recipes

16 Classic Pasta Recipes Most Definitely Worth Mastering

From baked ziti to bolognese, these 16 classic recipes will make you a pasta pro in no time.
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Photo by Alex Lau

There are an endless amount of excellent pasta recipes. Instead of going down the rabbit hole, focus on these 16 classic versions. They're all excellent, and will make you a pasta master in no time.

  • Image may contain Food Meal Dish and Bowl
    Michael Graydon & Nikole Herriott
    1/17

    The Ultimate Bolognese Sauce

    This makes enough sauce for three 12-oz. portions of pasta, but leftover sauce is a good thing. Freeze it for next time. Learn more here.

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  • Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Spencer Richards, Prop Styling by Dayna Seman
    2/17

    BA’s Best Baked Ziti

    We know ricotta is a traditional addition, but it has a tendency to get dry and grainy when baked. Our update uses a creamy Parmesan béchamel, in addition to a tangy tomato sauce, which together make for a super flavorful finished dish—that won’t dry out in the oven.

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  • Marcus Nilsson
    3/17

    Ligurian Pesto with Spaghetti

    This recipe makes more pesto than you'll need. Serve the extra with vegetables or fish, or spread it on sandwiches.

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  • Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Sean Dooley
    4/17

    Cacio e Pepe

    Literally "cheese and pepper", this minimalist pasta is like a stripped-down mac and cheese.

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  • Tom Schierlitz
    7/17

    Spaghetti alle Vongole

    The briny juices from the clams help to flavor this brothy sauce—the fresher the clams, the better the dish.

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  • Alex Lau
    8/17

    The Silkiest Carbonara

    At Pirelli's restaurant in Rome, chef Barbara Lynch ate what was, for her, the perfect carbonara: The sauce was bright yellow from fresh eggs, and each rigatoni hid cubes of fatty guanciale. In Boston, where Lynch has five restaurants, she set out to master the dish. Her yolk-heavy recipe is beyond creamy—without cream!—with a heady mix of peppercorns (you can substitute black pepper for all and it's still great). It's unlike any clumpy carbonaras you've had. The tricks? She omits most of the egg whites; their water thins the sauce. Too much cheese overthickens it, so she gradually adds Pecorino while tossing the pasta until she hits the right consistency (the sauce should be loose enough to drag the pasta through). Lynch was right: It's a pasta worth mastering.

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  • Ditte Isager
    9/17

    Squash and Broccoli Rabe Lasagna

    This vegetarian revelation balances the meaty sweetness of butternut squash with bitter broccoli rabe and a creamy sauce. Serve it with a simple salad (click for recipe)

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  • Christopher Testani
    10/17

    Potato Gnocchi

    You're making the gnocchi, so keep everything else simple. A classic tomato sauce and hands-off roasted pork shoulder are the ultimate go-withs.

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  • Photo by Jeff Lipsky
    11/17

    Bucatini all'Amatriciana

    This classic sauce takes its spiciness from black pepper and dried chiles and its depth of flavor from guanciale, Italian salt-cured pork jowl. If you can't find it, use pancetta, which is available at better supermarkets.

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  • Alex Lau
    12/17

    Pasta Primavera with Crispy Onion Gremolata

    We wanted a recipe that was a better expression of “primavera,” literally "spring" in Italian. We swapped the oft used tomatoes and angel hair pasta for sturdy linguini and the first of spring’s green offerings.

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