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Meat, Italy

Pasta alla boscaiola

Pasta alla boscaiola is an Italian dish with mushrooms, smoky bacon lardons and a tomato sauce finished with cream, serving 4 in 30 minutes. It's rated very easy and costs about €2.40 per person. The trick is browning the mushrooms over high heat before adding salt, so they crisp up instead of releasing water.

Pasta alla boscaiola, like the woodcutter makes it, with mushrooms, bacon lardons and a touch of tomato finished with cream.

Pasta alla boscaiola
Total time
30 min
Difficulty
Very easy
Cost per person
€2.40
Calories per person
650 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Winter, Fall
The kids
They generally like it

Pasta alla boscaiola takes its name from the boscaiolo, the woodcutter who gathers mushrooms in the forest. Here, button mushrooms brown in a hot pan until deeply golden, smoky bacon lardons add salt and crunch, and a tomato sauce mellowed with cream coats every rigatoni without drowning it. It's a rustic, generous dish with the warm smell of autumn.

Mon Chou built this version for a weeknight when you want something comforting without spending hours in the kitchen. Kids love the mild sauce and the short pasta shape that's easy to eat with a fork, while adults appreciate the bold flavor of well seared mushrooms and bacon. It also works well for casual guests since everything happens in a single pan.

The ingredients

4 people

Pantry

  • Short pasta, such as rigatonioften in the pantry 400 g
  • Tomato passataoften in the pantry 300 g
  • Olive oiloften in the pantry 2 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Fruits and vegetables

  • Button mushrooms 400 g
  • Onion 1
  • Garlic 1 cloves
  • Flat leaf parsley 3 sprigs

Butcher

  • Smoky bacon lardons 200 g

Dairy

  • Heavy cream 10 cl
  • Grated parmesan 40 g

Allergens Gluten, Lactose

The step by step recipe

  1. Slice the mushrooms, onion and garlic. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

    Wipe the mushrooms clean instead of washing them, they'll soak up less water.

  2. Brown the bacon lardons in a dry large skillet, then set them aside. 5 min

    Leave a little of the bacon fat in the pan, it adds flavor.

  3. In the same skillet, sear the mushrooms in the olive oil over high heat, then add the onion and garlic. 8 min

    Don't stir too much, let them take on a deep golden color.

  4. Add the tomato passata and bacon, let it simmer, then stir in the cream. Meanwhile, cook the pasta. 10 min

    Rigatoni trap the sauce in their ridges, which makes every bite count.

  5. Drain the pasta, toss it with the sauce and a splash of pasta water. Serve with parmesan and parsley. 2 min

    The starchy pasta water binds the sauce to the noodles.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick firm button mushrooms that aren't too damp, they'll brown better and release less water as they cook.
  • Slice the mushrooms into even pieces so they all cook at the same rate and brown uniformly.
  • Always save a cup of pasta cooking water before draining, it rescues the sauce if it has reduced too much.

The variations

  • Swap the smoky bacon lardons for plain pancetta if you want a milder, less smoky flavor.
  • For a vegetarian version, skip the bacon and double the mushrooms, adding a few shiitakes for extra depth.
  • For a faster version, use a short pasta shape that cooks in 8 minutes and make the sauce at the same time, everything is ready in 20 minutes.

What to serve it with

  • A green salad with a sharp vinaigrette
  • A glass of red grape juice
  • Crusty bread for mopping up sauce

Storage

Pasta alla boscaiola keeps 2 to 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container. You can freeze it without the fresh parmesan for up to 2 months. Reheat gently in a pan with a splash of water to loosen the sauce again.

Questions about this dish

Can you use other mushrooms instead of button mushrooms?

Yes, shiitake, oyster mushrooms or a wild mushroom mix all work well. The flavor will be stronger, especially if you add some rehydrated dried mushrooms too.

Can you make the sauce ahead of time?

Yes, the sauce can be made the day before and kept in the fridge in a sealed container. Reheat it gently in a pan before tossing it with freshly cooked pasta.

Does pasta alla boscaiola freeze well?

The mushroom, bacon and tomato sauce freezes well for up to 2 months. It's best to freeze the sauce alone and cook fresh pasta when you're ready to serve.

How do you adapt this recipe for kids?

You can cut back slightly on the bacon and chop the mushrooms a bit finer if your kids aren't fans of big pieces. The cream keeps the sauce mild, which usually goes over well with younger eaters.

How long does it take to make a pasta alla boscaiola?

Count 30 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “very easy”.

How many calories are in a pasta alla boscaiola?

About 650 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a pasta alla boscaiola cost?

About €2.40 per serving, or €9.60 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains gluten, lactose. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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