Most Popular Pasta Dishes With Vegetables

1. Krautfleckerl

Krautfleckerl is an Austrian pasta dish with Bohemian (Czech Republic) roots that features handcrafted flickers pasta squares and white cabbage. The recipe begins by caramelizing onions, cabbage, and sugar, which are then seasoned with caraway seeds, pepper, and salt before being combined with prepared pasta.

Optionally, bouillon, vinegar, or water may be added to prevent the cabbage from drying out. The cuisine is popular in the majority of Central European nations, including Hungary, Germany, Poland, and Croatia. Still, the dish differs from country to country, with some countries adding bacon, parsley, and garlic, while others omitting certain ingredients.

2. Spaghetti aglio olio e peperoncino

Lazio is the origin of the classic Italian cuisine spaghetti aglio olio e peperoncino. This cucina povera staple is prepared with only a few simple ingredients, including spaghetti, garlic, olive oil, parsley, and peperoncino rosso or diavolillo, a small red chili pepper that adds a spicy kick to the dish.

The spaghetti is cooked until al dente and then tossed with sautéed garlic and chile powder. This Roman staple can be found in the majority of trattorias in Rome and the Lazio region, but it is also popular in Campania and Abruzzo.

3. Pasta e patate

Pasta e potatoes is a typical example of la cucina povera, which is characterized by the use of leftovers and common ingredients to create novel dishes. This dish is typically prepared with a combination of pasta and potatoes, as well as onions, celery, cheese rind, tomatoes, carrots, parsley, and garlic, although there are numerous variations and recipes vary from household to household.

The pasta and potatoes can be served in a soupy or dried state, according to the individual’s preference. Pasta mista (lit. mixed pasta) refers to residual pasta of any shape available in the kitchen and is typically used in the preparation of this dish.

4. Pizzoccheri alla Valtellinese

This traditional pasta dish is made with buckwheat pizzoccheri, potatoes, and cabbage, which is substituted with Swiss chard or green beans according to the season. All of the ingredients are prepared together and layered with Parmigiano Reggiano, Valtellina Casera, and garlicky melted butter.

Before being served, pizzoccheri alla Valtellinese is briefly baked to enable the cheese to melt and the ingredients to combine. It is presumed that this Italian classic was created following the introduction of pizzoccheri pasta in the 16th century, although little is known about its origin.

5. Pasta Primavera

Pasta primavera is a dish composed of pasta, vegetables that have been gently cooked, and fresh herbs and spices. The dish, despite its Italian-sounding name, was created by Ed Giobbi during a hunting expedition in Nova Scotia. He took the recipe to New York City and gave it to his friends Jean Vernges and Sirio Maccioni, who used it in their new Le Cirque restaurant.

The original pasta primavera included ripe tomatoes, minced basil, parsley, and garlic, as well as spaghetti and olive oil. It was the most talked-about dish in Manhattan in 1976, and it remains popular.

6. Pasta al pomodoro

Pasta al Pomodoro is a traditional Italian dish typically prepared with spaghetti (or any other form of pasta), fresh tomatoes, basil, olive oil, salt, and onions or garlic. Some claim that adding pasta water to the dish in its final stages is the secret to creating a delicious pasta al pomodoro.

The dish is a basic, light, and quick meal that can be prepared by anyone, which is said to be the reason for its enormous popularity. It is recommended to serve it with some grated cheese for optimal results.

7. Penne all arrabbiata

Penne all arrabbiata is a pasta dish prepared with a fiery spicy sauce comprised of tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, and red chili peppers. As the Italian word arrabbiata literally translates to “angry,” this dish is frequently mistranslated as “angry pasta”; however, the term actually refers to the pasta’s intense, spicy sauce, which is so potent that it can make you flush.

In lieu of penne, ziti rigati or rigatoni may be substituted. Even though it is traditionally served as an appetizer or primo piatto, this simple yet flavorful pasta dish can surely stand on its own as a main course.

8. Penne alla Vodka

Penne alla vodka is a popular cuisine composed of penne pasta, heavy cream, tomato sauce, and vodka, which imparts a distinctive flavor to the entire dish. Some food historians assert that it was created in Bologna, Italy, while others assert that it was created in New York.

Regardless of its origins, it continues to be a popular heated pasta dish garnished with basil leaves and grated parmesan.

9. Spaghetti aglio e olio

This timeless Italian classic is another pillar of cucina povera, the traditional Italian peasant-style cuisine that makes the most out of as few ingredients as possible. Even though the official name of this simple, iconic dish literally translates to spaghetti, garlic, and oil, there is an optional ingredient that adds a spicy kick and a nice touch of warmth: the tiny red chili pepper known in Italian as peperoncino rosso, or diavolillo (literally “little devil”), as it is affectionately known in some parts of the country.

The dish is prepared by tossing spaghetti with sautéed garlic (and chile flakes for aglio, olio, and peperoncino) and olive oil. The Italian Academy of Cuisine officially designated spaghetti aglio e olio as a typical dish of Lazio, although it is sometimes suggested that this basic pasta dish originated in the neighboring regions of Abruzzo and Campania.

10. Spaghetti alla puttanesca

Spaghetti alla puttanesca, a classic Neapolitan dish locally known as olive e chiappariell (literally olives and capers), is a southern Italian pasta dish frequently accompanied by wildly inappropriate and largely inaccurate hypotheses on the origin and meaning of its name.

While the Italian word puttana literally translates to prostitute and many people believe that this pasta dish was created at the beginning of the 20th century in the brothels of Naples to be served to guests after exhausting sexual encounters, in colloquial Italian, the word puttanesca is used to describe something worthless or useless, reflecting the fact that puttanesca is so quick and easy to prepare, using humble ingredients and frequently even leftovers.