Italian Abruzzi Pasta

Italian Abruzzi pasta or pasta abruzzese comes from family roots in the Abruzzo region of Italy. Using everyday ingredients, you’ll be amazed by how quick and flavorful this delicious take on spaghetti is!

My husband has a very Italian family with his dad coming from Abruzzo, an area of Italy east of Rome that’s sandwiched smack in between the mountains and the Adriatic sea.

His dad is quite the cook and loves to have us over ‘for big pasta dinners.

We are always happy to come since his way with noodles is nothing short of magical!

What is abruzzese pasta?

Abruzzese pasta or Italian Abruzzi pasta is based on readily available flavors and ingredients found in the This area of Italy is just east of Rome and sandwiched between the mountains and the Adriatic Sea.

The area’s food features everyday, fresh ingredients that are widely available in the region.

This abruzzese pasta is no different.

It showcases basic ingredients like Roma tomatoes, onions and fresh herbs cooked into a bright sauce and tossed with angel hair pasta to create a basic dinner or pasta course in Italy.

However, if you are thinking it’s an American style thick red sauce and spaghetti, you are wrong. 

That type of sauce isn’t native to the region.

The sauce this creates is lighter and fresher than the red tomato sauce you might typically think of.

But the result is a delicious crowd pleaser the family loves!

Ingredients

Part of the beauty of this recipe is you only need a few basic ingredients to make a truly tasty pasta dish! To make this you’ll need:

• Pasta– Delicate angel hair pasta works very well with this. Cook it according to package instructions.
• Olive oil– Use a good quality extra virgin olive oil here and don’t substitute another kind of oil for this recipe.
• Onion– A medium yellow onion, peeled and chopped.
• Tomatoes– Use Roma tomatoes here. If you can find them at a farmer’s market or have them in your garden even better.
• Garlic– Fresh garlic not garlic powder.
• Fresh herbs– You need both chopped flatleaf parsley and basil. Don’t substitute dried herbs here.
• Salt and pepper– Just to taste.

How to Make 

Just like its simple ingredients, this pasta is simple to make.

Start by heating the olive oil in a large skillet set over medium heat.

When the oil’s hot, add the chopped onions to the skillet.

Cook the onions, stirring often, just until they’ve begun to soften and sweat.

Once the onions have started to soften, add the garlic to the skillet and let it cook just until fragrant. This part smells so good!

Then, add the tomatoes and fresh herbs to the skillet, stirring until everything’s evenly combined.

Reduce the heat to low and let the mixture simmer for 40-45 minutes, stirring frequently, until the tomatoes have reduced and broken down forming a rustic sauce.

Give it a taste and add salt and pepper to the sauce as you see fit.

Serve this sauce over plates of the warm cooked pasta.

Enjoy!

How to Serve

While we enjoy this as main course here, it would only be a pasta course in Italy.

And of course, you could treat it like that here too and pair it with a good wine, specialty cheese and a meat or seafood.

Storing Leftovers

This doesn’t freeze well but you can store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days.

Can I double this pasta?

Yes! This recipe is so easy to halve, double, or even triple depending on how many people you are serving.

Tips and Tricks

• WASH YOUR HERBS!  If you don’t wash the herbs beforehand, it will be gritty. Be sure to wash the parsley extra well- dirt loves to hide in the leaves.
• DO NOT add liquid to the skillet. This is a rustic sauce, not liquidy like American spaghetti sauce. The tomatoes cook down creating the sauce. Also, don’t discard the pulpy bits of the tomatoes when chopping, you want all that juicy goodness to end up in the pot.
• Sauce can be served two ways, ladled over the cooked pasta on individual plates or tossed together until combined evenly with the pasta and then served in portions.
• If you like a garnish with you pasta, serve with some chiffonade basil leaves and some freshly grated or shredded Parmesan.

Other Pasta Recipes You’ll Love

This Italian Abruzzi pasta is a flavorful angel hair recipe you’re sure to love! Make it today and treat yourself and your mouth to a taste of Italy!

Looking for other pasta recipes? Try these:

• Instant Pot Alfredo Pasta
• One Pot Pizza Pasta
• Spicy Sauced Shrimp Pasta
• Nonna’s Italian Macaroni Pie
• Creamy Garlic Parmesan Pasta
• Cacio E Pepe
• Cheesy Ham & Broccoli Pasta
• Simple Sausage & Parmesan Pasta Skillet
• Cheesy Riggis Pasta with Ham
• Chicken & Florentine Farfalle

If you’ve tried this ITALIAN ABRUZZI PASTA or any other recipe on the site, let me know in the comment section how it turned out, we love hearing from our readers! You can also follow along with me on PINTEREST, FACEBOOK, and INSTAGRAM to see more amazing recipes and whatever else we’ve got going on!