16 Winter Pasta Recipes to Keep You Warm and Well-Fed

Braised meat, slow-simmered sauces, and plenty of cheese—it's all here in these cozy pasta dishes.

December 1, 2014

We'll eat pasta any time of year, but winter pasta dishes are especially satisfying. Braised meats, slow-simmered sauces, and plenty of cheese: It's all here, in these 16 pasta dishes perfect for chilly weather.

Photo by Christina Holmes, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, Prop Styling by Kaitlyn Du Ross
1/15
Winter Squash Carbonara with Pancetta and Sage
Kabocha squash is made for purées. Purées are made for pasta.
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Christina Holmes
2/15
Sesame Noodles with Chili Oil and Scallions
Spicy Sichuan pepper, which delivers a numbing effect along with nuanced heat, will leave your lips buzzing. You're feeling warmer already, right?
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3/15
Butternut Squash-Shiitake Ragout
This lighter take on a hearty classic is perfect for smaller pasta shapes—save the spaghetti and longer noodles for pesto.
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Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne, Prop Styling by Graylen Gatewood
4/15
Romesco Sauce
No fresh produce on hand? (These winter months can be awfully lean.) Jarred roasted peppers save the day.
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Gentl & Hyers
5/15
Sunday Sauce with Sausage and Braciole
Ask anybody’s nonna: Making Sunday sauce is not an exact science. You can use other meats—like thick pork chops or short ribs—in place of, or in addition to, the ones listed here.
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6/15
Baked Penne with Farmhouse Cheddar and Leeks
What's more comforting on a cold winter's night than a baked pasta casserole? Nothing—unless, of course, it's a baked pasta casserole with cheese.
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7/15
Strisce alla Chiantigiana
Strisce means strips—any long pasta will work—and Chiantigiana refers to the Tuscan wine used to flavor the sauce. Happily, you only need 1 1/2 cups of vino for the sauce. What you do with the rest is up to you.
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8/15
Spaghettini with Garlic and Dried Chile
Crushing the garlic cloves enhances their flavor.
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Alex Lau
9/15
The Silkiest Carbonara
This simple sauce relies on pantry staples—no pesky vegetables needed here.
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10/15
No-Boil Mac and Cheese
Skip a step when making mac and cheese by not precooking the pasta. Instead, mix the dried pasta with a thinner-than-usual bèchamel sauce, and it will bake perfectly in just 30 minutes.
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11/15
Lasagna with Turkey Sausage Bolognese
Whole-milk ricotta cheese gives this classic pasta dish some oomph.
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Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Sean Dooley
12/15
Cacio e Pepe
Pantry looking a little lean without the weekly farmer's market trip? Literally "cheese and pepper," this minimalist pasta is like a stripped-down mac and cheese.
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Chelsie Craig
13/15
Bucatini with Butter-Roasted Tomato Sauce
Roasting intensifies the flavor of canned tomatoes.
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Ditte Isager
14/15
Rigatoni with Spicy Calabrese-Style Pork Ragù
Any short, tubular pasta will work with this meaty ragù. We used sedanini ("little celery"), but rigatoni and penne are great, too.
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15/15
Pasta all'Amatriciana
If you can't find guanciale, feel free to substitute bacon. But try to find guanciale.
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Senior Associate Web Editor. When she’s not torturing herself by grinding coffee beans by hand and making her own butter, Rochelle writes about cooking techniques and seasonal eating for bonappetit.com. She comes to BA by way of a small farm in Central New York, where she worked as a farmhand ... Read More

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