How long can I keep pasta boscaiola?

I store the pasta boscaiola sauce for up to 3 days in the fridge in an airtight container. If you want to store it longer, freeze the sauce (without pasta) for up to 2 months and cook fresh pasta to go with it.

Can I use other mushrooms?

Absolutely. I like to use a mix of cremini and oyster mushrooms, but chanterelles or portobello also work very well in this recipe.

Does it have to be guanciale that I use in this pasta boscaiola?

No, pancetta or bacon strips are a great alternative. Guanciale does provide a little more depth and a softer, fattier texture.

Can I make this mushroom pasta in advance for guests?

Yes, feel free to make the sauce a day in advance. Reheat it gently and cook the pasta just before serving, that way it will remain perfectly al dente.

Which pasta is best served with this?

I prefer to use rigatoni because its hollow shape holds the sauce well, but penne or tagliatelle also pair perfectly with this mushroom sauce.

Pasta Alla Boscaiola

Name: Pasta Alla Boscaiola
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4P
Ingredients: 500 g mixed mushrooms (e.g. cremini and oyster mushrooms, girolles, shiitake, ..); 100 g guanciale, diced, skin removed; 1 red onion, finely chopped; 1 clove garlic, grated; 500 g fresh salsiccia (Italian fennel sausage); 2 tbsp tomato paste 200 g cherry tomatoes 250 ml cream; 1 block Parmesan cheese, freshly grated, for serving; salt and pepper to taste; 400 g rigatoni (or another pasta of your choice); salt, for the cooking water

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35 min

•

Easy

This pasta is such a great Italian classic that I hadn't yet featured on my website and would love to share with you! Boscaiola means "from the forest", and you can taste it: sautéed mushrooms, creamy sauce, and the rich flavour of guanciale and salsiccia. It's wonderfully quick to make, all prepared in a creamy tomato sauce! The perfect pasta for a weeknight when you still want to eat something special. Let me know if you make it!

This pasta is such a great Italian classic that I hadn't yet featured on my website and would love to share with you! Boscaiola means "from the forest", and you can taste it: sautéed mus ...

Ingredients

What do you need?

Quantity: 4P

For the sauce
500 g mixed mushrooms (e.g. cremini and oyster mushrooms, girolles, shiitake, ..)
100 g guanciale, diced, skin removed
1 red onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, grated
500 g fresh salsiccia (Italian fennel sausage)
2 tbsp tomato paste 200 g cherry tomatoes 250 ml cream
1 block Parmesan cheese, freshly grated, for serving
salt and pepper to taste

For the pasta
400 g rigatoni (or another pasta of your choice)
salt, for the cooking water

500 g mixed mushrooms (e.g. cremini and oyster mushrooms, girolles, shiitake, ..)
100 g guanciale, diced, skin removed
1 red onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, grated
500 g fresh salsiccia (Italian fennel sausage)
2 tbsp tomato paste 200 g cherry tomatoes 250 ml cream
1 block Parmesan cheese, freshly grated, for serving
salt and pepper to taste

400 g rigatoni (or another pasta of your choice)
salt, for the cooking water

Make it veggie!

Replace the guanciale with plant-based bacon or diced smoked tempeh. Replace the salsiccia with a vegetarian sausage or extra mushrooms (double the amount for the same bite). The rest of the recipe remains unchanged.

Preparation method

How do you make this?

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Heat a large pan over medium heat and render the guanciale until nicely browned, without adding any extra fat.

Meanwhile, finely chop the red onion and grate the garlic. Add to the pan and sauté briefly.

Tear the mushrooms into pieces and add to the pan. Brown them nicely.

Remove the casing from the salsiccia, tear the meat into pieces and add to the pan. Cook gently for a while.

Add the tomato paste, followed by the cherry tomatoes. Mix well.

Pour in the cream and let the mixture simmer gently for about 5 minutes, until the tomatoes melt nicely into the sauce.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta in plenty of salted water according to package directions, until al dente.

Add the pasta to the sauce, along with a splash of pasta water, and stir very well until everything is nicely combined.

Finish with plenty of fresh Parmesan cheese. And then you'll be in heaven, I tell you.

Tips

Always tear the mushrooms and salsiccia into pieces with your hands instead of cutting them: this gives a more rustic bite and more crusts in the pan.
Don't have guanciale at home? Pancetta or regular bacon strips also work, although you'll miss that little extra depth.
Always save a cup of pasta water before draining the pasta: that starchy water is exactly what makes your sauce bind beautifully.
In the refrigerator: up to 3 days in an airtight container.
In the freezer: can be frozen for up to 2 months.
Reheating: in a pan over low heat with a splash of water or cream, until everything is nice and creamy again. You can also use the microwave, but cover it and stir halfway through.