Pasta 2.0
January 2017
There was a time when spaghetti, lasagna and penne could keep patrons coming back for more. Today, diners demand unique pastas, and chefs are putting their creativity to work. From new cuts and shapes to veggie and breakfast noodles, pasta is getting a makeover on menus across the nation.
More than 30% of chefs are interested in pasta alternatives for diners, including those on low-carb and gluten-free diets. Vegetables such as zucchini, asparagus, beets and sweet potatoes are being spiralized or cut into ribbons to replace traditional pasta. Home delivery service FreshDirect has had 40% growth in its sales of Carrot Noodles with Tangy Sriracha Peanut and Sweet Potato Noodles with Creamy Cashew Alfredo, menu items from New York City-based company Hungryroot.
Diners are also seeking a fresh take on the shapes and cuts of pasta they’ve been enjoying. Stuffed pastas such as casonsei, cappelletti and agnolotti are trending. Try these Spicy Turkey Rigatoni with Pomodoro Crudo made with ground turkey for an upscale take on stuffed pasta.
In addition, pasta is breaking out of the dinner daypart. Knead & Co., a restaurant in Los Angeles’ Grand Central Market, is serving Sunday Gravy Spaghetti and Meatballs on its breakfast menu. Breakfast-themed gnocchi and ravioli dishes are also popping up on menus throughout New York City.
Explore the Resource Center to learn more about the latest foodservice trends.
SOURCES
Top 100 Social Chefs 2016 Report, Foodable, October 2016.
Hennessy, Christina. There’s a new swirl in town – veggie spaghetti shakes up pasta’s perch, Connecticut Post, May 2016.
Hottest Food and Beverage Trends in Restaurants and Hotel Dining for 2016, plus 24 Buzzwords, Baum + Whiteman, December 2015.
Balestier, Courtney. Reinventing the Noodle, FSR, June 2016.
En Vogue Pasta Strikes a Pose, The Local Palate, November 2015.
Sprinkle, Nicole. The Rise of the Once Humble, Now Transcendent Vegetable, Seattle Weekly, October 2016.
Jensen, Danny. Photos: Pasta Is The New Breakfast At Knead & Co. In Grand Central Market, LAist, May 2016.
Kravitz, Melissa. Pasta for breakfast? Wake up with spaghetti!, amNewYork, February 2016.
