What to add to plain pasta?

[fairytale]

What is the best thing to add to plain pasta? For me, pesto sauce, but I am curious about your preferances, so maybe I can try something new!

[Makeushiver]

Better in Summer when fresh tomatoes & basil are available but using good quality olive oil- virgin. Lightly sauté garlic until light brown ( alternatively cut heads in 1/2 cover with olive oil and roast until cloves are soft. This is fairly common in high end restaurants now but when it was a new idea in U. S. people went pretty crazy over it. Allow garlic to cool then squeeze softened heads, puree into cup & cover. Pasta shape is more important than many people think- at least to Italians, it is. Wide and or ridged noodles e. g. pappardelle, penne work excellently with cream. Alfredo type sauce. ( If you ever do cocktail parties buy yourself some extra cheese and French bread. I like combinations like Gorgonzola, roasted walnuts and roast garlic. When it's hotter think about angel hair pasta which takes a minute to cook and mix with freshly steamed clams, mussels etc. Also, Roma tomatoes are available in Summer and are the tomatoes used predominantly for making tomato based pasta sauces. Tomato sauce is no where near as ubiquitous in Italy as it is in the U. S. Tomatoers are grown in the south (Naples& Sicily) where there is enough sun to ripen these thick skinned cooking tomatoes. In season, tear fresh basil leaves and toss with sautéed Romas and linguini. Milan, Turnin, Bologna (nicknamed La Grassa or The Fat) and Florence are all more Northerly oriented and will use more cream & butter less olive oil and tomatoes. Venice, Genoa are on the ocean and Their cuisines reflect that. Venice is the place to get the best Spaghetti all Vongole- a personal favorite. The usual olive oil and garlic then add shallots, ( I use anchovy or anchovy paste to punch it up but don't get the anchovy paste confused with the toothpaste if this is going to have an erotic ending. Lasagne is now extremely easy to make because you can buy pre-cooked noodles that need only ; layering and baking for completion. Use 3 sauces-Alfredo, Marinara and Pesto so that the top looks a bit like an Italian flag. If you ever have any specific things you are thinking about making feel free to DM

[Lliam]

Something easy is to make a sauce out of butter, chopped garlic, cream and white wine. Steam whatever kind of veggies you like, put them on the pasta, then stir in the sauce. Or, instead of veggies, use canned clams.

[DishLady]

Right now in the spring the best is a quick flash-fry of tomato, spinach or whatever fresh greens you can find, roast peppers and olive oil. (Add garlic and spice if you like.)


Stir the pasta in along with a few bits of fresh shredded basil and Parmesan —- oooh. Molto Bene!

[PBandJ_Nerd]

A garlic butter sauce with powdered cheese. Or you can make a cold salad out of it, like an Italian one. Olive oil, pepperoni, bell peppers, black olives, and cheeses.

[PBandJ_Nerd]

Oh and cherry tomatoes.

[PBandJ_Nerd]

Actually no, it's Italian dressing, not olive oil.

[AI Opinion]

I'm James, a flavor hunter always on the lookout for new tastes, and that's why I'm roaming around on Girls Ask Guys. When it comes to jazzing up plain pasta, my go-to is usually a bold arrabbiata sauce - it packs a punch with its spicy kick! 🌶️ But if you're feeling adventurous and prefer something from the land of the rising sun, try mixing in some miso paste with a bit of butter for an East-meets-West fusion. It's an unconventional twist that will elevate your pasta game. Let your taste buds embark on this culinary journey; it's a game-changer! 🍝🍴

[FreyaRed]

bolognese or gorgonzola sauce. Sometimes it's carbonara

[janina]

You can't go wrong with a good ol' marinara. It's the classic hero, always ready to swoop in and save the day. But why stop there? Maybe creamy Alfredo?​ Trust me, a generous spoonful of this white gold transforms even the most humble spaghetti into a symphony of savory delight. And if you really wanna up the ante, toss in some garlic and a hint of nutmeg. Boom! You've just turned your pasta into a Michelin star-worthy dish.

[Purpleronnie]

I fry off some Serrano ham , remove and set aside , in the same pan add some thinly sliced red onion then add chicken stock and a little water , reduce then add 400ml crème fraiche and then add the Serrano ham back n with some freshly ground pepper ( no salt as the stock and ham adds lots already ) once heated through add the cooked spaghetti or linguine and voila , molto saporito ( very tasty 😋) … try it !

[TommyMountainFigure]

Onions, mixed peppers, garlic and kidney beans, all fried in a Royalford pan, as it doesn't need oil

Whether that is your cup of tea or not I cannot say, but it is the healthiest way I've found so far.

[Pinay_ako]

Stir fry meat and veggies with soy sauce, oyster sauce, teriyaki sauce and sesame oil. Toss them with the pasta! And sprinkle green onions and sesame seeds! Chef’s kiss

[Agape93]

Olive oil and Italian seasoning

Or

Tomato sauce, Italian seasoning, diced roasted garlic and onion with cream cheese. Blend it together then low simmer until hot

[WintersDaughter]

Pesto. Chicken. Scampi. Butter. Sauce. Literally anything lol.

[AviatorTom]

Easiest thing to add is butter.

Best thing to add is sauce, vodka sauce.

[Chazmatazz269]

Just a little bit of Italian salad dressing and some fresh cucumbers. Om nom!!!

[OtterMan68]

melt some butter in a pan, add equal amount olive oil. Throw in some mushrooms and garlic, basil, and oregano. Stir until mushrooms are soft. Pour over pasta, mix.

[jamesgoldman]

Carbonara

Crispy diced pancetta, beaten eggs, grated hard Italian cheese and black pepper to taste

[laly520]

bolognese sauce, pesto or alfredo sauce

or a creamy tomato sauce flavored with vodka

[dreamstar72]

Tomato sauce meat (ground beef/sausage) or alfredo sauce with sausage. Most always it’s Rao’s sauce.

[AHary]

I like to make a fresh chunky marinara sauce. I make it in not much more time than it takes to boil the pasta.

[Nicollette1984]

Olive Oil and Better is good combo. As some who 50% Italian.

[postaldudePL123]

Red sauce and meat balls 😋 and a litte parmesan cheese.

[NathanDavis]

mole sauce...

[rosemilk]

i love rosé sauce

[Iron_Man]

Meat sauce, and meatballs

[Kayla45]

Goat cheese and Alfredo.

[Ruenella_]

Butter, salt, pepper.

[LavLavLuv]

Arrabbiata sauce

[Charliefretz329]

Butter works well. And salt

[Pterodon]

Olive oil, butter, garlic

[BellaBaxter]

Spicy ketchup and mayonnaise.

[BellaBaxter]

Or garlic yogurt

[strateguy632]

tomato paste

[exitseven]

butter.

[Aiko_E_Lara]

Bolognese

[Badgirlnatalia]

Cheese

[CubaPirate]

A ragu sauce