Creamy Garlicky Alfredo Ditalini

It’s no secret the social sphere is loving one-pot pastina and ditalini. I admit I’ve also been convinced, so when I saw this recipe pop into our recipe development queue, I jumped on it. Nothing invigorates me more than the words pasta, creamy, and garlic, so I created a ditalini dinner that’s a little smoky, crispy, and cheesy too.

I wanted this to stand out without overcomplicating anything. I love a miso moment, like in my grilled zucchini carbonara, so I decided to add it here too. It truly is the “secret” to making this savory and salty. Because this is vegetarian-forward, I wanted to use a condiment that would make vegetable broth feel like a winner. You’ll notice there’s no salt in the recipe for a reason—it’s not an accident. In addition to the salty, aged Pecorino, miso acts as an intense umami bomb. I’m a sucker for Pecorino, but typically Alfredo uses Parmesan, so use whichever is easier to find.

Toasting the ditalini in a similar way you would when making risotto gives this dish a slight toasty edge. Frying the smoked paprika and garlic powder in this step helps open up their aromas.

The smoky and the crunchy are the other elements of surprise here. No meat, right? Use smoked paprika to give you the essence of bacon and fry up pieces of thinly sliced garlic for a crunchy topping. When frying garlic, watch your heat and don’t walk away. Garlic burns quickly, so as soon as it begins to turn light golden brown, take it out of the pan.

Storage:
Let cool and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. When reheating, add a little broth to loosen the mixture. The pasta will have absorbed the liquid.

Did you try making this? Let us know how it went in the comments!