Bacon and Mushroom Pasta with Sundried Tomatoes

Bacon and mushroom pasta with sun dried tomatoes, a perfect store cupboard meal that is just as good on a summer’s day as it is in midwinter.

A pasta recipe with big bold flavours and one that feels creamy without using any cream at all, this recipe will become a firm favourite.

Simple Midweek Pasta Dinner

Every cook should have a hat full of fairly quick and simple pasta recipes that can be thrown together mainly from store cupboard “stuff”.

I have dishes a varied as tuna and tomato pasta, pasta with peas, bacon and asparagus pasta and smoked mackerel pasta, all designed to be cooked mainly using stuff I usually have at home.

This is my latest offering, I “always” have a lump of bacon and some sundried tomatoes in the fridge. Grabbing some mushrooms from the shop is never an onerous task and as for pasta… Tonnes of it!

This bacon and mushroom pasta recipe is also as easy to cook as it is to shop for!

Chop the bacon and put it on to cook whilst you prepare the ret of the ingredients and bring the water to the boil.

Then season the water for the pasta and add it, and add most of the ingredients to the bacon.

After that it’s just a case of tossing a few more things together and you are all done.

It is delicious, bold, hearty, filling and all sorts of my kinda lazy day cooking mojo.

If you want a creamy sauce, check out my creamy chicken and bacon pasta or chicken and mushroom tagliatelle recipes.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is this creamy without using cream?

I very rarely add cream to pasta dishes, it really is not needed to make a creamy coating. The secret is the right amount of oil and using the cooking liquid from the pasta.

This liquid is quite starchy and salty, mix some of that with the oil and in this recipe, a bit of parmesan and you end up with a glorious silky & creamy coating.

What mushrooms should I use?

Absolutely anything that you can get your hands on, this is a convenience meal. That will likely mean anything that your local store ahs in stock.

Can I use sun-dried tomatoes that are not packed in oil?

Yes, but you will need to rehydrate them before you cook, as a result, this recipe takes a lot longer. You will also need to double or even triple the amount of oil used to get the same silky mouthfeel.

Are the fresh herbs essential?

No, they are a nice addition. I tend to use basil or lots of parsley depending on what is doing well in the garden, yes I am that kinda chap.

In winter I’ll add some dried basil, maybe some oregano too because buying fresh herbs it too expensive!

Serving Suggestions

Your biggest choice in this dish is the choice of pasta. If you believe the interweb, a dark art in choosing pasta for a dish with hard and fast rights and wrongs.

I’m not that chap, I grew up in a time and place where pasta meant spaghetti lol!

There are some shapes that suit different types of sauces or coating better than others.

This bacon and mushroom pasta has quite a light sauce so you want something quite open without nooks and crannies. I also avoid tubes like penne and rigatoni.

I tend to stick to long pasta a little wider than spaghetti, so linguini, fettuccini, tagliatelle all work really well. I’ve even served it with my homemade duck egg pasta but that takes away much of the convenience!

As for side dishes I tend to stick to some buttery garlic bread or cheesy garlic bread.

Equipment Used

I only mention specific brands of equipment if I think they make a material difference to a recipe. If you have any questions feel free to ask them in the comments section of the recipe.

• Stovetop.
• 28cm or 11″ frying pan or skillet.
• 20cm or 8″ saucepan.
• Kitchen knife.
• Chopping board.
• Weighing scales and or measuring cups and spoons.
• Stirring and serving implements.