Few dishes sing of winter more than a flavorful, hearty bowl of pasta. Whether you crave a simple supper or are ready to dive into an all-day Sunday Sauce, here’s how to utilize winter ingredients and traditional cooking techniques for ultimate cold-weather comfort.
The key to a classic ragù is a long-and-low cooking process, which allows simple ingredients to blossom. Start by sautéeing finely chopped carrots, onions, and celery until browned. Stir in ground meat, scraping the bottom of the pan as it browns. Add crushed tomatoes, white wine, and herbs like rosemary and oregano. Cook on low heat, stirring occasionally, until thick and flavorful—at least 30 minutes but up to three hours. Once you’ve perfected your ragù, try our White Pork Ragù recipe, where pork shoulder cooks down in fennel, milk, and white wine to create a luscious topping for our eye-catching Saffron Malloreddus. Or if you're short on time, try our recipe for Saffron Malloreddus alla Campidanese.
This low-and-slow process uses a little liquid to break down large pieces of meat or dried beans into fork-tender, flavorful dishes. For a classic Italian supper, simmer white beans with sautéed aromatics, leafy green vegetables, and pasta. Then, finish with shredded cheese and a spritz of fresh lemon juice. Or try your hand at a full-on Sunday Sauce: Brown pieces of seasoned pork or beef in oil. Then, sauté aromatics, scraping the pan to release their flavors. Add crushed tomatoes, a dash of red wine vinegar, and enough water to loosen the texture. Gently fold in your browned meat, some whole sausage, and meatballs. Cook on low for at least two hours, stirring occasionally, then serve over pasta. Looking for a meal that's fragrant, spicy, sweet, savory, and bitter all at once? Look no further than our Vesuvio with Mole and Short Ribs recipe. This braise is the perfect dish to warm you up this winter.
A sauce is any thick liquid that adds flavor and moisture to a dish. But don’t let the breadth of the term intimidate you. On top of a classic marinara—which you can make by simmering canned tomatoes with sautéed onions, garlic, and basil—many winter ingredients transform into a luscious, flavorful sauce. Purée canned pumpkin with hot stock and soft cheese, then pour over cooked pasta. Roast sweet potatoes and aromatics until caramelized, then purée with stock, silken tofu, or cream. Or try our Sweet Potato Whiskey Sauce recipe—it makes a perfectly creamy, savory sauce to fill the pockets of our hearty Rye Trumpets.
Casseroles are a versatile vessel for pairing pasta with hearty winter veggies and filling proteins. Pre-cook your pasta until it’s not quite al dente—it should finish cooking in the oven without falling apart. Then, layer it in a casserole dish with braised meat, sauce, and enough shredded cheese to pull the ingredients together. Try a thick sauce of canned pumpkin blended with a bit of ricotta, layered with pork sausage, sage, rosemary, and parmesan. Or dig into our Green Chile Chicken Enchilada Casserole recipe, which features our fluffy Semolina Radiators, shredded chicken, green chilies, and a creamy sauce.
It doesn’t take a specific list of ingredients to make a satisfying soup—and the chef notes in our Chicken Soup with Whole Grain Reginetti recipe prove this point. To start, sauté winter aromatics like leeks, onions, and garlic in oil. Toss in Italian sausage, smoked ham, or another cooked meat. Then, add chopped leafy greens, cubed squash, or potato slices. Simmer in some canned beans, tomatoes, stock, pasta—anything you can dream up!—and you’re good to go.