Pasta and noodles · Italian · 30 min
Spicy Bacon, Eggplant & Mushroom Pasta (Amatriciana) with Parsley
- 30 min
- 2–6 servings
- 681 kcal / serving
A hearty weeknight pasta with smoky bacon, tender eggplant, and mushrooms in a bright tomato sauce. The mix stays cozy on the plate while the quick cook time keeps weeknights simple.
Free on iPhone · servings scaled, grocery list written for you.
Ingredients
- 4 slicesbacon
- 1eggplant
- 2 clovesgarlic
- ½ small bunchItalian (flat-leaf) parsley
- 1 ozParmesan cheese
- 5 ozpenne pasta
- 1shallot
- 1 (8 oz) cantomato sauce
- ¼ lbwhite mushrooms
- eggplants
- red onion
From the pantry: black pepper, crushed red pepper, salt
Cookware
can opener · chef's knife · colander · cutting board · garlic press (optional) · grater · measuring spoons · medium saucepan · mixing bowls · nonstick skillet · slotted spoon · stirring spoon
Kitchen help: cups to grams · tablespoons to cups · oven temperatures · butter conversions · what each cooking tool is for · ingredient substitutes
More dinner ideas: easy dinners
Shopping list by aisle
Produce
- 1eggplant
- 2 clovesgarlic
- ½ small bunchItalian (flat-leaf) parsley
- 1shallot
- ¼ lbwhite mushrooms
- eggplants
- red onion
Meat & seafood
- 4 slicesbacon
Dairy, eggs & chilled
- 1 ozParmesan cheese
Pantry & dry goods
- 5 ozpenne pasta
- 1 (8 oz) cantomato sauce
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Ingredients for 2, 4 and 6 servings
| Ingredient | 2 servings | 4 servings | 6 servings |
|---|---|---|---|
| bacon | 4 slices | 8 slices | 12 slices |
| eggplant | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| garlic | 2 cloves | 4 cloves | 6 cloves |
| Italian (flat-leaf) parsley | ½ small bunch | 1 small bunch | 1 small bunch |
| Parmesan cheese | 1 oz | 2 oz | 3 oz |
| penne pasta | 5 oz | 10 oz | 15 oz |
| shallot | 1 | ||
| tomato sauce | 1 (8 oz) can | 2 (8 oz) cans | 3 (8 oz) cans |
| white mushrooms | ¼ lb | ½ lb | ¾ lb |
| red onion | ½ medium | 1 medium |
Quantities in US units. Any other household size: MealPot scales the recipe and the grocery list for you.
Directions
- Boil a pot of salted water and cook the pasta until al dente, then drain and return it to the pot.
- Wash and dry the produce while the pasta cooks.
- Dice the eggplant and mushrooms; set aside in a bowl.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Cut the bacon into small pieces.
- Cook the bacon in the skillet until crispy, about 4–5 minutes; transfer to a paper towel–lined plate and keep the drippings in the skillet.
- Peel and mince the shallot and garlic on a clean cutting board.
- Add the eggplant, mushrooms, shallot, garlic, and a pinch of salt to the skillet with bacon drippings; cook until the vegetables are soft and golden, 7–8 minutes.
- Return the pasta to the pan, along with the tomato sauce and spices; simmer briefly until warmed through, about 2 minutes.
- Chop the parsley leaves and grate the Parmesan.
- Stir the veggie sauce and bacon into the pasta, then add half the parsley.
- Divide among plates, top with the remaining parsley and a sprinkle of red pepper and Parmesan, and serve.
Two tips
- Prep in advance by dicing the eggplant and mushrooms and mincing the shallot and garlic.
- Store leftovers in the fridge and reheat with a little extra tomato sauce or a drizzle of pasta water; finish with Parmesan and crushed red pepper.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 681 kcal
- Protein
- 28 g
- Carbs
- 83 g
- Fat
- 28 g
- Fiber
- 15 g
- Sodium
- 408 mg
Estimates from the recipe's published nutrition data; they change with the version you pick above.
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Ingredient quantities, timing and nutrition follow the original Mealime recipe ↗ (captured 2026-09-12). The photo is MealPot's AI-rendered illustration of the finished dish; the description, directions, aisle list and serving table are MealPot's.