The world's most delicious pasta dishes: recipes to suit every taste and occasion

Recipes


The world's most delicious pasta dishes: recipes to suit every taste and occasion

By Stylist Team

11 years ago

If we could give a medal to the hardest-working multi-tasker of the food world, it would have to go to pasta.

No ingredient is quite so versatile when it comes to blending different flavours and tastes (creamy burrata, hot chilli, bacon, sage or squash - you name it, pasta can do it). No foodstuff is as flexible in meeting the needs of picky eaters (pasta can be veggie, gluten-free and even low carb). And above all, no dish is as eminently satisfying whatever the occasion.

Want a Friday night comfort splurge? Fresh tagliatelle heaped with prosciutto will do the job. Need to wow your dinner guests? Orecchiette cacio e pepe is there to please. Fancy a quick-fix lunch option? Throw together a pasta shell salad with burrata, peas and green beans on the side.

Read on for 15 reasons why this queen of Italian cuisine is our hero kitchen ingredient - courtesy of the most tasty-looking recipes Pinterest has to share:

The cheesy delight: caprese mac and cheese

Image: simply-delicious-food.com via Pinterest

It's not the most traditional of dishes, but this Italian twist on an American classic leads to the most delicious-looking meal ever. Cheese lovers, dig in.

Find a recipe here via simply-delicious-food.com.

The multi-tasker: roasted cauliflower and mushroom carbonara

Image: closetcooking.com via Pinterest

With courgettes, mushrooms and a creamy egg and bacon sauce, this solid all-rounder has a little bit of something for everyone.

Find a recipe here via closetcooking.com.

The meat lover's hit: pappardelle bolognese

Image: kneadforfood.com via Pinterest

Pappardelle comes from the Italian verb pappare, meaning "to gobble up", and we challenge any carnivore not to pounce upon this combo of fresh pasta in ground lamb and pork bolognese sauce.

Find a recipe here via kneadforfood.com.

The gluten-free one: courgette strip pasta with pesto

Image: divinehealthyfood.com via Pinterest

It's hard to believe that stripped courgette could taste as good as actual pasta, but word on the street is it works. Seasoning is your friend here, from garlic to lemon juice and fresh basil.

Find a recipe here via divinehealthyfood.com.

The veggie-friendly bake: one-pan fajita pasta

Image: bakerbynature.com via Pinterest

Italy is a promised land for vegetarians; there's no shortage of delicious meat-free pasta options. This one is creamy and delicious with minimal washing up.

Find a recipe here via bakerbynature.com.

The classic Italian dish: fettuccine alfredo

Image: Birreria Italico via Pinterest

Cream, butter, parmesan cheese and parsley combine to make this absolute corker of an indulgent Italian classic.

Find a recipe here via BBC Food.

The comfort meal: tomato and goat's cheese penne bake

Image: amandakbythebay.blogspot.co.uk via Pinterest

Sometimes you just need a little pick-me-up at the end of a hard day's work. We find this cheese-heavy penne bake does the job rather nicely.

Find a recipe here via amandakbythebay.blogspot.co.uk.

The leftover lunch option: orecchiette pasta with burrata

Image: feastingathome.com via Pinterest

This recipe is simple to make and looks so beautiful; it's guaranteed to make your colleagues green with envy as a light lunchbox option.

Find a recipe here via feastingathome.com.

The mid-week quick fix: caprese pasta salad

Image: cookieandcake.com via Pinterest

Minimal ingredients are the key to mid-week cooking, so next time you reach for the pizza delivery leaflet turn instead to this deliciously simple fusion of fusilli pasta, mozzarella balls and cherry tomatoes.

Find a recipe here via cookieandkate.com.

The Friday night treat: fresh tagliatelle with prosciutto and lemon

Image: oggipannesalamedomani.it via Pinterest

Come Friday night you want to simultaneously flop and indulge. Voilà: tagliatelli drizzled in lemon and hunks of prosciutto.

Find a recipe here via oggipannesalamedomani.it.

The weekend crowd-pleaser: skinny sausage and roasted red pepper pasta

Image: vikalinka.com via Pinterest

A recipe that's at once filling and not overly bad for you (thanks to the reduced fat sausages), this is a good one to share among a group of friends at the weekend.

Find a recipe here via vikalinka.com.

The dinner party starter: ricotta-stuffed baby shells with butter roasted tomato sauce

Image: agneseitalianrecipes.blogspot.it via Pinterest

These pots of delight are the perfect starter; they're easy to make and look gorgeous. A guaranteed people-pleaser.

Find a recipe here via ageneitalianrecipes.blogspot.it.

The wow factor centrepiece: orecchiette cacio e pepe with roasted squash and burrata

Image: thekitchykitchen.com via Pinterest

Even hardened foodies would struggle to be impressed by orecchiette cacio e pepe, a thunderbolt of a dish with kale leaves, burrata and Pecorino Romano cheese.

Find a recipe here via kitchykitchen.com.

The last days of summer dish: spaghetti with lemon marinated chicken

Image: godofscrumprecipes.tumblr.com via Pinterest

If we could choose one recipe that epitomises balmy late summer evenings - warm but with a crisp hint of autumn in the air - it would be this. You can just imagine eating it outside as the evening draws in.

Find a recipe here via godofscrumprecipes.tumblr.com.

The game changer: caramelized onion, egg and bacon pasta

Image: crunchybottoms.wordpress.com via Pinterest

What do you get when you cross a fry-up with pasta? This killer of an offbeat recipe, that's what. If you fancy a little experimental cooking, look no further.

Find a recipe here via crunchybottoms.wordpress.com.

Topics

Share this article

undefined

By signing up you agree to occasionally receive offers and promotions from Stylist. Newsletters may contain online ads and content funded by carefully selected partners. Don’t worry, we’ll never share or sell your data. You can opt-out at any time. For more information read Stylist’s Privacy Policy

Thank you!

You’re now subscribed to all our newsletters. You can manage your subscriptions at any time from an email or from a MyStylist account.