Pasta has always been one of my favorite comfort foods. I made this creamy, lemony fiddlehead and mushroom linguine and immediately fell in love with it. Fiddleheads are in abundance this time of the year in Massachusetts. I had never cooked a fiddlehead before, but was intrigued by the fact that it was an edible fern! I was enamored by its unique spiral shape and vibrant green color, so I grabbed a handful from the grocery store and decided to experiment with it in my kitchen. I was thrilled with the results, and this turned out to be my new go-to pasta recipe. The best part was that I felt like I was dining out at a fancy Italian restaurant, when in reality, I was eating this fiddlehead and mushroom linguine out of a cereal bowl in my pajamas.
Lemony Fiddlehead and Mushroom Linguine notes:
-Fiddleheads must be washed and cooked thoroughly before consumption! The best way to wash fiddleheads is to fill a large bowl with water and then rinse them, repeating the process multiple times. After the water turns clear, boil the fiddleheads in a fresh pot of water for approximately 15 minutes. Then you can begin sauteing them to create this dish. Do not eat fiddleheads raw or sauteed without boiling them first!
- 2 cups fiddleheads
- 2.5 cups shitake mushrooms
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 tbsp butter
- 8 oz linguine
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 cup heavy cream
- zest of ½ lemon
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- ¼ tsp salt
- Clean fiddleheads thoroughly by washing them in water several times, then boil them for 15 minutes (see notes above)
- Fill a large pot with water, add a pinch of salt and cook the linguine al dente.
- In a separate pan, saute the mushrooms, fiddleheads, and garlic together in butter. Once you are done sauteing (the mushrooms will release their water, which will evaporate), add the cream, parmesan cheese, salt and lemon juice and zest.
- Remove the pan from heat once the sauce starts to thicken, and then toss it with the pasta.
What a fun use for an awesome ingredient. I haven’t had fiddleheads in years. This pasta looks so good!
Thank you, Ashley! 🙂
I have only tried fern in salad but what a great idea to add it to pasta! Definitely a must-try as it look so delicious!
Thanks Abigail!
I’ve never had fiddleheads, but it’s one thing I’d LOVE to get my hands on!
You have to try them, Rebecca! 🙂
Pasta is my comfort too! I was introduced to fiddleheads by a local CSA–such great flavor. Your pasta dish looks AMAZING!!
Thanks Kristen!
What a lovely recipe. I love how you incorporated fiddleheads and mushrooms together, making it a truly foraged pasta dish!
Thanks Rachel! 🙂
If I remember correctly, fiddleheads can be poisonous if not cooked properly. So great that you stress that they need to be cooked thoroughly! I admit, I’ve never had a chance to cook with or eat them, and I’ve always wanted to! Now I just have to find a source for them so that I can give them a try. Yum!
Thanks Dee Dee! It’s so important to prepare them safely!
What fun! I have not seen fiddleheads in a while, and now I am wondering if they grow here. This recipe looks delicious–now I am going to keep an eye for them. in the past I never knew what to do with them!
Thanks Laura, they go great with pasta 🙂
I’ve never heard of eating fiddleheads before, but what a brilliant idea! Thanks for sharing a great idea and some gorgeous pics.
Thank you! If you ever see them in stores, try them out! 🙂
I love fiddleheads!! The season is pretty much done here, or at least we’re not seeing them in grocery store right now. I only was able to get them a couple times this year. But my kids love them too, so I am excited to see your recipe! It looks wonderful!
Thanks Michelle, definitely grab some fiddleheads the next time you see them in stores! 🙂
Here in Maine, it’s a big tradition to go fiddle head hunting each spring. Yum, I love them and this looks delicious.
Thanks Tina! 🙂
I’ve never even heard of a fiddlehead…
that pasta looks amazing, i’d love to make it if i can figure out where to get fiddleheads.