Moriah Mason is part of the fellowship program at Dotdash Meredith, currently with Allrecipes. Moriah writes trending news articles, updates existing articles, and analyzes site traffic. She is an experienced writer who has contributed to several publications, including Samford Crimson and Alabama Political Reporter.
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Published on September 30, 2022
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Pasta is the perfect blank canvas that allows you to experiment while also fulfilling your wildest cooking dreams. From simple dishes like pesto pasta to labors of love like classic lasagna, there's an endless number of pasta dishes to try. But these 15 must-make recipes — including bolognese, cacio e pepe and carbonara — are the essential dishes every home cook should have in their repertoire.
01of 16
Baked Ziti
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Cheese lovers rejoice! This baked ziti has not one but three types of cheese — provolone, mozzarella, and Parmesan — loaded in it for a gooey, melty masterpiece.
This simple yet delicious pasta dish is bound to satisfy even the pickiest eater in your household. Containing only butter, heavy cream, Romano cheese, Parmesan cheese, fettuccine pasta, and a dash of garlic salt, it's simple but oh so delicious.
03of 16
Spaghetti Carbonara
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Revel in the meaty taste of bacon in this flavorful carbonara recipe. It's ready in just 40 minutes and makes a whopping 8 helpings making it perfect for an easy entertaining dinner.
04of 16
Spaghetti Cacio e Pepe
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There's no denying cacio e pepe is a beloved dish and it's easy enough to make at home. Trust us, this recipe has more than 200 5-star ratings! So there's no second-guessing the deliciousness of this perfect pasta dish.
05of 16
Slow Cooker Bolognese
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Bolognese is usually a labor of love, simmering all day on the stove. Make it easier on yourself with this hands-off recipe that utilizes the slow cooker. Pair it with any kind of pasta for a filling family dinner.
06of 16
Gnocchi with Tomato Sauce and Mozzarella
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Fresh mozzarella cheese and fresh basil give this gnocchi recipe bright flavor. Recipe creator Alemarsi says this recipe works with both homemade gnocchi and store-bought.
07of 16
Bucatini All' Amatriciana
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This pasta dish featuring guanciale (a type of cured pork) is Chef Carlo Apolloni's signature dish. It makes just two servings, making it the perfect recipe to try for a date night in.
Whether you like your pasta hot or cold, this Pesto Pasta is delicious either way! This recipe is for those times when you need to get lunch or dinner on the table in 15 minutes! Quick but lip-smacking good.
09of 16
Classic and Simple Meat Lasagna
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You can't beat a warm slice of lasagna that's been filled with juicy ground beef, savory tomato-basil sauce, creamy ricotta and melty mozzarella cheese.
10of 16
One Pan Orecchiette Pasta
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Skip cleaning a mountain of dishes and make a scrumptious orecchiette pasta all in a matter of 40 minutes using just one pot. From the spicy Italian sausage, chicken broth, and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, this is one recipe that you'll want to make on repeat.
11of 16
Garlic-Herb Linguine
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This simple Garlic-Herb Linguine is the perfect side dish for any protein. Here's what reviewer Lisa D. Thompson had to say about it, "Simple and delicious! Great side dish."
12of 16
Bow Ties with Sausage, Tomato, and Cream
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The creamy tomato base of this pasta dish is infused with flavor thanks to sausage. If you like it spicy try it with hot Italian sausage.
13of 16
Three Cheese Manicotti
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Impress your family with this Three Cheese Manicotti dish that is not only made using three different types of cheeses but kicks up the flavor with garlic, basil, and pasta sauce.
14of 16
Tomato Basil Penne Pasta
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A little pepper Jack cheese adds a hint of spiciness to this simple and savory Tomato Basil Penne Pasta.
15of 16
Pantry Puttanesca
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"Quick, easy, and full of flavor!" says reviewer Jillian. This delicious pasta is ready in just 20 minutes and uses ingredients you probably already have on hand.
Pasta is naturally very low in sodium and is cholesterol-free. Whole-grain pasta can provide up to 25% of recommended daily fiber intake in every 2-oz dry portion,8 and it provides oligosaccharides, phenolics, lignans, and phytic acid, but it is not fortified with folic acid.
Well, whilst it's true that there are around 350 different types, it's a little known fact that each shape and style is best suited to specific types of Italian cuisine.
Su filindeu—literally “threads of God” in Sardo—is unfathomably intricate. It's made by only three women on Earth, all of whom live on Sardinia. And they make it only for the biannual Feast of San Francesco. It's been this way for the last 200 years.
To be sure that your pasta is cooked correctly, it is enough to follow a few, simple rules. To begin with, you should keep in mind the right quantities. In Italy, the golden rule for cooking pasta is 1, 10, 100 or 1 liter of water, 10 grams of salt for every 100 grams of pasta.
Take a ladle of the water—a quarter cup or so—and set it aside before draining your pasta, then add that water to your sauce. The way you drain the pasta can also affect the flavor and texture.
Pasta dough also needs some plasticity for it to be moulded into all of those wonderful shapes. All-purpose flour does what it says on the tin, so it's perfectly fine to use for making pasta. However, most pasta recipes will recommend either semola or “00” flour.
A cup of cooked pasta serves up 8 grams of protein and 2.5 grams of fiber, plus 26 percent of the daily value for folate and 10 percent for iron—all for just 220 calories.
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