5 Easy Italian Pasta Recipes to Fall in Love With

To fall in love with Italy, you only need to do two things: watch Gianluca Vacchi dance and try some authentic pasta. Spaghetti is the perfect base for a quick and hearty meal. Even if your fridge is almost empty, you’ll likely find a few ingredients to make a delicious pasta dish. Despite its simplicity, pasta is incredibly versatile, so you’ll never get bored of cooking and eating it. Here are five recipes you must try.

1. Spaghetti with Parmesan and Garlic

The formula for traditional Italian pasta is simple: spaghetti, garlic, and Parmesan. This recipe has only six ingredients and takes just 20 minutes to prepare, making it an excellent dish for a solitary dinner after a long workday.

Ingredients:

150 grams of spaghetti
2 cloves of garlic
2 tablespoons of butter
1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon of fresh chopped parsley
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

Boil water in a pot, add a pinch of salt, and cook the pasta until al dente. While the spaghetti is cooking, heat a pan. Melt the butter, add the grated garlic, and sauté briefly. Turn off the heat, add the spaghetti to the pan, and sprinkle generously with Parmesan and parsley. The amount of cheese can be adjusted to your liking.

2. Simple Pasta Carbonara

This is a great recipe for your first attempt at making pasta. Classic spaghetti carbonara was invented in the mid-20th century in the Italian region of Lazio, whose capital is Rome. In Lazio, pancetta is added to pasta carbonara, but in other regions and countries, it is often replaced with smoked bacon.

Ingredients:

40 grams of bacon
2 egg yolks
1 whole egg
1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and black pepper to taste
200 grams of bucatini (thick spaghetti with a hole)

Instructions:

Fill a pot with water, add a generous amount of salt, and bring to a boil. While the water is heating, fry the bacon in a pan until crispy. In a bowl, mix the egg yolks, whole egg, Parmesan, and pepper. Cook the spaghetti, then drain, reserving a cup of pasta water. Add the spaghetti to the egg and Parmesan mixture, then transfer to the pan with the bacon. Add the reserved pasta water, one tablespoon at a time, until the pasta reaches a creamy consistency (usually about 1/4 cup of water is needed). Add more Parmesan, salt, and pepper to taste.

3. Pasta with Pesto Sauce and Tomatoes

With this recipe, you’ll make spaghetti with the famous pesto sauce. The highlight of the dish is the toasted breadcrumbs, which add a delightful crunch that contrasts beautifully with the soft tomatoes.

Ingredients:

100 grams of cherry tomatoes
300 grams of spaghetti
1/4 cup of breadcrumbs
1 clove of garlic
Olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
200 grams of Parmesan cheese

For the pesto sauce:

Fresh basil
100 grams of Parmesan cheese
Olive oil
80 grams of pine nuts
2-3 cloves of garlic
Coarse sea salt

Instructions:

To make the pesto sauce, crush the basil in a mortar with salt. Grind the nuts in a blender and finely chop the garlic. Add the garlic and nuts to the mortar along with the grated Parmesan, and continue crushing. Add olive oil, mix thoroughly, and refrigerate for a couple of hours.

For the pasta, preheat the oven to 200°C (392°F). Cut the cherry tomatoes in half and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Drizzle with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast until soft.

Cook the spaghetti, reserving half a cup of pasta water. Heat a pan, add the breadcrumbs, chopped garlic, olive oil, and a pinch of salt. Sauté for a couple of minutes. Mix the spaghetti with the pesto sauce, adding a couple of tablespoons of pasta water until the sauce evenly coats the pasta. Add the tomatoes and toasted breadcrumbs, and mix again. Top with grated Parmesan and fresh basil.

4. Spaghetti in Red Wine

This recipe includes traditional pasta ingredients, but the uniqueness comes from the red wine. It gives a sweet, rich aroma unlike anything you’ve tried before. Any dry red wine will work. Grab a couple of bottles: one for the pasta and one for yourself.

Ingredients:

500 grams of spaghetti
Olive oil
4 cloves of garlic
1/2 cup of fresh chopped parsley
1 cup of walnuts
1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese
Salt, black pepper, and red pepper to taste
1 bottle of red wine

Instructions:

Mix five cups of water with three cups of wine and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil and cook the spaghetti, reserving half a cup of pasta water. Heat a pan, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil, garlic, salt, and red pepper. Pour in the remaining wine and pasta water. Bring to a boil, add the pasta, and cook until the liquid is almost completely absorbed. Add the parsley, walnuts, cheese, and mix thoroughly.

5. Pasta “Margherita”

Tomatoes and mozzarella cheese make this pasta reminiscent of a Margherita pizza. The dish is simple to prepare and elegant in appearance, perfect for a romantic dinner after a workday.

Ingredients:

500 grams of spaghetti
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 teaspoon of chopped garlic
1/4 teaspoon of anchovy paste
200 grams of cherry tomatoes
200 grams of mozzarella cheese
Fresh basil, salt, and pepper to taste

Instructions:

Cook the spaghetti. In a small saucepan, heat the olive oil with the anchovy paste and garlic until the garlic is golden. Preheat the oven to 200°C (392°F). Cut the cherry tomatoes in half and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Drizzle with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast until soft. Add the chopped basil, tomatoes with their juices, and the anchovy paste with garlic to the pasta. Mix thoroughly. Drizzle with olive oil and top with fresh mozzarella cheese.

For more delicious recipes, check out this article on simple dishes for a cozy dinner.