25 Delicious Ways To Celebrate National Pasta Day

If there was ever a food deserving of a national holiday, it would be pasta.

On October 17, the nation celebrates National Pasta Day. While we firmly believe there’s a way to go wrong with a heaping bowl of our favorite pasta, here’s some spots around the country that are doing some uniquely delicious dishes.

Black Truffle Fettuccine

At Cathédrale at the Moxy East Village, this dish is made with French butter, cracked pepper, parmesan, and black Burgundy truffles. “The Black Truffle Fettuccine is our refined. version of a traditional cacio e pepe, it’s been a mainstay on the menu since we opened. We looked at the elements and elevated each of them. Fresh pasta is made in house daily with Molino Passini flour, we use a sweet French butter “Beurre de Baratte ” from échiré, we finish with fresh black Burgundy truffles. This pasta is great year-round, but best in Autumn/Winter when the black truffles are in their peak season,” said Jason Hall, Executive Chef and Culinary Director for Tao.

Lobster Spaghetti

At Little Whale Oyster Bar in Boston, this dish is made with roasted tomato ragu, fresh Maine lobster, fried garlic, torn basil, toasted breadcrumbs, shaved parmesan, and parsley. “Our Maine Lobster Spaghetti is one of our most popular dishes at Little Whale. We wanted to showcase lobster a few ways on the menu and the spaghetti is quickly becoming our star dish. We make a roasted tomato ragu with garlic, olive oil, basil, sea salt & black pepper. After roasting we blend the ragu and let the flavors come together for the next day. We cook a high quality dry spaghetti to order and warm a little of the ragu with 6-7 oz of fresh lobster meat- about a 1 3/4 of a lobster. When the pasta is just a touch under done we toss it in a pan with a little fried garlic, a knob of butter, a splash of pasta water and fresh torn basil. We finish this off with a bit of toasted garlic bread crumbs, fresh shaved parm and parsley. The pasta is bright, fresh and hearty all at once. Heating the sauce to order keeps it from being too “stewed” and the lobster meat is just warmed through so it doesn’t become tough. A simple dish, showcasing amazing, New England seafood, that is approachable but nails the details- really what Little Whale is about,” said Chef Michael Serpa.

Agnolotti di Coda alla Vaccinara

At Forsythia in New York City, this is their most popular pasta. “To me, this is the peak of comfort food. We braise short ribs for hours and hours, reconstitute it with its braising liquid, and whip it into a pasta filling. The sauce is a 48 hour duck stock that is reduced until it’s incredibly rich. The dish looks simple, but takes two days just to make the components. The result is comfort food at its finest, in my opinion,” said Jacob Siwak, owner/operator.

Wild Mushroom Pasta

At Estiatorio Ornos in Aventura, Florida, a savory spaghetti tossed in an avgolemono and herb sauce, wild mushrooms, topped with mizithra cheese and sage. “Our Wild Mushroom Pasta is an indulgent dish made with a traditional Greek avgolemono, a creamy, lemon herb sauce common in Greek cuisine. We then pair the pasta with wild mushrooms to add a savory, yet mildly sweet umami taste and top it with Greek mizithra cheese, which is similar to an Italian ricotta, to round out the perfect plate,” says Chef de Cuisine, Daniel Galvez.

Smoked Littleneck Clam Pasta

At Comodo Flatiron (housed in Freehand NY), Smoked Littleneck Clam Pasta is made with guajillo and costeño amarillo chiles, white wine, garlic and snap peas. “Using housemade noodles, adding peppers and a bit of acid really brings out the flavor of what I like to call clam bacon, or the smoked littleneck clams. It really makes for a unique take on pasta,” said chef Peter Lapalm.

Laurentia Butternut Squash Ravioli

At Laurentia Vineyard & Winery in Madison, Ohio this entree features a healthy serving of locally grown butternut squash-filled ravioli pockets topped with sweet brown butter, onions, sage, and a pyramid of parmesan. “The butternut squash ravioli is the essence of fall, both sweet with its nuttiness from the brown butter and nutmeg, and savory with the onions and fresh sage. The colors are reminiscent of the Fall leaves. It pairs perfectly with our Laurentia Chardonnay as the acidity cuts through the fat of the butter, yet has the strength to match the sweetness and flavors portrayed in the ravioli,” said Chef William Davis.

Plankton Tagliolini

At Ancora in San Francisco, Plankton from Veta la Palma in southern Spain is incorporated into the eggs used to make the tagliolini pasta. It’s then tossed in a leek fondue and finished with heaps of white sturgeon caviar and bottarga. “Plankton is an underutilized ingredient in cooking even though it has bold, clean oceanic flavors. At Ancora, we fold the plankton powder into our pasta dough then finish the dish with leeks, butter, white wine, a heaping amount of white sturgeon caviar and bottarga on top. It’s an unapologetically delicious celebration of the sea,” said Nick Anichini, Executive Chef of Ancora.

Spaghetti With Cracklings and Hot Pepper

At Scampo in Boston, spaghetti tossed with crispy pork cracklings, red pepper flakes, and parmesan cheese. “This is my favorite pasta. It is so simple, yet full of flavor. There are only four ingredients, but each ingredient ties in this dish perfectly,” said James Beard Award Winning Chef Lydia Shire of Scampo.

Yesterday’s Hundred Layer Lasagna

At Bar Enza in Cambridge, Massachusetts, this is 100 layers of egg yolk pasta, tomato marmellata, fresh mozzarella crema, sharp provolone all baked in a mini casserole dish. “The reason we call it yesterday’s Hundred Layer Lasagna is because we let it solidify overnight in the fridge so that it is firm when we bake it. This helps to allow it to hold its form,” said Bar Enza Executive Chef Mark Ladner.

Peach & Pork Ragu

At The 404 Kitchen in Nashville, the dish comes from the flavors of the sweet, southern peaches that Executive Chef Matt Bolus sources from his local purveyors. The Peach & Pork Ragu is served with housemade frascatelli, grana padano, and basil. “The dish comes from the amazing flavors of the sweet, southern peaches that we get from our purveyors. I’ve used them extensively in desserts but wanted to find a way to incorporate them into a savory dish as well. This one turned out perfectly and I look forward to serving it as soon as the peaches come into season every year,” said Chef Matt Bolus.

Honeycomb Lasagna

At 800 Woodfired Kitchen in Charlotte, North Carolina, Chef Andrew Beuttel works with local purveyor, Pasta & Provisions, to customize a larger format penne pasta that’s 3″ tall. The pasta is positioned vertically and filled with a bolognese made with Neapolitan tomato sauce, Castelmagno Bechamel, and ricotta cheese.”It’s perfect for sharing with the table. Filling the vertical pasta creates small pockets that are filled with layers of bolognese, tomato sauce, bechamel, and ricotta,” said Chef Andrew Beuttel.

Spaghetti Vongole

“The Spaghetti Vongole represents my childhood years eating rustic Italian at my grandmother’s kitchen table, as well as my current life along the coast of South Carolina,” said Chef Nico Romo of Laura in Summerville, South Carolina. Using the house made spaghetti, this light and bright dish is made with clams, shrimp, scallops, chili, fresh parsley, citrus, garlic, peas and parmesan.

Sunday Dinner

At Pazza on Porter in East Boston, a slow cooked ragu of sausage, sirloin, meatball and pork with red wine, stock, fresh herbs, and finished in a pomodoro sauce, served over penne pasta. “It’s one of my favorite dishes on the menu, not only because of its flavor but because this dish is one that has been a staple in my household for my entire life. It is a recipe that has been in my family for generations. The name comes very simply from what we eat on Sundays in my home,” said Executive Chef Stephen Ennamorati.

Black Campanelle

At MORA Italian in Phoenix, this is a dish of black campanelle pasta with fresh caught clams, calamari, marinated shrimp and covered in basil breadcrumbs. “One of the intentions of this dish was to create a deep flavor of the sea while showcasing various depths and textures. We use clams that have been cooked and utilize their natural juices along with the perfectly cooked meat taken from the shell; it is then tossed with shrimp and clams. We cook the campanelle about 90% of the way and then add in all those juices and seafood. What happens is a rich depth of flavor combined with the squid ink in the pasta itself…it’s reminiscent of some of the flavors I was introduced to on the Italian coast of Ancona in Le Marche. Topped with basil breadcrumbs, it adds great texture and perfume,” said Scott Conant, owner and celebrity chef.

Black Truffle Potato Gnocchi

At The Lafayette at The Hay-Adams in Washington, DC, handmade potato gnocchi with shavings of black truffle served with foraged wild mushrooms, asparagus and Maryland jumbo lump crab cooked down with a white wine and lemon butter sauce, garnished with shaved asparagus and watermelon radish. Chef de Cuisine Justin Yi says: “I wanted to showcase the classic combination of asparagus and mushrooms while elevating the dish with black truffles and a local lump crab. The combination of the truffle and crab gives an earthy component to the asparagus and mushrooms.”

Baked Mostaccioli

At Patti Ann’s in Brooklyn, New York, baked Mostaccioli with tomato sauce and mozzarella. “The Baked Mostaccioli is a truly Midwestern dish. It’s fundamentally a Baked Ziti, but no one calls it that in Illinois. As a kid, I remember Baked Mostaccioli catered in aluminum pans for family gatherings and all of my Boy Scout events. I wanted to make the one we serve at Patti Ann’s just as comforting. We use pasta from Sfoglini, a local upstate NY company, and we make our own marinara in house. We top it off with loads of mozzarella, and can add ground beef if you’d like. For seasoning, I try to make it a little more interesting. Instead of plain old black pepper, I like to use a mix of pepper, coriander, and fennel seed, “said Chef Greg Baxtro.

Butternut Squash Agnolotti

The Butternut Squash Agnolotti with brown butter, mustard fruits, sage at Carne Mare in Nashville, Tennessee is a crowd favorite. “Squash Agnolotti is a love letter to Emilia Romogna, specifically the area northeast from Parma where the mustard fruits come from,” said Chef Andrew Carmellini.

Wild Mushroom Mafalde

Available at Porto in Boston, fresh black truffle, roasted wild mushrooms, garlic butter + aleppo pepper. “Our Mushroom Mafalde at Porto is one dish we cannot take off the menu. It’s like a big warm Italian hug!” said Chef and Co-Owner, Jody Adams

Black Truffle Mac & Cheese

At Bourbon Steak Nashville, this top-selling side is a fan favorite made with heavy cream, three kinds of cheese and two types of truffles. We use a special blend of cheese consisting of white aged cheddar, fresh parmesan and a dash of blue cheese. Combined with Italian white truffle oil, hand chopped black truffles and a homemade velouté cream sauce, you get a fragrant, velvety flavor bomb that fits any occasion. “Cheesy and decadent, our Black Truffle Mac & Cheese delivers the comfortable memories we know and love but in an elevated, luxurious way. While it can be enjoyed year-round, it’s ideal for colder weather months because there is something about a dish that is warm, homey, rich and an altogether cheesy delight that satisfies your carb craving while more importantly warming your soul,” said Chef Dmitriy Kakuschke, Executive Chef Bourbon Steak Nashville.

Truffle Creste di Gallo

At Stirrups Restaurant in Ocala, Florida, Truffle Creste di Gallo with Pecorino Romano, English Peas and Pancetta. “What makes the Truffle Pasta at Stirrups unique is that the pasta is made in-house with ingredients that have been carefully hand-selected for optimum quality. We chose the Creste di Gallo style of pasta because of its unique shape resembling a rooster’s crest. The ingredients in this dish have a story to be told—in this case it’s the harmonious arrangement of truffle, Pecorino Romano, English peas and pancetta combined with a unique pasta that make this dish a delight. And of course, it’s plated with the utmost quality, class and distinction,” said World Equestrian Center – Ocala Resort Executive Chef Vincent Cani.

Raviolini

At Marlena Restaurant in San Francisco, Smoked Rosa Bianca Eggplant, Early Girl Tomato, and baby leeks. Executive Chef, David Fisher says: “Autumn is one of my favorite seasons because the produce seems to get even more bountiful at this time. There’s squashes, fruits, eggplants, tomatoes, root vegetables, nice greens, and so much more, so this dish really showcases that in the form of pasta. I decided to use some of the best local seasonal produce, which is Rosa Bianca Eggplant, Early Girl Tomato, and baby leek. We smoke the eggplant and make a purée out of it, then cook the tomatoes down basically to a paste to really concentrate the flavor. We use baby leeks from local farmer, Tucker Taylor. It all comes together by making a sauce of onion, white wine, butter, and herbs, then finished with a heavy dose of Parmesan cheese. And because the dough is heavily based in egg yolk, it gives it a more luxurious mouthfeel and texture.”

Lemon Gnocchi

In New York City, Nerai‘s Executive Chef Aaron Fitterman said, “the house made lemon gnocchi with sauteed chanterelles, chopped spinach topped with toasted pine nuts and crumbled feta is offered with shaved avgotaraho. Avgotarho is cured mullet roe similar to Italian bottarga but the Greek style is wrapped in beeswax producing a lighter moisture product. That gives umami flavor.”

Housemade Chittara Carbonara

In Delaware, Heirloom is featuring a housemade caraway chittara carbonara, with house cured guanciale and sous vide egg yolk, finished with pecorino cheese. Meghan Lee, owner of Heirloom, says: “This pasta dough is made with double zero flour, white wine, EVOO, salt, toasted ground caraway & egg yolks. Chittara pasta roughly translates to “guitar string” for this very thin and long style shape.”

Fettuccine Alla Gricia

Available at Antica Pesa Williamsburg in Brooklyn, New York, this beautiful dish is as unique as it is simple. “Seemingly simple to recreate, as long as you focus on the technique and quality of ingredients (which is a feat, as it’s not very easy to find authentic guanciale in the states) Guanciale (cured pork cheek) is the star of the show here, with its intensely rich, salty, savory flavor. And when fried to golden, chewy perfection and then patiently tossed with good-quality pasta and Pecorino cheese until a perfectly-emulsified silky sauce develops, you will quickly learn why pasta alla gricia has been one of the most popular dishes in Rome for more than a thousand years. This historical recipe of the Lazio countryside, ancestor of the Amatriciana and evolution of cacio e pepe, Gricia is the first to present the happy combination of guanciale and pecorino romano, lifelong standby products often found in the homes of the peasants in Rome,” said Simone Panella, Executive Chef and Partner, Antica Pesa.

Mac + Cheese

This is one of the most popular dishes at The Smith. It’s made with a blend of 4 cheeses (cheddar, Swiss, fontina, and parmesan) roasted and served in a hot cast iron skillet. “Our mac + cheese is the ultimate comfort food. It’s cheesy, gooey, creamy, and gets a crispy crust after being topped with parmesan and roasted in the oven in a sizzling cast iron skillet,” said Brian Ellis, Executive Chef, Vice President of Culinary.