Traditionally, Italians serve pasta as a first course or primo before the main course. This is particularly true on Sundays, holidays and other special occasions. However, many traditional Italian Sunday pasta recipes are actually one recipe split into two courses.
So, instead of having a rich and filling pasta sauce containing different cuts of meat, many Italians use the sauce by itself on pasta and then serve the meat separately as a main course.
The other type of traditional Italian Sunday pasta recipes are pasta bakes. There are numerous regional variations, but the classic baked pasta recipe calls for short pasta (such as penne, rigatoni, or fusilli) topped with a rich meat sauce, béchamel sauce, provola, or mozzarella, and a generous sprinkling of Parmigiano for a crispy crust.
Alternatively, different lasagne al forno dishes (lasagna) or stuffed cannelloni are popular on Sundays as well.
Two in one Italian Sunday pasta recipes.
Two in one pasta recipes are a common tradition for many Italian families on Sunday. The meat, which can be a variety of different cuts or preparations such as oxtail, beef cheek, braciole, beef (braising or stewing), pork ribs or veal is slow cooked in a rich sauce, often tomato based.
When ready, Italians set the meat aside and serve the sauce over pasta as a first course. Then, the meat becomes the star ingredient for the main course.
In the past, these recipes had a couple of different purposes. The meat was often an economical cut that needed long slow cooking to tenderize it. In addition, housewives were able to make a full two course meal or two meals out of one dish.
Of course, these dishes required long cooking and quite a bit of preparation. However, they originated at a time when the pace of life was slower and preparing family meals together was as much a part of the tradition as sitting at the table together.
Click the name of each Italian Sunday pasta recipe to learn more.
Braised pork ribs with pasta from Emilia-Romagna.
This classic Italian Sunday lunch recipe calls for cooking short pork ribs in a rich tomato sauce until the meat is succulent and tender. Then, the ribs are the main course, and the sauce is enjoyed over pasta.
Beef braciole with orecchiette from Puglia.
In Puglia, they make these beef rolls with a filling of parsley, garlic, pecorino cheese and lardo or prosciutto. They then cook the braciole slowly in a tomato sauce that becomes a thick tasty ragù full of the flavors of the meat. This falvorful tomato sauce is paired with pasta, usually orecchiette. Then, the braciole are the main course together with vegetables and bread.
Oxtail ragu from Rome.
This iconic Roman recipe involves braising pieces of oxtail in a rich tomato sauce until the meat falls off the bone! You can serve the oxtail pieces whole as a main course or shred the meat and add it to the sauce to make oxtail pasta.
Northern Italian beef cheek ragu.
The beef cheeks in this tasty dish slow cook in a red wine and broth sauce along with a classic Italian soffritto of onions, celery and carrots, plus tomato concentrate, fresh herbs and cloves. You can serve the meat both as a main course with potato puree or polenta or shredded to make a pasta ragu. In fact, this recipe can make two meals.
Braised veal and onions from Sicily.
This veal and onion recipe involves slow-cooking veal and onions together in a wine and stock sauce. When the meat is ready, it is removed from the sauce for the main course. Then, the sauce is reduced and thickened with a little flour and eaten with pasta.
Braised beef Genovese al tocco di carne from Liguria.
The beef for this pasta with Genovese meat sauce is braised slowly in a rich herby tomato, stock and wine sauce with porcini mushrooms. Once ready, the beef is set aside from the sauce for the main course. Next, the sauce is served over pasta as a first course. (primo piatto).
Pasta with braised rabbit from Ischia.
This dish is considered the signature dish of Ischian cusine. It involves braising or stewing rabbit pieces in wine with herbs and tomatoes. On Ischia, the rabbit braising sauce is traditionally served with bucatini. Then, the rabbit pieces are eaten afterwards with fried potato slices.
Baked Italian Sunday pasta recipes.
The history of baked pasta has its roots in both the peasant and bourgeois cuisine of Southern Italy, particularly in Campania and Sicily, where pasta factories produced pasta shapes designed to hold ragù and rich sauces.
From the 19th century, baked pasta became popular as a dish for special occasions, associated with Sundays, weddings, and other celebrations.
The richest versions were typical of aristocratic cuisine, featuring meat, cured meats, and fine cheeses, while in humbler families, pasta bakes were prepared with simple but always generous ingredients.
The fact that a baked pasta can be adapted to the seasons and pantry availability has helped make it one of the most popular Sunday pasta recipes.
Traditional pasta bakes.
Baked anelletti (timballo) from Palermo.
This delicious and impressive looking baked pasta dish comes from Sicily, where it is often on the table on Sundays and holidays!
Calabrian baked pasta.
Also called pasta 'mbruscinata or pasta chijna in the local dialect, this extremely rich and filling baked pasta with meatballs from Calabria is definitely hearty enough to be a one plate meal too. However, Italians also serve it as a first course on Sundays and holidays.
Stuffed paccheri al forno from Marche.
In this stuffed baked paccheri recipe, the pasta tubes are filled with a paté like mixture of chicken livers, ham and turkey breast. After that, they bake in the oven with a simple ground veal ragu, cream and gruyere. A fabulous unique Sunday pasta recipe.
Sicilian pasta al forno.
This pasta al forno recipe belongs to my Sicilian mother-in-law. It includes a typical Sicilian ragu, which has peas in it. The cheese is caciocavallo and the pasta, tortiglioni. A great dish to feed a crowd on Sundays and holidays.
Baked fazzoletti pasta recipe Abruzzo.
This traditional fazzoletti pasta recipe from Abruzzo calls for homemade handkerchief pasta squares and beef and sausage ragu. A super tasty alternative to lasagna.
Pasta alla Tranese from Puglia.
The unique feature of this baked pasta from Puglia is the use of raw tomatoes. These are halved and left to marinate in salt, garlic and basil prior to baking. The tomatoes aren’t cooked before the pasta dish goes into the oven. This dish has a bright fresh flavor and is easily made vegetarian.
Baked pasta shells with spinach and ricotta.
This classic pasta shells recipe is a Sunday lunch favorite in and out of Italy. Although it requires a few steps to put together, each step is quite easy. Plus, the finished dish is so worth the time taken to make it.
Lasagna and cannelloni Sunday pasta recipes.
Spinach and ricotta cannelloni.
Spinach and ricotta is a classic filling combination for many Italian pasta recipes, including cannelloni. In this recipe, the pasta tubes containing the spinach and ricotta filling bake in a béchamel sauce. Traditionally, cannelloni was actually rolled up fresh pasta sheets.
Potato and mushroom cannelloni.
The filling in this cannelloni recipe combines savory mushrooms with creamy potatoes. Once ready, the pasta tubes bake in a rich white (béchamel) sauce like the spinach and ricotta cannelloni above. Both versions make a delicious Sunday pasta recipe.
Easy beef cannelloni from Umbria.
In this cannelloni recipe from Umbria, the pasta tube filling is a simple tomato-less ground beef ragu with béchamel and Parmigiano. Once prepared, the pasta tubes are covered in more béchamel and cheese and baked.
Lasagne al forno alla Bolognese from Emilia-Romagna.
Probably one of the most loved of Italian Sunday pasta recipes, lasagne al forno as made in its birthplace of Bologna calls for homemade green pasta sheets, béchamel sauce and Bolognese ragu. This is the ultimate expression of comfort food.
Asparagus lasagna from Veneto.
Also known locally as ‘pasticcio di asparagi’ or ‘lasagne agli asparagi’, this delicious spring lasagna recipe has just a few main ingredients. It’s a very traditional Sunday pasta recipe here in Veneto where I live during asparagus season. In fact, Veneto is where most of Italy’s asparagus is cultivated.
Basil pesto lasagne al forno from Liguria.
This divine pesto lasagna comes from Liguria, home to pesto Genovese (basil pesto). This is a lovely light summer lasagna made with homemade basil pesto, fresh lasagne pasta sheets, homemade béchamel and grated Parmigiano cheese and provola cheese.
Radicchio pasticcio (lasagna) from Veneto.
This delicious traditional vegetarian lasagna comes from Veneto, Northern Italy, where most of Italy’s radicchio grows. Made with radicchio ( Italian chicory), pasta, shallots, béchamel and cheese, this Sunday pasta recipe comes together easily and tastes wonderful!
Let me know what you think.
Whichever of the above recipes you make, I'm sure it or they will be a hit with family and friends. These Italian Sunday pasta recipes are all traditional and enjoyed by families in different parts of Italy on Sundays and holidays.
Lastly, if you try one or two of these dishes (or more), do let me know what you think. Please write a comment here on the blog, email me or post a comment on the Pasta Project Facebook page.
Your feedback is really appreciated and helps others to decide what recipes they would like to try too.
Buon Appetito!
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