Few foods are as universally comforting as a good bowl of pasta. From glossy carbonara and creamy fettuccine to handmade ravioli that looks almost too pretty to eat, Reddit’s pasta lovers have been showing off some seriously tempting creations. These photos of pasta highlight 16 dishes people were proud enough to share, and fair warning: scrolling through them on an empty stomach may be a mistake.
Spaghetti And Meatballs From Scratch
Reddit user boucblanc shared their first attempt at spaghetti and meatballs, made with a half-pork, half-beef mix, plenty of Parmesan and chili flakes, plus a tomato sauce they let simmer with the meatballs until it became rich and concentrated. The finished plate got plenty of praise in the comments, with one Redditor joking, “Ahhhh, c’mon! My spaghetti and meatballs never looked that good.”
A Giant Raviolo That Looks Like a Work of Art
Reddit user Due-Possibility3852 showed off an enormous homemade raviolo filled with spinach and ricotta, then tossed in a butter, garlic, Parmesan, and rosemary sauce. The poster said it was their first time making one, which made the polished presentation even more impressive. Reddit user Zarrgirl summed up the reaction perfectly: “Hang it in the louvre …and then in my belly.”
Herb-Laminated Pappardelle That Almost Looks Too Pretty to Eat
Reddit user biancabosso experimented with herb-laminated pappardelle ripiene, filling the pasta with ricotta, lemon zest, Parmigiano, and nutmeg before shaping it into a spiral. Basil, parsley, and oregano were pressed directly into the dough, creating the striking patterned effect, while a butter, white wine, and lemon sauce finished the dish. Reddit user Big_P4U summed up the reaction simply: “That looks beautiful, a work of art.”
Orecchiette With Sausage And Broccolini
Reddit user RUKiddingMeReddit shared a comforting bowl of orecchiette with broccolini and hot Italian sausage, a combination that drew plenty of approval from fellow pasta fans. The little ear-shaped noodles are especially good at catching bits of sausage and sauce, and several commenters mentioned making similar versions at home. Reddit user Hedgiwithapen praised the finished plate, saying, “This looks delicious, your sauce is so glossy. Very nicely done!”
Spaghetti With Anchovies, Butter, Capers And Lemon Zest
Reddit user One-Loss-6497 shared this glossy spaghetti dish made with salted anchovies, butter, capers, lemon zest, black pepper, and high-quality dried pasta. The poster described it as “pasta burro e alici” and emphasized that the simple recipe depends heavily on good ingredients, even noting that cheaper anchovies produced a noticeably different result. Reddit user ReadInBothTenses was especially impressed, commenting, “YES. This is what i want to see from this sub. What a work of art”
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Lemon Crab Agnolotti With Cream Sauce
Reddit user floyder55 shared homemade agnolotti filled with crab, ricotta, mascarpone, lemon, and chives, wrapped in an egg-yolk-rich pasta dough and finished with a lemon cream sauce. The poster later explained that the sauce started with butter and shallots, followed by garlic, cream, lemon zest, salt, pepper, and a little lemon juice at the end. Reddit user RobinaBear loved the combination, commenting, “That looks so good! I love the idea of the lemon and crab. Excellent!”
A Pasta Tour Around Italy
Reddit user vampire-ravioli shared a collection of pasta dishes from a 2022 trip through Sorrento, Capri, Rome, Venice, Florence, Siena, and Monterosso, calling them the best pasta dishes they had ever eaten. The spread included everything from seafood pasta to carbonara and fettuccine with porcini mushrooms, and Reddit user PizzaWaterfall11 gave the lineup a strong endorsement: “As an actual Italian I approve every single one of these plates of pasta.”
Porcini Carbonara With Rigatoni
Reddit user sl0whand0 shared a plate of rigatoni carbonara made with porcini mushrooms and pancetta, explaining that the dried porcini were soaked before their broth was worked into the sauce. The rich, glossy pasta drew plenty of praise, with Reddit user PocketsFull commenting, “The gloss on those noodles is absurd. Beautifully done.”
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Black Garlic Aglio E Olio
Reddit user Amhk1024 put a twist on classic aglio e olio by blending black garlic with garlic confit, then adding it to the traditional olive oil-based pasta. The poster said a little water helped emulsify the sauce and described the black garlic flavor as surprisingly mellow compared with fresh garlic. Reddit user anonymoususername70 was especially impressed by the plating, commenting, “The presentation is immaculate”
Shrimp Alfredo Fettuccine
Reddit user LemonSugaredCandy shared their first attempt at shrimp Alfredo fettuccine, seasoning the shrimp with sweet paprika, pepper, and salt before adding them to pasta coated in butter, Parmesan, a little cream, and pasta water. The noodles were finished directly in the sauce, helping everything come together smoothly, and the poster said they “loved it.” Reddit user gl2w6re was impressed by the texture, commenting, “The sauce is clinging to the pasta perfectly. Looks delicious! Now I want to make this.”
Carbonara With Fusilli Bucati
Reddit user fr1q1ngs00per1e0n made carbonara with fusilli bucati, praising the pasta’s curly shape for gripping the sauce and saying finely diced guanciale worked especially well. The unusual pasta choice got plenty of support in the comments, with Reddit user teddytwophones writing, “Fusilli Bucatini is a power move my friend.”
Calamarata With Spicy Sausage And Mushrooms
Reddit user One-Loss-6497 shared a creamy calamarata made with spicy salsiccia, mushrooms, onion, garlic, white wine, parsley, black pepper, and a little marjoram. The sausage was browned with the aromatics, deglazed with wine, and finished with cream before being tossed with the pasta and a splash of cooking water. Reddit user Artemistical summed up the reaction neatly: “That is restaurant quality right there! Looks incredible.”
Classic Spaghetti And Meatballs
Reddit user bikbiky shared a classic spaghetti and meatballs dish made with what they called a “weekday sauce,” recommending San Marzano tomatoes, good olive oil, basil-infused oil, and bronze-die spaghetti when fresh pasta is not on the menu. The finished dish drew plenty of praise, with Reddit user MostEngineering2367 summing it up in just two words: “Spaghetti goals.”
Mac And Cheese With Garlic Bread
Reddit user Arvii33 shared a restaurant plate of mac and cheese served with garlic bread, later saying the dish came from Feu in India and that it was delicious. The cheesy pasta drew plenty of hungry reactions, with Reddit user Shredded_Masques commenting, “Get in my belly.”
Pappardelle With Short Rib Ragu
Reddit user TheRemedyKitchen shared a deeply savory short rib ragu built with pancetta, soffritto, tomato paste, wine, stock, Parmesan rinds, and demi-glace before the meat was slow-cooked until tender and shredded into the sauce. They served it with pappardelle, then finished the pasta with olive oil and freshly grated Parmesan. Reddit user Felicity110 praised the result simply: “Gorgeous looking pasta. Work of art”
Chorizo Carbonara That Started a Debate
Reddit user callmestinkingwind shared a chorizo-based take on carbonara after the name apparently stirred up some debate over on r/food. The dish swaps the traditional guanciale for chorizo, and while commenters argued over whether it should really be called carbonara, plenty still liked the idea. Reddit user User789174 was firmly on the pro-chorizo side, saying, “Looks exceptional. I do a chorizo and rosemary variation on this. Never fails.”
