This lobster mushroom recipe is rich, decadent and easy to make! Lobster mushroom pasta is ready in less than 30 minutes and is a great option for vegetarians that everyone will love. Perfect for a family dinner or date night! Topped with a pasta cream sauce with garlic and Parmesan making this well balanced dish oh-so delicious.
This post may contain affiliate links which means I may receive commissions if you choose to purchase through this link (at no extra cost to you).
If you are a seasoned lobster mushroom vet or new to this delicious mushrooms, this lobster mushroom recipe is going to change your life! This lobster mushrooms paste in a creamy garlic parmesan cream sauce (fettuccine alfredo) is decadent and delicious. Perfect for a family dinner or romantic date night!
It is also vegetarian but your meat-eating friends will also love. And speaking of amazing mushroom recipes, be sure to check out these Lion Mane Mushroom Recipe (Crab Cakes)!
Great side dishes to pair with your pasta include Best Roasted Asparagus, Green Beans Recipe or easy Air Fryer Frozen Garlic Bread.
Fresh lobster mushrooms have a sturdy meaty texture and taste absolutely delicious. While some people wonder if they actually taste like lobster, their namesake is due to the vibrant orange color and the visual appearance of lobster.
A more rare version is the white lobster mushroom which is said to have an even more delicate flavor (I myself have not tried this special variation).
If you are looking for other lobster mushrooms recipes, this fungi is super versatile, from sautéed lobster mushrooms to lobster mushroom bisque to lobster mushroom roll – the sky is the limit! One of my favorites is sautéed lobster mushrooms topped with the decadent Lobster Ravioli Sauce.
Why this recipe works
- This amazing lobster mushroom recipe is ready in less than 30 minutes!
- Great vegetarian option that everyone will love. Perfect for a family dinner or date night.
- Once your have your lobster mushrooms in hand, you only need a few easy pantry ingredients to make the perfect meal.
Ingredients
Lobster Mushroom
- Lobster Mushrooms: I recommend fresh lobster mushrooms for this recipe. Depending on your location, the best way to find them is at your local farmers market during lobster mushroom season (approx. late-July through October). You can also purchase dried lobster mushrooms as an alternative to fresh, but you must rehydrate them (see recipe notes).
Pasta
- Fettuccini Pasta: You can use fettuccini pasta or any pasta of choice such as angel hair, spaghetti, rotini, bow tie, farfalle or any other pasta shape you prefer. Be sure to adjust cook time on your pasta depending on the shape.
Lobster Mushroom Pasta Cream Sauce
- Garlic: Fresh garlic, minced or pressed. I use the Oxo Good grips garlic press and it has served me well for many years.
- Butter: Use salted butter for this recipe. If you have unsalted butter, add salt to taste.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil: I recommend olive oil for the flavor but you can use any oil of choice.
- Parmesan Cheese: You can purchase bagged pre-shredded parmesan cheese at your local grocery store.
- Heavy Cream: Heavy cream or heavy whipping cream.
- Black Pepper: Freshly ground black pepper is optional but delicious!
- Parsley: Optional garnish.
How to make this lobster mushroom recipe
Preparing the Lobster Mushrooms
- Thoroughly wash and clean fresh lobster mushrooms. If used dried lobster mushrooms, see notes to rehydrate.
- Slice lobster mushroom into thin slices (about ¼ inch thick).
Pasta Preparation
- Bring water to rolling boil. Salt water (optional).
- Add pasta to water and cook for 7-12 minutes or until pasta reaches your desired texture. Strain and set aside.
Sautéed Lobster Mushroom Recipe
- Add butter and olive oil to sauté pan, bring to medium-high heat.
- Add sliced lobster mushrooms to pan and cook for 2-4 minutes until soft and fully cooked.
- Add garlic (and optional freshly ground black pepper) and cook for an additional 30 seconds.
- If serving as sautéed lobster mushrooms, transfer to plate and enjoy!
Lobster Mushroom Pasta Cream Sauce
- Add heavy cream and shredded Parmesan cheese and cook for 1-2 minutes or until sauce is slightly thickened.
- Add cooked fettuccini pasta and stir to combine.
- Transfer to plate, garnish with fresh parsley and enjoy!
How to rehydrate dried lobster mushrooms
To rehydrate or reconstitute dried lobster mushrooms, place in bowl with warm water and allow to soak for 30 minutes. Strain and pat dry with paper towel to remove any excess moisture prior to preparing your lobster mushroom recipe.
Where to buy lobster mushrooms
You can purchase dried lobster mushrooms online and rehydrate them. This is a great option if you are buying off-season.
However, the best place to buy lobster mushrooms is at your local farmers market if possible. Depending on the purveyor, they tend to be very fresh. Certain grocery stores will also carry lobster mushrooms in season.
If you cannot find locally, you can buy fresh lobster mushrooms online. They are generally only available in-season. Lobster mushroom prices vary. I have seen them as low as $15 per pound, up to $35 per pound.
Foraging for lobster mushrooms
THIS IS NOT PROFESSIONAL ADVICE. FORAGING FOR WILD MUSHROOMS IS DANGEROUS IF NOT DONE WITH THE ADVICE OF PROPER PROFESSIONAL.
Foraging for mushrooms can be a super fun past time if done with the advice of a property professional. I am new to this process and went foraging with a professional who was able to help me identify the mushrooms properly and conduct our mushroom hunt safely!
Many wild mushrooms can look very similar and if you eat the wrong mushroom you can be in big trouble!
We were very fortunate on our mushroom hunt and found quite a few lobster mushrooms, the very same lobster mushrooms that were available for sale at the farmers market that morning.
A few tips that I found helpful on my hunt:
- Look for areas where the ground is moist and shady. Often the presence of other mushrooms can be a good sign.
- Depending on your region, bringing a small rake to rake pine needles can uncover these little beauties.
- When you spot one, there are often others in the area.
- Bring a bag, gloves, a small trowel and rake. This is messy business.
How to clean lobster mushrooms
THIS IS NOT PROFESSIONAL ADVICE. FORAGING FOR WILD MUSHROOMS IS DANGEROUS IF NOT DONE WITH THE ADVICE OF PROPER PROFESSIONAL.
Cleaning your lobster mushrooms can take a bit of time and a good deal of patience but is very rewarding when you eat the finished delicious product.
If you have access to a garden hose, that is often you best option to wash off the initial dirt. Get as much as you can off while you are outside.
If you have to use your indoor sink, that is fine but be prepared to get a little messy. Using a large pot or bowl, submerge your mushrooms and rinse off as much dirt as possible. Dump the muddy water and repeat.
Once you have gotten the majority of the dirt off, take each mushroom individually and rub off any remaining dirt spots.
Lastly, my secret weapon – the electric toothbrush. You can buy a disposable electric toothbrush online for as little as $5-$10. This is great for getting any remaining dirt off the mushrooms and getting in the crevices.
If you are worried about any remaining dirt, you can also bring a pot of water to a full boil and quickly blanch the mushrooms, just to be sure!
FAQ and expert tips
While you could argue that the texture of lobster mushrooms is similar to lobster, the name lobster mushroom was actually derived based on the look of the mushrooms, not the taste. Lobster mushrooms have a distinct red color similar to a lobster.
Lobster mushrooms season varies depending on the location, however, foraging season is generally from late-July to mid-September.
Yes! Lobster mushrooms is edible. You always want to be sure that you purchase your lobster mushrooms from a dependable purveyor or if you are foraging, only go with an experienced mycophagist. You also want to be sure that your lobster mushrooms are properly cooked and eaten within a safe timeframe.
Yes, you can freeze lobster mushrooms. First, you must clean them thoroughly. Next, slice them into the size that you want to cook with and freeze them in individual portions in a tightly sealed container. Using a vacuum sealer is optimal.
Looking for other delicious dinner recipes?
Hungry for more? Subscribe to my EMAIL NEWSLETTER and follow me on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest for all of the latest delicious food!
You can also comment below. I LOVE hearing from you! If you loved the recipe, a 5 STAR RATING is the ultimate compliment as food is my love language!
Lobster Mushroom Recipe (Pasta with Cream Sauce)
Equipment
Ingredients
Lobster Mushroom
- 1 cup cleaned and sliced fresh lobster mushrooms
- dried lobster mushrooms (alternative to fresh, must rehydrate)
Pasta
- 8 oz dry fettuccine pasta (or any pasta shape you prefer)
Lobster Mushroom Pasta Cream Sauce
- 3 clove garlic (minced or pressed)
- 4 tablespoons salted butter
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ cup shredded parmesan cheese
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (optional)
- 2 teaspoon chopped parsley (optional garnish)
Instructions
Preparing the Lobster Mushrooms
- Thoroughly wash and clean fresh lobster mushrooms. If used dried lobster mushrooms, see notes to rehydrate.
- Slice lobster mushroom into thin slices (about ¼ inch thick).
Pasta Preparation
- Bring water to rolling boil. Salt water (optional).
- Add pasta to water and cook for 7-12 minutes or until pasta reaches your desired texture. Strain and set aside.
Sautéed Lobster Mushroom Recipe
- Add butter and olive oil to sauté pan, bring to medium-high heat.
- Add sliced lobster mushrooms to pan and cook for 2-4 minutes until soft and fully cooked.
- Add garlic (and optional freshly ground black pepper) and cook for an additional 30 seconds.
- If serving as sautéed lobster mushrooms, transfer to plate and enjoy!
Lobster Mushroom Pasta Cream Sauce
- Add heavy cream and shredded parmesan cheese and cook for 1-2 minutes or until sauce is slightly thickened.
- Add cooked fettuccini pasta and stir to combine.
- Transfer to plate, garnish with fresh parsley and enjoy!
Patricia
Fantastic recipe!!!! I made this for myself, so I halved the ingredients. Absolutely delicious. Will become a favorite of mine.
Aubrey
Thanks Patricia! So happy you enjoyed!