and onions in a covered pan over a low to moderate heat so they don't burn. The onions should be just translucent, and the mushrooms should have released their moisture into the pan.
- Once the chutney and oyster sauce have been stirred into the mushrooms, remove the lid and continue to cook until most of the moisture from the mushrooms has evaporated. There should be 3 to 4 tablespoons of liquid; if there is too much moisture in the pan, the cream will not thicken.
- Remove the pan from the heat before stirring in the cream. Then return the pan and stir the sauce over moderate heat until the cream boils and thickens. The sauce will not be very thick. That's perfectly fine. It will coat the pasta nicely once you stir it in.
- Note that this recipe is not intended to have a lot of sauce. There should be just enough to coat and flavour the pasta.
Nutrition
I am not a nutritionist. The nutrition information has been calculated using an on-line calculator, and is intended for information and guidance purposes only. If the nutrition information is important to you, you should consider calculating it yourself, using your preferred tool.
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