Top 5: Pastas to Try

Carbs are back! If you have kept up with the recent diet news, you know carbs, healthy ones in moderation, are in our good graces again. It has been a long while since the health-conscious Western world sanctioned the eating of carbs. Between swapping zucchini for pasta and trying to achieve ketosis, things were looking bleak.

Thank god for a new study that puts us right back into the eating world of our great grandparents. Eating carbs every day, not too many, is the way toward optimal health. For such an occasion, you don’t want to just pop open a box of Barilla’s gluten-free spaghetti, although it is quite good! No, go for gold and try something new. Here are some suggestions for lux and lesser-known pastas to enjoy.

Orecchiette

This mini-saucer pasta is delicious. They are known by the experts for holding constancy well, which means they can also stand up to slow-cooker meals. They work well with vegetable dishes and are a good alternative to shells or penne.

Tagliatelle

This wide-cut pasta is thicker than your standard fettucine and made with eggs. It also comes in convenient little bird nests when packaged and each nest is the perfect serving size for a moderate portion. This pasta is rich and pairs well with thicker sauces and a lot of cheese!

Pappardelle

An even wider pasta that looks elegant, it is a good complement to more delicate sauces and more robust additions of lamb chops or whole mushrooms.

Orzo

Make a risotto with this small, rice-like pasta, or make a soup and be comforted by its simplicity.

Pici

This pasta is narrow and thick. It is often described as “fat spaghetti.” It is the perfect addition to Mediterranean dishes that might veer away from standard Italian fare. Add it to a spicy tomato sauce with cumin, olives and fennel!