Rigatoni

A blend of cheddar and Romano cheeses makes this dish a real standout.

This dish, a specialty of northern Italy's Emilia-Romagna, is named for the regions capital city. Although the meaty sauce is classically paired with tagliatelle (ribbon pasta just slightly wider than fettuccine), it also marries well with a variety of pasta shapes that trap the savory sauce.

"When I was staying at the Metropolitan Hotel in Toronto," writes Constance M. Shertzer of Indiana, Pennsylvania, "I discovered a fabulous restaurant there called Hemispheres Restaurant and Bistro. The pasta with mushrooms and tomato sauce was as good as any I've ever had in Italy."

Canned tuna sparked with lemon and capers creates a superb sauce that complements many pasta shapes — penne, shells, or linguine, to name only a few. I prefer solid-pack tuna in olive oil for the best flavor and texture. I sometimes add a small handful of unpitted black olives — Kalamata or Gaeta — and a large, ripe tomato, seeded and diced, for a delicious variation. Italians would never serve cheese with fish, but you have my permission to break the rules!

Delicious with roasted meats or chicken.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Cooking down radicchio with vinegar and sugar until jammy is an eye-opening approach that reveals a world of options beyond salad.

Rich and funky black bean garlic sauce, a pantry favorite in Chinese cuisine, provides depth and flavor to this weeknight riff on ragù Bolognese.

Hailee Catalano transforms humble carrots into a beautifully creamy pasta sauce.

This brussels sprout pasta recipe taps nutty brown butter, crunchy pecans, and hot Italian sausage to create an easy dinner bursting with fall flavors.

Hot pickled cherry peppers add acidity and heat to this beloved regional pasta.

A garlicky pistachio topping takes this sunny summer pasta from good to great.

This shortcut baked rigatoni is loaded with spicy Italian sausage and topped with melted cheese. And the best part: You don’t even have to boil the pasta.

Raisins are the unlikely star in this 25-minute pantry-friendly pasta featuring feta, olives, and (optional!) anchovies.

Dark and moody in color but surprisingly bright and light to eat, this satisfying dish comes together in just 30 minutes.

Transform a can of pumpkin purée into a near-instant pasta sauce that delivers major fall feels.

This tomatoey vegetarian pasta from Southern Italy makes the most of green beans.

A quick sausage ragù with sweet-spicy gochujang and lots of butter. Excellent with handmade or store-bought noodles.

Make this spicy rigatoni your new go-to Sunday sauce. The meaty sauce has a host of flavor enhancers not often found in traditional sugos.