The Only Guide To Pasta You'll Ever Need

I have never met a carb I haven’t loved, but pasta (in it’s one million iterations) will always have a special place in my heart. Spag bowls on Sundays, mac & cheese when you get home late and just want to taste The Color Orange, aglio e olio when you’re out of ingredients but still want to whip something up, cacio e pepe when you need a vessel on which to consume more cheese. The list goes on…

The problem with pasta’s reputation, however, is that either it’s dead simple or it’s vaguely impossible, and there's no middle ground. There’s the world of “dump noodles and jarred sauce into pot,” but there’s also the “salt and strain your zucchini, also deglaze pan, also 46 niche spices that you’ll use once, and you never remember to save the pasta water.” It doesn’t have to be this way.

Pasta is the most forgiving thing you can make, so this week we’re diving into the middle ground.

Put simply…how to make good pasta on Easy Mode.

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The Formula

Pasta Shape + Fat Base + Protein/Umami + Acid + Fun Finishing Touch = Dinner

This is something that I didn’t full believe until recently…the pasta shape matters more than people think. Long pasta (spaghetti, linguine) needs thinner, clingy sauces. Short pasta (penne, rigatoni) can handle chunkier, more substantial sauces. Just think about all of the grooves and ridges that can hold stuff versus the surface area that let’s you slurp sauce.

Speaking of sauce! The best pasta sauces aren't fussy, and ultimately if you tick all of the boxes, they’re kind of hard to mess up. Start with something acidic (tomato, wine, lemon), something fat (olive oil, butter, cheese), something savory (garlic, anchovies, meat, mushrooms, whatever), and then let the pasta water do the heavy lifting. Anything that tastes super creamy and clings to the noodle really well is usually a result of this emulsifier and not cream.

One thing that I will say is that the fat base is where you build pretty much all of your flavor. I am the master of “Sort Low to High,” but I do fear that really good (a bit more expensive) olive oil and butter do make all the difference here. They carry the team when it comes to creating flavor and also transporting other flavors through the dish.

The protein/umami is where you add backbone. This could be ground meat (brown it first!), anchovies (tiny little flavor bombs), mushrooms (earthy and substantial), or just good Parmesan (the real kind).

The acid cuts through everything and makes it taste alive. Think tomatoes, lemon, red wine, or vinegar. It really doesn’t matter.

The finishing touch is just the fun, pretty part. Fresh parsley, a crack of black pepper, lemon zest, crispy breadcrumbs, anything!

My 5 Go-To Pasta Recipes

Aglio e Olio

Garlic. Olive oil. Pasta water. Pasta. Red pepper flakes if you're feeling spicy. It’s one of the best and simplest pasta recipes and it literally costs $1.50 per person and takes 12 minutes to make. Here’s a recipe on Pepper!

Bolognese

Brown ground beef with onion and garlic (when someone walks in and comments about how good it smells, say “it’s just onion and garlic,” this is an important step), add tomato paste and a splash of red wine if you have it, or chicken broth if you don't. Add canned tomatoes. Simmer for 20 minutes. Toss with pasta and Parmesan. The end. Here’s a recipe.

Lemon Pasta

This is one of those recipes that sounds fancy when you call it spaghetti al limone, but is really as easy to make as mac & cheese. It’s just pasta water, butter, lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, and parm. You can add shrimp, white beans, or chicken if you want protein, and the simplicity makes it so easy to pair with anything else you have on the menu. Here’s a recipe that adds chicken and peas!

Creamy Mushroom Pasta

Sauté mushrooms until they're brown, add garlic, thyme, a splash of white wine, and cream or crème fraîche. Toss with pasta and fresh parsley. Here’s a recipe!

The One-Pot Pasta

This sounds lazy but, it truly is one of my favorites, because one pot dishes really let all of the flavors sit with each other. The go to is just putting pasta, raw garlic, cherry tomatoes, spinach, chicken broth, olive oil, all in one pot. The pasta releases starch, the tomatoes break down, the spinach wilts, and everything seasons each other. It’s great. Here’s a recipe to work from!