Boscaiola

Nut free
Peanut free
Sesame free
Soy free
2 serves veg or fruit
Shellfish free
Seafood free
No added sugar
High in dietary fibre
High in protein

Serve up this creamy boscaiola recipe for a simple family weeknight meal that’s on the table in less than an hour.

Serves4
Cook time25 minutes
Prep time10 minutes

Ingredients

300g pappardelle
2 tsp olive oil
1 brown onion, finely chopped
200g pkt rindless wood-smoked shortcut bacon, coarsely chopped
200g brown mushrooms, thinly sliced
4 vine-ripened tomatoes, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, crushed
1 cup (250ml) vegetable stock
1/2 cup (125ml) thickened cream
1 lemon, rind finely grated
1/4 tsp chilli powder (optional)
1/4 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
Extra chopped parsley, to serve
Grated parmesan, to serve

Nutritional information

Per serve: Energy: 2266kJ/542 Cals (26%), Protein: 21g (42%), Fat: 22g (31%), Sat Fat: 11g (46%), Sodium: 832mg (42%), Carb: 60g (19%), Sugar: 7g (8%), Dietary Fibre: 7g (23%).

Check ingredient labels to make sure they meet your specific dietary requirements and always consult a health professional before changing your diet. View dietary information here.

Percentage Daily Intake information on our recipes is calculated using the nutrition reference values for an average Australian adult.

Method

Step 1
Cook pasta in a large saucepan of boiling water following packet directions or until al dente. Drain well.
Step 2
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion and bacon. Cook, stirring, for 5 mins or until onion softens. Increase heat to high and stir in mushrooms, tomato and garlic. Cook, stirring, for 10 mins or until mushroom is tender.
Step 3
Add the stock, cream, lemon rind and chilli powder (if using). Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10 mins or until sauce thickens slightly. Stir in the parsley. Season. Add the pasta to the sauce and toss to combine.
Step 4
Serve with extra parsley and grated parmesan.

Recipe tip

COOK. STORE. SAVE.
As the sauce is made from a base of cream, boscaiola should be served immediately, however, it will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Use up remaining thickened cream in pasta bakes, quiches and tarts.

Boscaiola recipe

Also known as “Woodman’s Pasta”, boscaiola is an Italian sauce from the Tuscany region consisting of bacon, mushrooms and tomatoes in a creamy sauce. It’s best served stirred through your favourite pasta shape like pappardelle, penne or rigatoni.

This version takes just 10 minutes of prep time and serves a family of four, making it the perfect dish to cook on busy weeknights.

How to make boscaiola pasta

The beauty of boscaiola is how easy it is to bring together. It uses simple ingredients, including some pantry staples you may already have like dried pasta, olive oil, vegetable stock and chilli powder, and is on the table in under an hour.

This three-step boscaiola pasta recipe is as easy as cooking the mushrooms, bacon, tomatoes and onions together, adding stock, cream and lemon rind to form the sauce, before tossing through cooked pasta to complete the dish. Serve the homemade boscaiola sauce over pasta with a sprinkling of chopped parsley and a simple side salad or garlic bread.

Tips for the perfect boscaiola recipe

You won’t need any fancy cooking equipment or gourmet ingredients to achieve a flavour-packed boscaiola. Ensure you cook the mushrooms, tomatoes, onion and garlic in the rendered bacon fat to carry through the smoky flavour throughout the dish.

If you’re finding the sauce feels a little thin, add a splash of pasta water as the salty, starchiness will help thicken the sauce, which will help stick to each strand of pasta.