Delicious comfort food.
Pasta is a staple meal in our household. Some kind of version is always on the dinner rotate for the week. I have many different pasta recipes to tap into – this creamy boscaiola pasta is just one of them. Delicious Italian comfort food that is perfect all year round.
Visit an Italian restaurant and you’ll find boscaiola pasta on their menu. It’s often a more popular choice and is up there with carbonara and neopolitana. The traditional boscaiola recipe includes tomatoes, however, the more gourmet version includes cream instead. There are other versions of this recipe but one thing they all have in common is they include mushrooms. The creamy version with onions & bacon is how I know boscaiola.
Mushrooms – a love/hate vegetable
I grew up with a dislike for mushrooms. The texture was what got me the most. I thought they were slimy and wrong. I did like the flavour however. Weird, yes I know. As I grew older, I started to incorporate mushrooms into the meals I cooked. I started to dice them up really small so they were there but not really distinguishable. Now, they are a bit bigger but definitely not slices of them.
According to a study performed in 2019, 18% of people dislike mushrooms.
(Source: Onepoll research on behalf of VegeTracker)
Making the sauce
What I love about this recipe is that is so super quick and easy. The delicate flavour is exceptional. The added cream mellows our the garlic, bacon and onion.
The mushrooms in this creamy bacon & mushroom pasta recipe are finely chopped. However, if you like them sliced then definitely go with this in the recipe.
While this sauce is served with penne pasta, use whatever pasta you have at home such as spaghetti or fettuccini.
Give this recipe a go. Not only is is really delicious, it’s also incredibly quick and easy! You’ll have dinner on the table in no time with everyone asking for seconds (if any left!).
Want another delicious recipe?
If you like this recipe, you’ll also love others available here. From pastas to risottos, cookies to desserts, and bliss balls to gluten-free options with everything in between. There is truly something here for everyone. I have developed this website to provide family-friendly recipes where I maximise both fresh produce while minimising cost.
Creamy Boscaiola Pasta
Ingredients
- 4 cups dried penne pasta, (or any other pasta of your choice)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 brown onion, finely chopped
- 200 g shortcut bacon rashers, chopped
- 200 g mushrooms, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 300 ml thickened cream
- 3 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
- salt & pepper
Instructions
- In a large pot, add water and bring to the boil. Add penne pasta (or any other pasta of your choice) and cook according to packet instructions until al dente.
- Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium heat.
- Add onion and bacon. Cook for 5 minutes while stirring consistently, or until onion is tender.
- Add mushrooms and garlic, cook for an additional 3 minutes.
- Stir in cream. Bring to a gentle boil. Reduce heat to medium-low heat. Simmer for 5 minutes or until sauce is reduced slightly.
- Season with salt and pepper. Serve over pasta and garnish with chopped parsley.
Notes
- This recipe uses penne pasta. However you can use whatever pasta you have available such as spaghetti or fettuccini.
- If you are a parmesan lover, sprinkle some freshly grated cheese on top before serving.
- Serve alongside a rocket salad or garlic bread.