Pasta alla Boscaiola

Why you’ll love this pasta alla boscaiola recipe

This dish is rich, indulgent and packed with earthy mushroom and pancetta flavor.  Of course, as with all things Italian, there are countless variations on ways to prepare pasta alla boscaiola. Some skip the cream, parmesan or the tomatoes, or both. However, this recipe has become my personal favorite.

Make this recipe your own! Except for the mushrooms, the rest of the ingredients are changeable. Personally, I like it to be more tomatoey, but you can leave the crushed tomatoes out. Swap pancetta for sausage or just stick to the mushrooms. Parmesan, however, is non-negotiable.
Let me guide you through the recipe with this step-by-step VIDEO.

Pasta alla Boscaiola Ingredients

Let’s talk ingredients. To make this easy pasta recipe, you will need:

• Pasta: I used rigatoni, but any pasta shape that you have on hand works in this recipe
• Mushrooms: they are the base of the sauce, you can use a mix of cremini mushrooms and brown mushrooms, but oysters, shiitakes or wild mushrooms work great here as well. For a much more intense flavor, add dried porcini mushrooms
• Pancetta: it adds a nice flavor, but you could use smoked bacon 
• Seasonings: we add salt, freshly cracked black pepper, chili flakes and Italian seasoning 
• Garlic and Shallot: for fragrant aromas
• White wine: any kind of wine you have open will work just fine, white or red, though I like white because it creates a brighter flavor. You can use Chardonnay or Pinot Grigio. You can also swap wine for chicken broth
• Tomatoes: we use a combination of crushed tomatoes and tomato paste to form the base for our tomato sauce
• Heavy Cream: we finish the sauce with a pour of heavy cream, but you can use half and half or soy cream
• Parmesan: finally, we stir in a generous dose of Parmesan for a salty flavor. I also highly recommend sprinkling lots of Parmesan on each serving

Helpful Tips

• The key to prepare delicious mushrooms is to use excess grease from the pancetta and cook the mushrooms long enough until they release their moisture and are nicely browned.
• Make it vegetarian and omit the pancetta.
• Use Italian sausage or smoked bacon instead of pancetta.
• Omit the white wine: if you prefer to cook without alcohol, just add chicken or vegetable broth.
• add in some extra veggies: many recipes use peas or olives, but sun-dried tomatoes or roasted peppers are a nice addition
• Make your own Italian seasoning mixture: 1 tbsp dried basil + dried oregano, ½ tbsp dried rosemary + dried thyme.
• Delicious when served with a leafy salad drizzled with caesar dressing or some garlic bread.

Storing and making ahead tips

• You can make the sauce beforehand, reheat while you cook the pasta when you’re ready to eat.
• How to store the leftovers? Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
• How to freeze the leftovers? Transfer the pasta to an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to enjoy, thaw overnight, than reheat in a nonstick pan over medium until heated through.

More Pasta Recipes to Try

• Orecchiette with mushrooms and spinach
• Red Pesto Pasta with Mushrooms and Sun-dried Tomatoes
• Spicy Red Pesto Pasta with Sausage
• Creamy Cajun Shrimp Pasta
• Eggplant and sun dried tomato pasta with ricotta