Spaghetti, macaroni, ravioli, lasagna, penne, fettuccine, and linguine are some of the most popular types of pasta. When you eat them in the best Italian restaurants in Manhattan, they are oozing with flavors. When you cook it at home, on the other hand, it somehow ends up being lame! Want to know the secrets how to make it more flavorful? Keep on reading and learn from the insights that we will be sharing below.

Keep It Simple

Simple does not necessarily mean that your food will end up being bland. This is one thing that I learned from Scarpetta, an Italian restaurant in New York City. One of their popular dishes is the spaghetti. Aside from the pasta, it contains only two things – tomato and basil. They all combine to create an explosion of flavors on your mouth. Chili flakes can be added for a spicy kick. With these simple ingredients, you can come up with a mouthwatering pasta!

Use Fresh Ingredients

A trip to the supermarket may seem like a convenient way to shop for ingredients in your pasta dishes, such as canned sauces and prepared creams. While they can save a lot of time, the flavor is not authentic. With this, I suggest that you always go for fresh ingredients to incorporate into your pasta dish. For a homemade pasta, add tomato, basil, saffron, beets, oregano, thyme, rosemary, and sage, among others. You can pick them straight out of the garden to have an assurance that they are fresh.

Forget the Dairy

To make pasta more flavorful, some of the most common ingredients that we often add include cream, cheese, and butter. Sure, they taste good. However, they can also add fats to the pasta, making it an enemy of the healthy eaters. A non-dairy milk will work. You can also blend cashews to add consistency that is similar to cream. Vegan butter and soy yogurt will also incorporate creamy flavors in a manner that is a lot healthier.

Use Pasta Water

This is an old Italian trick that will be effective in making the sauces more flavorful. The starch from the pasta makes it easier for the sauce to bind with the pasta while also boosting its flavor. According to Bon Appetit, pasta water is liquid gold, which is why you should not throw it once you are done cooking the pasta. Use it as the base when it is time to cook the sauce.

Rely on Aromatics

Good flavor for the sauce is not only all about what the tongue can taste but also about what the nose can smell. With this, pay attention to its aroma. It should not be overpowering but it should add excitement to the dish. Garlic, oregano, basil, rosemary, and thyme are some of the best to improve the aroma of the sauce.

Feeling like a chef? Hosting a dinner with family and friends? Take note of the things that have been mentioned above and it will be easy for you to come up with a flavorful pasta dish that will make everyone drool!