Creamy Pasta with Pancetta and Mushrooms
You can never go wrong with bacon and mushrooms! Whether you’re entertaining guests or simply treating yourself to a comforting dinner, this delectable creamy pasta with Italian pancetta and mushrooms recipe is sure to impress. With its rich cream sauce, savory pancetta, and earthy mushrooms, every bite is pure delight. Plus, it’s incredibly easy to make!
I am so happy to be living in New Haven, CT! Two yummy reasons are – Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s! When we were in Michigan the nearest Trader Joe’s was 3 hours away – to the west in a Chicago suburb and the east in a suburb of Detroit.
That means when we visit either store, we tend to hoard as we don’t know when we will return. My hubby is such a huge fan of their salsas so we haul loads of them back home. But now, instead of 3 hours – either Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s are minutes away from where we live. I am so enjoying this!
Anyway, the other day we went to TJ’s, and got myself some pancetta (Italian Bacon) and mushrooms which I intended to use for different recipes. However, as it would usually happen, there were changes of plans on the menu and instead, I opted to use both in one recipe – a yummy mushroom and pancetta pasta dish.
As you can imagine – the marriage of Pancetta and mushrooms with cream and pasta as special guests (not to mention the presence of wine, too!) made such a wonderful dinner! Yes, it felt like we were having a dinner feast indeed! Enjoy this easy and tasty pasta dish!
Why You Would Love This Recipe
You would love this Creamy Pasta with Pancetta and Mushrooms recipe for its irresistible combination of savory pancetta, earthy mushrooms, and luxuriously creamy sauce. It’s a comforting and satisfying dish that’s easy to make, versatile, and perfect for any occasion.
Ingredients for Creamy Pasta and Pancetta and Mushrooms
- 1 (12 oz) package of Pasta of your choice*
- 1-2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- 4 oz Pancetta, cubed*
- 3 Garlic cloves, minced
- 1 (8 oz) package Baby Bella mushrooms, chopped
- ¼ cup dry White (or Red) wine*
- 1 cup Heavy/Double Cream
- 1/4 – 1/3 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
- Freshly ground Black Pepper, to taste
- Salt, if needed
Notes: *I only had Spaghetti but Penne and other tube pasta would be great for this, too.
*You can replace this with regular bacon.
*You can replace the wine with chicken broth.
Instructions for Creamy Pasta and Pancetta and Mushrooms
In a heavy-bottomed pot, bring to a boil lightly salted water. Add the pasta and cook until al dente. While cooking the pasta, begin the process of cooking the sauce.
In a large skillet or sauté pan, heat the oil. Cook the pancetta until browned but not crispy. Add the garlic and sauté briefly.
Add the mushrooms and cook until the mushrooms have released its liquid. Pour in the wine. Increase the heat and reduce the wine/liquid to about half.
Lower the heat and stir in the cream. Cook until the cream is just heated then add the parmesan. Simmer until the sauce has thickened slightly. Season with some freshly ground Black Pepper, to taste. If you think it needs salt, add some, to taste.
Drain the Pasta and mix with the sauce. Serve immediately with extra parmesan on the side. Garnish with some fresh parsley, if desired. Enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Can I use a different type of pasta? Absolutely! Feel free to use your favorite pasta variety for this recipe. Whether it’s spaghetti, fettuccine, or penne, the creamy sauce will complement any shape.
Is it necessary to use wine in the sauce? If you’re able to use it, please do. The wine adds depth of flavor to the sauce but you can omit it if preferred. Simply replace it with an equal amount of chicken or vegetable broth for similar results.
Can I make this dish vegetarian? You can easily adapt this recipe to be vegetarian by omitting the pancetta. You can enhance the flavor by adding a pinch of smoked paprika or using a vegetarian bacon alternative.
How can I make this dish healthier? To make this dish lighter, you can substitute half-and-half or whole milk for the heavy cream. Additionally, incorporating more vegetables such as spinach or peas can boost the nutritional content.
If you’re looking for an easy and deliciously creamy pasta dinner idea to try, then this pasta with mushrooms and pancetta is the one to make!
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Creamy Pasta with Pancetta and Mushrooms
Ingredients
- 12 oz package of Pasta of your choice
- 1 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- 4 oz Pancetta, cubed
- 3 Garlic cloves., minced
- 8 oz package Baby Bella mushrooms, chopped
- ¼ cup dry White, (or Red wine)
- 1 cup Heavy/Double Cream
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan Cheese, or to taste
- Freshly ground Black Pepper, to taste
- Salt, if needed
Instructions
- In a heavy-bottomed pot, bring to a boil lightly salted water. Add the pasta and cook until al dente. While cooking the pasta, begin the process of cooking the sauce.
- In a large skillet or sauté pan, heat the oil. Cook the pancetta until browned but not crispy. Add the garlic and sauté briefly.
- Add the mushrooms and cook until the mushrooms have released its liquid. Pour in the wine. Increase the heat and reduce the wine/liquid to about half.
- Lower the heat and stir in the cream. Cook until the cream is just heated then add the parmesan. Simmer until the sauce has thickened slightly.
- Season with some freshly ground Black Pepper, to taste. If you think it needs salt, add some, to taste.
- Drain the Pasta and mix with the sauce. Serve immediately with extra parmesan on the side. Garnish with some fresh parsley, if desired. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Last updated on March 20th, 2024 at 04:45 pm
This looks great! The other day, I made Chicken Alfredo and Bacon Carbonara and looking at the recipe this is certainly something I will try next. The picture looks fabulous!
Would you prefer to add red or white wine to the dish?
Hi Jay! Because this has cream, white is preferred. I think I made this with red as that's what I had at that time. Thanks for asking.
Yum! Everything is better with pancetta and this pasta dish is no exception 🙂
I cannot agree more Sara!
Can I just say double YuM! I think you have the perfect combination right here. This looks so delicious. Pinning! 🙂
Thanks, Shannon! 🙂
Love mushrooms, they are so filling and hearty! This pasta looks so creamy and delicious! 🙂
So true and love the flavor they add, too. Thanks Josie! 🙂
This looks so perfect dreamy and creamy:)! The addition of garlic and parmesan give this the perfect flavors! Pinned! 🙂
Yes – garlic and parmesan makes everything great! Thanks, Florian!
We are hoping for a Trader Joe's here! But I don't think they will open up until we can sell wine in the grocery store!
I sure hope they will open up Trader Joe's where you are Pam. Love that store!
Too funny when we lived in New Haven I never bothered with TJ OR WF lol… There were so many tiny interesting international markets I used instead. I hope you explore those also!
I LOVE this pasta! I especially love that you do not scrimp on the mushrooms! Drool!
Yes we do Laura. Love the little delis nearby – great food and especially handy for the little stuff you tend to forget when you go grocery shopping. Great to know you once lived here! What a coincidence! 🙂
I can imagine eating this creamy mushroom sauce with all kinds of pasta. I think I would eat it everyday and not get tired of it. This is a delicious idea.
Oh this looks so yummy, I make something close to this and it tastes great. For those who cannot use wine for cooking (for many different reasons), you can also use chicken stock, which is pretty good too.
Can I just say thank you? I just saw this recipe late this afternoon, (ran out for mushrooms) and produced an incredibly tasty dinner in no time. It absolutely hit the spot. I used the chicken stock and it was so good. Thank you!!!
Oh I am absolutely delighted that you took the time to tell us that you enjoyed the recipe. Thank you so much! Glad to know that! 🙂
This was a big hit ! I added Swiss Chard …….will make this again and again !
What a delicious idea to add Swiss Chard! I have to try that and thank you so much for letting us know that you enjoyed this! Very happy to know that!
Can you make the sauce ahead of time, then just before serving, boil the pasta, heat the sauce, and then add? I have a girlfriend's group of 15 that will be here to play a game, then we break for lunch. It's this Thursday, so I'd appreciate a quick response. Looks really good for a crowd. I'll add chicken to make it more of a main dish, serve with grilled Caesar's Salad. What do you think? I will be following you from now on! PS. I live outside Houston, Texas.
It should be fine to cook the sauce ahead of time. I love the addition of chicken! Hope all goes well and you all enjoy it! Thanks!
Fantastic Pasta!!! I had to substitute the mushrooms (shame) because my son just wont eat them. I just added peppers, onions & chicken:) This was one of his favorites!!! Thank you!
Glad you managed to tweak it to your family's taste and that your son enjoyed it! Thanks for letting us know! 🙂
Made this for dinner tonight, it was awesome. I did add fresh, diced tomatoes for color. Thanks for the recipe, it will be a staple in our house!
Hello,
I was wondering, is this a recipe for two or three people ? I'm definitely going to be cooking this for my parents !
Great job ☺
About 4-6 servings (although amount depends on how much each person can consume) Carmen and hope you all enjoy it! Thanks!
i tried this today and it was really really tasty! Thanks for sharing! Definitely going to try it again
So glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for letting us know. 🙂
What kind of white wine
As with any recipe that calls for wine in savory dishes, get the one you'd love to drink after so it won't be wasted. In other words, your favorite white wine. 🙂
I make this recipe all the time, everyone loves it! I made this yesterday and added pesto! It was delicious!
Love this recipe. It’s a staple in our house now. Perfect as is!,
This recipe is amazing and so easy to make. Will definalety make it again.
I am so glad you enjoyed this!! Thank you!!
I’ll be making this for sure! However, we’re watching our weight, so I’ll substiture no-curd cottage cheese or whip up cottage cheese to use instead of heavy cream. Alternatively, low or no fat cream cheese would also work beautifully..just an fyi for others who stay away from heavy fats.
Hi from sunny Australia! I made this last night… added some baby spinach leaves and it was fantastic! Definitely adding to my recipe book. Thank you 🙂
So glad you enjoyed it and love the addition of spinach!
I’ve made this fabulous recipe a few times, always a huge hit. Thank you so much for sharing it.♥️♥️♥️
I am so glad you enjoyed this and thanks for letting us know.