Six Seasons of Pasta: A New Way with Everyone's Favorite Food by Joshua McFadden and Martha Holmberg

    • Categories: Dips, spreads & salsas; Cooking ahead; Vegetarian
    • Ingredients: garlic; parsley; oregano; unsalted butter; dried red pepper flakes
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Notes about this book

  • KatieK1 on March 06, 2026

    In the ebook, the index has no links.

  • Sloober on October 08, 2025

    I'm confused. At the beginnign of his book he talks about pasta and says Rustichella d’Abruzzo is his favorite go-to brand, but then 3 pages later he lists pasta brands he recommends, and Rustichella d’Abruzzo isn't listed

  • Lepa on October 01, 2025

    Cabbage with Pancetta and Calabrian Chile (p. 362)- I am so excited about finally getting this book in my hands! This is the first recipe I tried and it is delicious. I was worried one serving (which the book says serves 2) wouldn't be enough for my family of four but it probably would have been. I made double and we have plenty of leftovers (even though my hungry teen boys loved the pasta and ate decent portions). The optional lemon squeezed on at the end really put this over the top in my opinion.

Notes about Recipes in this book

  • Garlic butter

    • SheilaS on November 14, 2025

      I made this to use in the pasta with turnips and anchovies and it was quite nice. Six Seasons sold me on compound butters so I’m happy to add this one to my freezer collection.

  • Basil pesto

    • SheilaS on November 10, 2025

      I don’t usually follow a recipe for pesto but use what I have and taste as I go. I gave this one a try and it worked fine

  • Sun-dried tomato and almond pesto

    • hashi on October 16, 2025

      Easy, straightforward pesto with great flavor and texture. Used it with the Brussels sprouts with sun-dried tomato and almond pesto pasta recipe (pg. 329).

    • metacritic on October 22, 2025

      Excellent. Used with green beans and potatoes, lifting the sub-recipe to great heights.

    • SheilaS on November 14, 2025

      Very tasty pesto to have at the ready. Next time, I’m going to try using plain sun-dried tomatoes that I’ve steamed to soften in place of all or part of the oil-packed ones. I think it will give a brighter color and flavor.

    • patioweather on January 12, 2026

      I had trouble getting it all nice and smooth. I might grind the almonds separately first so I can make sure they are the texture I want before adding other things.

  • Whipped plain ricotta

    • pattyatbryce on January 12, 2026

      If you cooked out of Six Seasons, this should be familiar. It's such a good tool to have in your kitchen - so yummy.

  • Whipped lemon ricotta

    • SheilaS on November 06, 2025

      This is made with ricotta, preserved lemon paste and lemon agrumato oil. I made a paste with salt preserved lemons I made a while back. He offers a recommendation for a commercial source in the book. The lemon agrumato oil is lovely stuff but very expensive and with all the other flavors, it kind of gets lost here. You could easily add some lemon zest and maybe a squeeze of lemon juice to the whipped ricotta for a similar result.

    • pattyatbryce on January 04, 2026

      We loved this. I have extra ricotta on hand and may make another batch today.

    • kfreytag on January 06, 2026

      I added finely chopped preserved lemon instead of the paste, and olive oil with lemon zest instead of the agrumato. While I’m sure the recipe is fantastic as written, it worked perfectly well for me without the specialty ingredients!

  • Torn croutons

    • SheilaS on October 22, 2025

      The same great croutons I remember from Siz Seasons!

    • brigitte_6dd6dl on January 25, 2026

      One of my staple recipes!! Usually I use my homemade sourdough. Never misses!!

  • Caesar dressing

    • Katmonks on January 05, 2026

      Garlic is very pungent if you don’t let sit for an hour or so. Make ahead of time

  • Garlic bread

    • SheilaS on November 14, 2025

      Delicious garlic bread and so quick to make if you have the garlic butter already made.

  • Charred vegetable ragu

    • Nancy402 on November 16, 2025

      Delicious and hearty with deep flavours. Used the porcini, and added the strained soaking liquid as it is too good to throw away. Followed the directions to the letter, which meant there were a few pans, but well worth it. I did need to add about 1 cup more liquid as it simmered, but flavour did not suffer.

    • AmomentOfMusic on March 30, 2026

      This was good, but not sure it was worth the cost of $5 in dried porcini. I cut the fennel bulb by hand and kindof wished I had thrown it in a food processor instead - I think I would have preferred to have smaller pieces throughout so that it melds into the sauce.

    • nicco_5akp7q on June 01, 2026

      Took me about three hours total from start to finish and it should have taken longer but we were getting hungry. Even after rushing it a little it still was fantastic. I over charred the kale by quite a bit. My oven goes to 550 and I had it in there for about 8 minutes before I opened the stove and found a bunch of charcoal. Just watch it closely and you’ll be fine. Remove your smoke detectors too. Other than that, the seasoning was on point and the flavors were stellar. Josh’s method for the pasta and the amount of water it takes seems a little too meticulous, but it’s worth dealing with each time. It’s hard to do this in a ‘family style’ as you have to individually portion pasta with ragu. Not an issue really, just something to keep in mind.

  • Green lentil ragu

    • meggan on October 20, 2025

      this needed more liquid than called for. It made a lot so I froze some. It will remain to be seen how it reheats.

    • SheilaS on November 16, 2025

      I used a mix of Rancho Gordo green and black lentils and made a half recipe. Once the lentils had cooled, they had absorbed all the liquid and were pretty dry. Not a problem as I knew I could adjust later but I might add more tomato next time.

    • bernalgirl on January 30, 2026

      I went a little off script with this one but I think the approach is the problem. I didn’t want 8 cups of something I planned to eat for lunch, so I used 1.5 cups lentils and kept the mirepoix at the same amount because: vegetables. I also added herbs and chile flakes rather than adjusting for each meal. That was fine but the lentils are quite firm after an hour of cooking, the tomatoes didn’t cook down as much as I’d like, and it doesn’t have a real ragu feel. Next time I’ll cook the lentils for 20”, then add crushed tomatoes, and blend 1/2 cup when it’s done cooking to get that heartier consistency. Still delicious over stoneground Bloody Butcher heirloom grits!

  • Marinara sauce

    • nicolepellegrini on December 27, 2025

      This is a solid marinara - maybe not earth-shattering like Marcella's classic but a good one if you want a little sweetness from the vegetable base and not just tomatoes/olive oil (or butter)/herbs. Tasty enough I wanted to keep eating it straight from the pot which I always take as a sign of a good marinara.

  • Marcella's tomato-butter sauce with long-cooked kale

    • Katie on December 05, 2025

      This is a great way to incorporate more complex flavor and more vegetables into a classic tomato marinara. Make a lot and freeze, and it's great by itself with spaghetti, or with some added ground meat for a quick weeknight ragu.

  • Nut ragu

    • SheilaS on November 14, 2025

      I made this to use in the pasta with butternut squash and am looking forward to trying it in other ways. I used the immersion blender a little more than I probably should have as I ended up liking the texture of the nuts quite a lot in the finished dish.

    • patioweather on February 16, 2026

      I've been trying to eat more nuts for my cholesterol, so this made me very happy. It's worth noting that in the one recipe in the book that uses this as a component, he also adds butter.

  • Chicken ragu bianco

    • nicolepellegrini on December 01, 2025

      So what I made was more "inspired by" this recipe than strictly following it, as instead of cooking skin-on chicken expressly for this ragu I used leftover Thanksgiving turkey and pan drippings. It was great, though! Everything else I followed as written and it made enough sauce to freeze a good container's worth for another meal (when we're not sick to death of Thanksgiving leftovers...)

  • Lamb ragu

    • mirjoy on February 03, 2026

      You can’t go wrong with slow cooked lamb but next time I’ll add wine for acidity and depth of flavor, and maybe an anchovy or two as well.

    • SheilaS on February 19, 2026

      This is a delicious, meaty ragu made with chunks of lamb shoulder and ground lamb. No tomato; instead, chicken broth provides the liquid. Since I cut and trimmed the lamb shoulder chunks, I had bones and trimmings and could have made a lamb stock but I went with the recipe. I was afraid of it being too mutton-y but I think it would have been fine. I’ll make the stock next time. He recommendeds a pasta like radiatore to catch the meaty bits and suggests adding a handful of nettles. I had the radiatore but was fresh out of nettles so I used arugula and it worked well.

  • Pork shoulder ragu with lemon

    • Katie on December 08, 2025

      Easily doubled. I added extra lemon. So good with charred cabbage per a later recipe in the book.

    • purrvicz on December 31, 2025

      an understated hit, will make this again, perfect for weeknight freezer meals.

    • andrew_edbdl8 on January 12, 2026

      Too lemony & very porky

  • Pork and beef ragu with kale and chile

    • alinutzamica on November 29, 2025

      I used only venison mince was too overpowering. Next time, I will make sure I combine beef with pork. Otherwise, I thought was just a decent ragu.

  • Short rib ragu with black peppercorns

    • SheilaS on January 28, 2026

      This recipe calls for 2 Tbsp of black peppercorns for a 5 cup batch and that seems very pleasant to me. I might add some additional cracked peppercorns next time. The peppercorns are softened during the long cook but still give a nice little tongue-tingling pop when you bite into them. The header notes recommend a curled shape like gemelli or rotini to capture the short rib bits. I chose the reginette (little queens) shape. I’m looking forward to trying this on polenta.

    • Lottabooks on March 22, 2026

      Made with recommended rotini; used the technique for saucing (p. 64) and the parm-romano cheese mix (p. 39) - great technique using mini-food processor. For the browning stage, the short ribs barely fit in the 7-1/2 quart Le Creuset Dutch oven. COOKING TIME: Salted overnight. Although the simmering time was supposed to be 2-4 hours, mine took five. I continued to take small pieces out and they were stringy and tough until I hit the 5 hour mark. Started the dish at noon, finished at 7:30. Definitely something you want to make a day or so in advance. This was really delicious although 16 oz. pasta for four light eaters was WAY too much - suggest 1/2 that much. Followed the saucing instructions and it worked very well (including cooking time for the pasta). For the final stage, I used a large Le Creuset braising pan, had the pasta water next to it on the stove to add ladles per the recipe, then served it in that pan with sprinkled cheese on individual servings. Served with What Goes With What Italian Salad and roasted carrots.

  • Aglio e olio

    • apalmer91 on January 24, 2026

      Added spinach and used Calabrian chili flakes. Delicious!

  • Cacio e pepe

    • allisonsemele on October 11, 2025

      Had no issues with emulsification but found there to be way too much water added in the pasta finishing step, so the sauce was too thin. Served with broccolini.

    • emilybran on February 18, 2026

      Very creamy from the amount of cheese and very peppery. My husband’s favorite variation of this dish.

  • Carbonara

    • SheilaS on October 17, 2025

      I really like this carbonara recipe, especially how it tempers the egg before the pasta goes in. I made it with spaghettoni.

    • patioweather on October 19, 2025

      I did it. I made a carbonara. Now I want to go have it at a restaurant to see how mine compares. On my induction stove I use the lowest setting (2).

    • sosayi on January 09, 2026

      This was a good, albeit verrrrrry rich, carbonara. It uses a higher ratio of egg yolk to egg than I’m used to, as well as more guanciale. I liked its and the technique, but I prefer a different ratio.

  • Al limone with cream [pasta]

    • SheilaS on October 22, 2025

      This is another of classics or “any season” recipes with a little lesson on working with cream-based sauces. I like that this version is all about the lemon. Other recipes in my books add other flavors - anchovy, nutmeg, basil, garlic, shallot, chile flakes - all good, but I appreciated the simplicity of this sauce. He adds a generous amount of lemon zest early on to infuse into the cream but holds the lemon juice to the very end where it’s added off the heat to avoid a cooked lemon flavor. I reduced the amount of pasta and added snap peas and yellow bell pepper so I could call it a meal.

    • apalmer91 on January 17, 2026

      The sauce to pasta ratio was a bit off (too much pasta for my taste)- but tasty and simple recipe!

  • "Penne" alla vodka

    • jenburkholder on October 02, 2025

      Delicious. Used rigatoni since I had it in the pantry and served with Italian sausage balls. Only tweak was subbing Aleppo pepper for the Calabrian chili; while I’m sure that would be lovely, I didn’t have any and didn’t feel like purchasing. Excellent rendition of a classic.

    • prkrgrant on December 22, 2025

      A very nice vodka sauce, simple but very tasty

    • srahndennis on January 04, 2026

      So good! I used Rummo gluten free rigatoni which I'd cook in the pot at least a minute longer before transferring to the sauce. First time making a vodka sauce and using Calabrian chiles but would definitely make again.

    • Rubyclaire29 on January 14, 2026

      The Calabrian chili was awesome. I added more onion and used an adorable pasta shape, vesuvio that looks like its namesake, a pointed volcano. Anyway, sauce came together beautifully! Great recipe!

    • Mhlsea22 on February 15, 2026

      Used Calabrian chili paste since it’s what I had on hand and ended up using about 3-4 tbls and doubled the cheese

    • katiesue28 on February 20, 2026

      This was pretty good and I really enjoyed the addition of Calabrian chilies for an underlying heat. Added some sauteed crimini mushrooms and peas. Still looking for the perfect vodka sauce, though I'm thinking the secret ingredient is just gobs of butter! Ha!

    • rachel_q1lg6q on May 30, 2026

      This was a hit! I usually make my vodka sauce with pancetta but this was a great change and loved the addition of the Calabrian chiles. My parm goo-ed up at the end so need to figure out how to prevent that.

  • Sausage and tomato [pasta]

    • JenNelles on April 25, 2026

      My 11 year old loves this pasta. It’s really simple and easy to improvise with if you don’t have exactly the right ingredients.

  • "Nduja and tomato [pasta]

    • Nancarrow on November 01, 2025

      Excellent dish. I used Sobrasada de Mallorca Picante and it worked well. As with all the two person recipes in this book, the servings are generous.

    • Lepa on December 03, 2025

      This was one of the easiest pasta sauces I have made- and it's SO delicious. I made 1.5 x the recipe for four people and it was plenty. It was not too spicy for my teens (they like spice but I mention this because the headnote describes the pasta as "fiery" and it is not).

    • purrvicz on December 08, 2025

      Very delicious and very rich. I'm not sure I'd made this again but we enjoyed it.

    • SheilaS on January 20, 2026

      Very delicious but also very rich! After enjoying a couple of bites, I cut up and steamed some broccolini and tossed that in to temper the richness.

    • bernalgirl on January 23, 2026

      My ‘Nduja was very spicy so this was in fact a fiery dish, but also rich and delicious. A green salad with a tart vinaigrette would be a perfect accompaniment. I followed the recipe and loved the way the sauce came together, and the ridges on the pennette regatta was perfect for capturing the sauce. My son — who generally likes pasta fairly plain — loved this. He has already asked me to make it again.

    • Alliehipp on March 08, 2026

      Simple and delicious. Pantry pasta when you have Nduja on hand. Served with burrata this time because we had it in the fridge. Would like to serve next time with big leafy green salad + simple vinaigrette

  • Meatballs with tomato sauce, and more [pasta]

    • rmardel on February 18, 2026

      Spaghetti and meatballs! I used spaghetti simply because the varieties of gluten-free pasta available to me are slim. I've not made this since my children were young. This version was good but I prefer my grandmother's sauce (long cooked), or Marcella Hazan's (quicker). I had made the meatballs in advance and frozen them. The flavors melded and improved, and although I still thought they were too heavy on breading they worked very well with the pasta. Still the dish reminded me of how good a simple bowl of spaghetti and meatballs can be, and quick too if you have meatballs in the freezer and sauce on hand.

  • Beef and pork meatballs

    • rmardel on January 26, 2026

      I found these meatballs to be very mildly seasoned. I also found that the meatballs tasted too strongly of breading and not of meat. The proportion of breadcrumbs to meat was far too high for me. In future, should I make these, I would cut the breading at least in half.

  • Bolognese-style lasagna (customizable)

    • brittney_oll7ws on April 17, 2026

      I made this with the white bolognese and homemade pasta. Absolutely delicious!

  • Artichokes with tomato and mint [pasta]

    • Pimlicocook on March 04, 2026

      This was delicious, the sort of dish you’d be really pleased to get at a good neighbourhood trattoria. Plenty of garlic and the mint is a lovely complement. I did think there was too much pasta for two, however; I’d reduce it to 160g or so, and this would make the overall dish a bit saucier (I used dried egg tagliatelle). It didn’t need anymore salt, either: the cheese and the pasta water were enough. Will definitely make again.

    • nlehrer on May 05, 2026

      Unique flavor, nice way to switch up tomato pasta. Had fresh baby artichokes on hand, so steamed and added those. Will try with canned next time.

  • Artichokes with chicken and lemon ricotta [pasta]

    • SheilaS on November 11, 2025

      This was excellent. I made a half recipe which yielded 2 ample servings. I used leftover roast chicken, frozen artichoke hearts and a lemon flavored pasta. The use of chicken broth in the sauce was very effective. I will most likely repeat this as a veg version with mushrooms instead of chicken and maybe adding red bell peppers.

    • brittney_oll7ws on March 05, 2026

      This was delicious! I even forgot to add the ricotta on top and it was fantastic. I did make the chicken as a panko fried breast though and I much prefer it that way.

  • Artichokes, peas, favas, and asparagus [pasta]

    • nicolepellegrini on October 22, 2025

      My favorite recipe that I've tried from this book so far - of course, it may be in part because I think I've finally mastered Joshua's instructions for making an emulsified sauce from the grated cheeses. When he says to combine and finely grate the cheese in a food processor, there's a reason for it! It really does make a difference. Also, using a large enough pot to thoroughly combine the pasta + sauce + pasta water for the final cooking stage is a must. In any event, this may now be in the running for best pasta "primavera" recipe that I've made in the history of ever. Sauce was beautifully creamy and rich without having to load it up with cream or lots of oil, just the pasta water, parmesan and pecorino. I always love mint combined with these vegetables and I wanted to use up the last of it from my garden before the frost hits. I did add a little pancetta as suggested for some extra depth of flavor.

    • nlehrer on May 05, 2026

      So springy and delicious. Cooked the veggies with some white wine and chicken broth.

  • Pasta salad with roasted artichokes and salmon

    • nicolepellegrini on December 24, 2025

      Loved it! This is a great pasta salad to make in the winter using mostly pantry ingredients.

  • Italian salad dressing

    • cynthia_szp5wm on February 24, 2026

      I made this in little blender-next time will do as recipe says and drizzle oils in slowly.

  • Asparagus with tuna [pasta]

    • nicolepellegrini on October 22, 2025

      So this is basically an upscaled version of a tuna noodle casserole. I think the step of finishing the dish in the oven is an absolute must, as when I tasted it before that step I was a little "meh" on the overall flavor/texture. But once it got a nice crust with some browned cheese and the sauce thickened a bit, it was much more enjoyable. Also, there was maybe some user error on my part as I did not use a food processor to get the cheese super-finely grated, and my pan for mixing it all together was a little tight (I tend to make double the recipes with this book so I have plenty of leftovers for the workweek). As I noted with another recipe, I've since "mastered" Joshua's technique for making an emulsified sauce from the pasta water, parmesan and pecorino cheeses and it really makes a difference. I will try this again now that I've gotten better with the method as I bet I'll like it better.

    • SheilaS on February 12, 2026

      I agree with the previous comment that the baking time really brings the flavors together. I used a can of smoked tuna, increased the amount of asparagus, added lots of arugula as suggested in the header notes and included breadcrumbs in the cheese topping.

    • rebecca_qjfvam on May 06, 2026

      I made this, then baked the leftovers and wholeheartedly agree with the comments saying to go with the baked version.

  • Asparagus with crab, brown butter, and lemon [pasta]

    • nicolepellegrini on December 24, 2025

      Only recipe from this book so far that was a little disappointing. Just...didn't end up feeling like the best use of the crab legs that I had to cook.

    • SheilaS on February 03, 2026

      I had some rock crab claws that I might just crack and serve with lemon and butter. This recipe captures those flavors nicely in a pasta dish with one of my favorite vegetables!

  • Springtime pasta salad

    • SheilaS on January 31, 2026

      I enjoyed this but think it might be better as a potato salad. In any case, the potatoes should get the same treatment the pasta does - tossed with lemon juice and maybe some of the dressing while they’re still warm to season them well

    • anyah_h60oih on March 27, 2026

      Roast the potatoes, subbed white beans for favas, don't skip the pancetta vinaigrette

  • Favas with prosciutto, cream, and black pepper [pasta]

    • nicolepellegrini on January 23, 2026

      Excellent! Really enjoyed this one, the delicate flavor of the prosciutto was perfectly spotlighted in this dish.

  • Melted leeks with sausage, olives, and oregano [pasta]

    • Kaylin283 on January 26, 2026

      Yum! Made this during snowmaggeddon 2026. Wanted to 1.5x the recipe quantity, so I added 100g of thinly sliced shallots and 1.5x everything else except the leek. The shallots and leek cook down in about the same amount of time, so they both went into the skillet together. This quantity was enough for two people with plenty of leftovers, which readily transforms into a small baked casserole for the following day.

    • bernalgirl on February 11, 2026

      We really enjoyed this one. I increased the sausage and tomatoes by 1/3, which suited us well although next time I’ll use crushed tomatoes. I also skipped the fresh mozzarella as we had artichokes with a mayonnaise-based dip and didn’t need it but I’m sure that would be excellent with something lighter.

    • rebecca_qjfvam on May 12, 2026

      I liked this quite a bit. I think more depth of tomato would be great, so I might add a bit of tomato paste in the future.

    • AmomentOfMusic on May 21, 2026

      I made this with Veggie sausages and swapped out black for green olives. Despite these substitutions the recipe turned great. I was a bit skeptical that the leeks would add much but was pleasantly surprised. Will make again.

  • Leek Alfredo with shrimp [pasta]

    • kimdube17 on March 01, 2026

      Simple and tasty!

    • jessica_8s3n6x on March 12, 2026

      I liked the leek twist and thought this was tasty. Lemon made it feel lighter as well. Texture on the shrimp was really nice.

    • SheilaS on March 22, 2026

      A rich and delicious treat!

    • mllamas on March 25, 2026

      Very rich, leeks really bunched up in tangles. I might cut leeks crosswise into smaller slices next time. Although, may have worked better had I used long noodles as called for.

  • Pasta fagiole number three: the new classic

    • Lepa on October 06, 2025

      This is delicious. I was a bit skeptical about the rosemary as I usually don't love it but it was good here. I made a double batch for my family of four and we had lots of leftovers so one recipe can probably actually feed four (instead 2-3, as suggested in the book).

    • SheilaS on December 18, 2025

      This is a very easy but flavorful version of pasta fagoli. I made a half recipe for 2 generous servings.

    • AmomentOfMusic on March 23, 2026

      Made this recipe with crumbled vegetarian sausage and thought it turned out really well. I definitely recommend making it with orchetti: I liked how the pasta shape cradle the beans and pieces of sausage. As others have noted, the servings are pretty generous, especially because of how hearty this meal is. Felt closer to 3-4 portions overall.

    • pattyatbryce on January 20, 2026

      This was so good and easy to make on a weeknight. I had 2 oz of pancetta in the house, so I added it to the pan after I flipped the sausage patties. Also, the amount of tomato was really small, so when the store only had big cans, I went with the small diced tomatoes - only to find that I accidentally bought a can with basil, garlic, and oregano. Since they are complimentary flavors, I just went with it and used the entire can. No regrets.

    • Kaylin283 on February 09, 2026

      Extremely cozy, would absolutely make again

  • Golden beets with golden raisins, pine nuts, and sausage [pasta]

    • nicolepellegrini on October 09, 2025

      First recipe I made from this book! So excited to try more. I loved how this reminded me of a lot of Sicilian pasta recipes with the pine nuts, raisins and sausage but with the unexpected freshness and earthiness of the golden beets. I made 2x the recipe so I'd have leftovers to enjoy :)

    • SheilaS on November 27, 2025

      As nicolepellegrini said, the golden beets add fresh spin on the classic Sicilian flavors. I loved the beautiful gold color they added to the pasta. I used regular raisins which worked fine and added a handful of arugula.

  • Carrots with basil pesto [pasta]

    • nicolepellegrini on October 09, 2025

      I used a basil pesto gifted to me by a friend vs. making the recipe in this book. It ended up being a little oily for my tastes but I would definitely try this again using Joshua's pesto recipe for comparison. It's fairly straightforward, but the carrot sticks did add some more veggies to an otherwise basic pasta dish, and I also liked the freshness of adding lemon juice before serving.

    • SheilaS on November 10, 2025

      I thought this was OK but, for me, it’s not the best use of carrots or pesto. We are instructed to cook the carrots until full tender, not tender-crisp, and certainly not crunchy. This makes them basically the same texture as the al dente pasta. The breadcrumbs help out with a bit of crunch but I would prefer tender-crisp carrots. And I’d add some additional seasonal veg (broccoli, snap peas, bell peppers) for both texture and color) but that’s just me! If you love carrots cooked completely tender, this might be perfect as is. Don’t skip the lemon juice, it's a perfect balance to the rich pesto.

  • Eggplant puttanesca with fresh tomatoes [pasta]

    • SheilaS on October 15, 2025

      This was excellent. I usually think of pasta puttanesca as a saucy, pantry meal but this version with eggplant and cherry tomatoes is a fresh, summery take on the classic.

  • Corn with jalapeños and brown butter [pasta]

    • SheilaS on October 15, 2025

      I made this as written and thought it was wonderful. The trick of cooking half the corn kernels along with the brown butter and adding the rest near the end makes for great flavor and texture. I added zucchini and red bell peppers to the leftovers and can imagine playing around with other veg or proteins like shrimp or leftover chicken

  • Snap peas with 'nduja and spring onion [pasta]

    • SheilaS on October 15, 2025

      This was great! I don’t usually think of using snap peas in a tomato sauce but their fresh flavor and crispness were the perfect counterpoint to the rich, spicy 'nduja.

  • Pasta salad with roasted red peppers, salami, mozzarella, and croutons

    • SheilaS on October 15, 2025

      The trick of dressing the pasta with some of vinegar while it’s still warm is one I always use for potato salad but never thought to use with pasta. It really works nicely here. I love the torn croutons and it was a good call to let the salad sit a while to let them soak up some of the dressing.

  • Brussels sprouts with sun-dried tomato and almond pesto [pasta]

    • hashi on October 16, 2025

      A satisfying dish for a fall night. The Brussels sprouts and pesto are a great combo with good, deep flavors that work well with the pasta. I ended up using pappardelle because that’s what I had…8oz of pasta made enough for 3-4 servings. I might add some red chili flakes next time.

    • nlehrer on November 21, 2025

      Can make this healthier by roasting the sprouts tossed in olive oil until crispy

    • SheilaS on November 23, 2025

      Excellent flavor combination! I wish I’d noticed the previous recommendation to roast the Brussels sprouts as I needed to add oil to the pan for this step even though the pesto added later has plenty of oil in it. Still, it was delicious. I’ll add more sprouts next time - I have pasta left but all the sprouts got eaten!

    • patioweather on January 12, 2026

      I was skeptical about all of this--Brussels in pasta, sun-dried tomatoes! It turned out great.

  • Kale with spicy sausage, cream, and lemon [pasta]

    • purrvicz on October 16, 2025

      Excellent weeknight dinner. This make 3 generous servings for us.

    • jenburkholder on October 17, 2025

      Easy and good. Two hungry people polished it off, but could definitely serve three. Despite containing quite a lot of cream, didn’t feel overly heavy.

    • SheilaS on November 25, 2025

      I thought this was delicious! Another recipe that I’d like to try with beans, either in addition to or instead of the pasta.

  • Pasta fagiole number one: the classic

    • Sloober on October 19, 2025

      Nice deep flavor. I made two small errors so i'll list them as tips here: - The recipe calls for 900 gram cooked beans, and links to a howto prepare beans that makes 900 gram beans PLUS liquid, so you need to make alot more as the howto for this recipe. - The Tuscan kale have quite long leaves, so i made long 1 inch ribbons of them, but they dont wilt as much as say, spinach, and stay quite sturdy even after cooking, so u might wanna cut them up a bit..

    • hashi on October 28, 2025

      Tomatoey flavored soupish kind of dish that’s pretty easy to bring together if your beans are already cooked. I halved the recipe and used a combination of cranberry and buckeye beans. Don’t forget to add the cheese, pesto, and herbs to the end and salt to taste.

    • VineTomato on November 03, 2025

      I was really excited for this and cooked the recipe to the letter, unfortunately I found the whole thing bland and disappointing.

  • New potatoes and green beans with sun-dried tomato and almond pesto [pasta]

    • metacritic on October 22, 2025

      Much better than the sum of its part (though maybe the parts are pretty good: sun-dried tomatoes I brought back from Sicily, good cheeses, almonds, and excellent olive oil). In any event, a terrific recipe, well worth repeating. A promising start for this book.

    • SheilaS on December 10, 2025

      Giving the potatoes time to absorb the pesto flavors made this perfect. It would be a great potato & green bean dish even without the pasta. If you like a little veg with each bite of pasta as I do, I recommend at least doubling the beans. I made a half recipe with lots of extra beans for 2 generous servings. I didn’t need all the pesto to make it as saucy as I wanted.

    • nicolepellegrini on January 05, 2026

      This was...fine? But one of those cases where I think the classic flavor combination (of green pesto + pasta + potatoes + green beans) is better than trying to riff on it in anyway. But sun-dried tomato pesto has always been a little flat as a flavor to me.

    • patioweather on January 26, 2026

      I think I'm not a huge fan of potatoes in pasta. I appreciate that I was able to make two pasta recipes from one recipe for sun-dried tomato pesto.

  • Mushrooms with sausage, spicy chiles, and burrata [pasta]

    • bwhip on October 24, 2025

      We enjoyed this very much. It had great flavor, with a fair bit of heat - but not too much. I worried it might be too hot when I saw the quantity of hot chile peppers. I wasn’t completely sure what type to use. I was pretty sure that Calabrian would be way too hot. I found some Fresno chiles and they worked perfectly, hot by nicely fruity. I used fettuccine, and torn fresh mozzarella (as the recipe suggested would be a good alternative to the burrata). We’ll make this one again.

    • nicolepellegrini on January 23, 2026

      I admit I used less chiles than the recipe called for as I just wasn't going to take the chance (husband can't handle super-spicy food.) Pretty good but I'm not sure it was a standout from this book so far.

    • lina on January 31, 2026

      Perfect. We used fresh Calabrian chilies instead of pickled Calabrian chilies, but I assume the author would, too, if he had one growing in his house.

  • Fennel with salami, tomato, and mussels [pasta]

    • Nancarrow on November 01, 2025

      Recommended! I was a bit more generous with the mussels (500 g) and removed the shells from half of them. Used finocchiona salami as suggested. Skipped the fresh chilli and added a touch more ancho flakes instead.

    • rmardel on February 09, 2026

      This was quite good. I particularly liked the way the fennel, the finnochiona sausage, and the mussels complemented each other. I served with fresh, handout fettuccini because I was in the mood, and made mine a bit saucier than McFadden recommends, but it suited my taste and mood.

  • Peas with pistachio, olives, and mint [pasta]

    • nlehrer on November 05, 2025

      Sooo yummy! The olives and pistachios together WORK.

    • rebecca_qjfvam on May 20, 2026

      This is on its way to being something I’d love, but feels like it’s missing something. Haven’t put my finger on what I’d change exactly, but I think it might be adding acid.

  • Cabbage with whipped lemon ricotta and chile crisp [pasta]

    • SheilaS on November 06, 2025

      I tried this because I couldn’t imagine what it would taste like and very much enjoyed it. The recipe calls for a pound of cabbage and 8 oz pasta for 2-3 servings. For me, a pound and a half of cabbage and 6 oz pasta made 3 generous servings. The whipped lemon ricotta (recipe on p 35) is made with ricotta, preserved lemon paste and lemon agrumato oil. I made a paste with salt preserved lemons I made a while back. The cabbage gets cut into wedges, coated with olive oil, dotted with butter and roasted until the edges are charred and the center parts tender. It looks like a ton but collapses down by the time it’s ready. The chile crisp (he includes a separate recipe) & pine nuts are added at the end so it’s easy to personalize to individual heat preference. I tried a few chili crisps I had on hand and my favorite turned out to be a chile morita salsa macha with peanuts from Taco Maria. I’d like to try this with white beans like Royal Corona instead of or in addition to the pasta.

    • kfreytag on January 06, 2026

      This was fantastic! Definitely more than two servings of pasta (more like 4), but I’m happy to have leftovers. Made it with linguine because it’s what we had on hand, and made modifications to the whipped lemon ricotta to avoid buying specialty items. Turned out great!

    • Sloober on January 12, 2026

      Amazing taste! Couldnt find any cabbage so used Cavolo nero instead (pictured with darkblue plate).

    • pattyatbryce on January 04, 2026

      We loved this, but I would add more cabbage next time. It also makes closer to 3-4 servings for our taste, but leftovers of this will be welcomed. I used Momofoku chili crisp instead of making some, but did track down the agrumato oil to make the whipped ricotta and it was worth it.

  • Turnips with lemon ricotta and hazelnuts [pasta]

    • SheilaS on November 07, 2025

      For me, 4 oz pasta + 8 oz turnips + a nice bunch of greens made 2 generous servings. The combination of sweet Hakurei turnips, their slightly bitter, peppery greens, preserved lemon ricotta and toasty, crunchy hazelnuts, finished with a drizzle of lemon agrumato oil is excellent.

    • nlehrer on December 13, 2025

      Delicious. Used blanched broccoli rabe instead of turnips + greens. The ricotta ended up getting a bit clumpy so I’ll keep a closer eye on it next time!

  • Cabbage with pancetta and Calabrian chile [pasta]

    • nicolepellegrini on November 10, 2025

      So this was another recipe in this book that felt like an elevated version of a comfort classic. In this case I was reminded of a Polish "kapusta" that my grandmother would make with cabbage, pasta and cheese. Here it was tasty and filling, maybe not really all that different from the tried and true version (save the chiles, where I'm used to using cayenne pepper for our family dish.)

    • SheilaS on January 17, 2026

      I made this with thinly sliced Brussels sprouts instead of cabbage as I had them on hand and used 2 oz pasta/serving as I usually do. I was very pleased with the result and will certainly try it again with cabbage.

    • patioweather on January 12, 2026

      I subbed a combo of cherry peppers and red pepper flakes for the chiles.

    • pockems on January 12, 2026

      Has surprising depth of flavor - really caramelizing the cabbage is key. Maybe I just really like calabrian chiles.

    • bernalgirl on January 21, 2026

      Delicious, filled with pantry ingredients, and so easy! I followed the directions for the most part, but rendered the pancetta (more than called for because it needed using) starting in a cold pan and adding 1/3 cup slivered shallots as I was a bit short on cabbage. The squeeze of lemon is a must! I doubled this recipe to serve four and everyone devoured it.

    • Katie on December 16, 2025

      I would add more Calabrian chile next time or substitute mama lil’s

    • jennifer_vszvd1 on February 17, 2026

      This recipe has a lot of potential, but I thought the ratios were a bit off. Next time, I would double everything except the pasta, Parmesan, and butter. Serving size is generous, so this would probably yield 3-4 servings.

  • Roasted winter squash with nut ragu [pasta]

    • SheilaS on November 14, 2025

      A half recipe made 2 generous servings for me. I liked this, especially the texture of the nut ragu with the tender squash but felt it needed something to balance out the sweetness and richness, maybe some greens. The ricotta salata called for might do the trick. I substituted feta but it was too salty for me. Threw in a pile of arugula and that helped.

    • nlehrer on November 27, 2025

      Not the most appetizing looking but very very delicious and rich flavors.

  • Turnips and turnip greens with anchovies and garlic butter [pasta]

    • SheilaS on November 14, 2025

      I thought this was absolutely delicious! The salty, funky anchovies melded with the sweet, tender-crisp turnip slices perfectly and were brightened up with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. So easy to toss together if the garlic butter is on hand.

  • Butternut squash puree

    • SheilaS on November 15, 2025

      I made this to use in the pasta recipe it’s attached to. I have plenty leftover to freeze and look forward to trying some variations

  • Butternut squash with sausage, sage, and spicy chiles [pasta]

    • SheilaS on November 15, 2025

      I thought this might be too sweet but the hot Italian sausage, Calabrian chiles and “many grinds of black pepper” provided a perfect balance. I added a big handful of arugula but otherwise followed the recipe.

    • emilybran on February 18, 2026

      Very good. Omitted the chilis.

    • ShayLRoss on February 09, 2026

      Really great flavor, would make it again. For the first time, I used kielbasa instead of sausage, which cut down on the cooking time. This would be great with different kinds of protein.

    • jennifer_dg7844 on March 24, 2026

      Made this for Thanksgiving, and it was phenomenal!

    • rmardel on January 24, 2026

      This was very good. I used gluten free pasta, then I made the components as written, leaving the sausage in discrete not too small chunks. I finished the dish somewhat differently than recommended and these changes worked well for me. I left the sausage, garlic, Calabrian chili mixture separate in its own skillet. Once I removed the pasta from the cooking water, I added it to another skillet with the squash puree and the cooking water and finished the cooking until the squash puree had coated (and filled) the pasta. Then I aded the cheese and butter and stirred until creamy and well combined. It is important to manage the heat at this point or the pasta will stick. Then I plated with the creamy squash pasta first and topped it with the spicy sausage/chili sauce/chunks. This allowed the creaminess of the pasta and squash to shine, punctuated by the sharp heat and flavors of the sausage. I got all the flavors but they each were allowed to shine on their own as well.

    • shylastrath on January 11, 2026

      I kept the sausage in bigger pieces and subbed Trader Joe’s jarred fermented Calabrian chiles (1T). Used extra sausage, so I added extra pasta water and regular water. I would order this in a restaurant - it was very good.

    • Plumberful on January 14, 2026

      This is my first cook from this book and we loved it! I used a mild Sweet Italian Turkey sausage and substituted some nice Aleppo pepper for the Calabrian chiles, which balanced the sweetness of the roasted squash very nicely, without overpowering it. I used the entire cup of pasta cooking water for the final cooking of the pasta in the pan. This is a definite repeat!

    • patioweather on December 07, 2025

      This would be $20 for a bowl in a restaurant.

    • kimdube17 on January 11, 2026

      Used acorn squash and gluten free pasta

    • pockems on January 12, 2026

      Delicious - only complaint is the butternut squash is overpowered by the sausage / chiles, and kind of disseapears in its own sauce. My family wouldn't have known there was squash in this if I hadn't told them.

  • Roasted cherry tomatoes with green lentil ragu [pasta]

    • SheilaS on November 16, 2025

      This was delicious and the little drizzle of balsamic vinegar really elevates the flavors. For the future, I’ll go with 1/2 cup of lentil ragu + 2 oz pasta/serving.

  • Long-cooked green beans with tomato, mint, and breadcrumbs [pasta]

    • nicolepellegrini on November 17, 2025

      Another winner from this book. I was skeptical about the long cook on the green beans but it really is necessary to have the texture right to go with the pasta and tomato sauce. Reminded me a lot of a green bean & tomato dish my mother always makes, so I'm going to make this pasta for her in the future as I know she'll love it.

    • mirjoy on February 16, 2026

      I didn’t add the breadcrumbs but made this exactly as written and it was not good, so I had to doctor it up a bit. Way too acidic and basically tasted like tomatoes with green beans, the pancetta didn’t come through enough for me. I added sautéed garlic, some anchovy, red wine, and heavy cream and it finally balanced out the tomato enough to be edible.

  • Beets with brown butter and poppy seeds [pasta]

    • SheilaS on December 20, 2025

      Surprisingly good! Previous beet pastas I’ve tried have been notable for their shocking pink color but this one brings a lot of flavor, too. As the recipe suggests, browning the butter without burning is key. I kept the heat low and did other things in the kitchen, waiting for that nutty, toasty aroma. It took a while but I didn’t have to hover too much. I used goat cheese for the garnish because I love its tangy flavor with beets and didn’t have the whipped ricotta on hand and it was an excellent choice. I thought the beet greens added a lot and would add another green if I didn’t have them.

    • erica_e80ss1 on March 12, 2026

      I loved this - the textural component the poppy added was brilliant. I only had parm on hand and was definitely missing the ricotta

  • Cauliflower "Alfredo" with shrimp, parsley, and lemon [pasta]

    • SheilaS on December 27, 2025

      Surprisingly creamy and Alfredo-like for a vegetable-based sauce. The recipe doesn’t say to cover the skillet while cooking the cauliflower but I think it’s a good idea. I added some red bell pepper for color and texture and might add others like snap peas or asparagus next time. I will certainly try this again.

    • evan_5ijy57 on February 15, 2026

      A tasty a creamy pasta for being vegetable purse based. It mentioned measuring a cup of the cauliflower puree, I just used it all. Will make again.

  • How to clean squid

    • SheilaS on January 16, 2026

      This is an encouraging little blurb but the two parts of squid cleaning (how to neatly separate the head and body in a way that cleanly removes all the guts and how to remove the skin in bigger pieces) weren’t covered.

  • Hot chiles with shrimp, mussels, squid, basil, and mint [pasta]

    • SheilaS on January 16, 2026

      I love the garlicky, lemon, wine sauce, kicked up with the fresh hot chile but ultimately, fishing mussels or larger shrimp out of a dish of pasta is awkward. I made this with squid ink pasta, manzano chiles and shrimp that were big enough to need cutting up. My fault on the shrimp size but unlike the mussels and squid, they didn’t add a lot to the dish. I’d make this again with the mussels & squid but take the mussels out of the shells before serving.

  • Fennel with mascarpone and arugula [pasta]

    • SheilaS on January 24, 2026

      This is very good but also very, very rich. A very splurge-y pasta! I sliced the fennel vertically and probably should have sliced horizontally as mine held together and would have been awkward to eat so I fished them out and sliced into strips.

  • Celery root and seafood "chowder" [pasta]

    • SheilaS on January 28, 2026

      This really does taste like a seafood chowder, though if that’s what I’m craving, I want soup, not pasta! I learned from the celery root cacio e pepe to limit the amount of celery root purée to what’s specified. He says a few tablespoons in either direction is fine but too much really gives a gloopy, pasty appearance. The stuff is light and not pasty at all but too much and it really looks that way! The lemon juice and drizzle of lemon finishing oil are perfect.

  • Snap peas with lamb ragu and fiore Sardo [pasta]

    • SheilaS on March 06, 2026

      I had my doubts about pairing a meaty sauce with a crisp spring veg and a smoky cheese but it all works together beautifully. I had the lamb ragu frozen in meal-size portions so this was ready in the time it takes to cook the pasta.

  • Pasta salad with fennel, arugula, radish, and ricotta salata

    • SheilaS on March 13, 2026

      This is an interesting set of ingredients but ultimately missing an ingredient with the pickle-y punch I like in a pasta salad. OK as a side but not main dish material for me.

  • Spaghetti alla Nerano

    • SheilaS on March 19, 2026

      I didn’t master the stacking and flipping of the zucchini slices but it came out fine.

  • Peas with pancetta, onion, and tomato [pasta]

    • bwhip on December 29, 2025

      Excellent, flavorful dish. Pretty easy to put together, and we enjoyed it very much. The conchiglie was perfect for capturing the sauce.

    • sosayi on January 25, 2026

      Very good and quick weeknight pasta. Nice deviation from my usual suspects. I did substitute for the green onions (with thinly sliced garlic, about 4 cloves), but would like to try as written, too.

    • andrew_edbdl8 on May 26, 2026

      Good but the mint was a curveball. Will omit next time

  • Ramps with clams, tomatoes, and pancetta [pasta]

    • Gingko on April 05, 2026

      We used canned clams because that’s what we had on hand. It’s the best pasta I’ve made in a long time.

    • rmardel on April 29, 2026

      This was very good. Because I had to purchase more clams than I needed, I cooked them in advance, using the other clams for something else. I had to modify the recipe slightly to account for this but the results were delicious anyway. Great use of beautiful spring ramps (I may have gone a little heavy on the ramps).

  • Broccoli fra diavolo with jalapeño [pasta]

    • nicolepellegrini on January 26, 2026

      Great dish for a cold winter night where I wanted something with some heat without being heavy at all. I actually used some diced canned green chiles instead of fresh jalapeno since I had them on hand to use up and could control the heat levels a little more precisely. Would make again.

  • Broccoli with pancetta, black pepper, and pecorino [pasta]

    • ana.houk on December 22, 2025

      Ok dish. Easy enough for a quick weeknight meal. Won’t knock your socks, but good enough.

  • Broccoli and sausage [pasta]

    • LindaMM1 on February 16, 2026

      Great easy recipe. Added mushrooms and increased the broccoli.

  • Sweet-and-sour cauliflower with tomato, raisins, and pine nuts [pasta]

    • nlehrer on January 11, 2026

      Used soy sauce instead of fish sauce

  • Green beans with tuna and mushrooms [pasta]

    • StephCooksAll on April 29, 2026

      I misread the recipe and doubled the tuna. Used half the cream as we’ve had another cream sauce recently. Very tasty. I cannot fathom that this is suggested for two servings. We have leftovers!

    • bernalgirl on March 05, 2026

      What a delicious and homey recipe! I minced the mushrooms for my teen — I needn’t have bothered since he didn’t want this, however I loved the smooth mushroom-infused result even if it muddied the color. For the tuna, I had tinned tuna belly in olive oil, which added nice pieces instead of small flakes. I topped with fried onions instead of bread crumbs.

  • Garlic confit

    • rachel_ywqstg on May 09, 2026

      Simple recipe/method for confit garlic. Soft, golden brown, and great for many dishes. Keep an eye on it, mine were done at 30-45 min

  • Summer squash with basil, mint, and pint nuts [pasta]

    • nicolepellegrini on December 01, 2025

      Very good version of a zucchini-and-mint pasta dish, which I've done a lot of in the past. But again, his method of mixing in finely grated cheese with the pasta water at the end really makes for a luscious sauce where in the past other versions were lacking in that department (and just seemed like veggies tossed with pasta and oil.) I doubled the recipe to have leftovers and the husband thought it was even better the next day, as the lemon and mint flavors had some more time to merge and develop.

  • Eggplant with sun-dried tomato and almond pesto and mint [pasta]

    • allisonsemele on February 05, 2026

      I really enjoyed this—tastes like summer. I skipped the basil but the mint and green onions are essential. I browned the eggplant in the oven to cut down on the oil, and found the dish sufficiently oily from the pesto.

  • Eggplant with garlic, capers, raisins, and herbs [pasta]

    • pattyatbryce on January 28, 2026

      A rare fail from a McFadden recipe for me. We just didn't like this and leftovers went into the trash. The anchovy, raisins, and balsamic didn't come together as a flavor enhancer. They just seemed to clash.

  • Pasta fagiole number two: the creamy bean version

    • patioweather on February 12, 2026

      He says this is his favorite recipe, and I can see why. Even the food stylist struggled to make this one look like anything but brown mush though.

  • Chard with sausage and whipped ricotta [pasta]

    • pattyatbryce on January 12, 2026

      Very similar to his recipe in Six Seasons using broccoli. I think I like this one even better for some reason. Whipped ricotta is something everyone should have under their belt.

    • ashley_52nxls on March 12, 2026

      Super salty. Would have to try again and dial down the salt content across board.

  • Kale and chicken "piccata" [pasta]

    • callie_ub6t9j on March 15, 2026

      better than i thought this would be, use the dutch oven instead of large skillet for ease of stirring

    • nicolepellegrini on March 11, 2026

      This was really good. Had that classic flavor of a Chicken Piccata dish but with at least the feeling of it being "healthier" with the added kale. I actually made it with more chicken than listed in the recipe to make it a little more protein-forward vs. a pasta dish with some chicken.

  • Kale sauce (round three) [pasta]

    • Plumberful on March 25, 2026

      This is so delicious and very easy to make. I remember making the original “Six Seasons” version and being stunned by how good it was! I like it with lacinato kale—the color is gorgeous! Perfectly salty, garlicky, fresh and rich tasting.

    • Sam4bama on January 13, 2026

      Very easy to make. 340 grams is a lot of kale but it was very tasty for the effort. I had about 200 grams left over so not enough for a full second meal but I will definitely make it again for an easy pasta side

    • stevensolarz on December 28, 2025

      Extremely fresh, I added frozen peas and crispy bacon. I also added 7 cloves of garlic instead of the suggested 4.

  • Mushrooms with onion, pancetta, and cream [pasta]

    • pattyatbryce on January 17, 2026

      Simple, easy meal. Nothing groundbreaking - just a solid creamy sauce with mushrooms, onions, and pancetta.

    • andrew_edbdl8 on January 20, 2026

      A bit one note, very mushroom forward

  • Baked mushroom and chicken ragu bianco "potpie" [pasta]

    • nicolepellegrini on December 24, 2025

      Really rich and decadent! and delicious I'm glad I had frozen some of the chicken ragu bianco when I made it previously. Still a fair amount of work but I'd say very much worth it.

  • Baked ziti with broccoli rabe

    • nicolepellegrini on January 02, 2026

      This is one of those "trust the process" recipes because as I was putting it together, I was thinking, "There's no way I'm going to need ALL of this sauce and ALL of this cheese." But it came out as such a cheesy, saucy, decadent casserole of YUM. Makes a lot of food, too, so this would be a great one for entertaining or feeding a crowd. I made with shells as I didn't have ziti at the time and it worked just fine.

    • pockems on January 26, 2026

      Good but fairly basic - good cozy casserole

    • Sam4bama on February 11, 2026

      I used the beef and pork ragu along with probably double the broccoli rab. It was very good. Can eat a ton of it. I expected it to be very heavy but it tastes light of baked ziti

    • nlehrer on November 25, 2025

      Wowwwww. Delish! SO much tomato and cheese

    • nlehrer on December 04, 2025

      Used extra kale for more veg

    • marcus_mh4a24 on December 16, 2025

      I also added smoked mozzarella

  • Charred cabbage with pork shoulder ragu with lemon [pasta]

    • Kaylin283 on March 04, 2026

      Loved this! Turned the leftovers into a baked pasta with boursin cheese and it was heavenly

    • Katie on December 11, 2025

      Made with gemelli and loved it (better than rigatoni to my taste)

  • Celery root with salt cod, chickpeas, and rosemary [pasta]

    • rmardel on January 28, 2026

      I wasn't quite sure what to expect with this although I love all the components. I had some salt cod in the freezer, the tail end of a batch of chickpeas, and everything but the celeriac, so I thought I'd give it a try. All the ingredients played together nicely, The celeriac cream was especially good and, like Kaylin283, I would recommend making extra. I can imagine using it in a variety of ways. The lemon juice and lemon olive oil added brightness that complimented the fish and the chickpeas and although the dish is rather monochromatic, it is rich in flavor and textural contrast.. The recipe makes generous servings. A quarter of th recipe was enough for me as a solo diner.

    • Kaylin283 on January 23, 2026

      Exceeded my expectations. All of the ingredients complimented each other so well. Had some freshly cooked black chickpeas and their aquafaba on hand; I used the aquafaba for poaching the cod. Definitely take the opportunity to double or triple the celery root puree. I used the 2/3 cup that the recipe called for and froze the rest. Can't wait to use it for the cacio e pepe on the next page. It offers such a wonderfully creamy quality, I'm happy McFadden chose to highlight this oft-underappreciated root veggie. Very filling. Makes enough for 2 with plenty for seconds and a leftover lunch portion. Could serve up to 4 if accompanied with a salad or side.

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  • ISBN 10 1648291929
  • ISBN 13 9781648291920
  • Linked ISBNs
  • Published Sep 30 2025
  • Format Hardcover
  • Page Count 384
  • Language English
  • Countries United States
  • Publisher Artisan

Publishers Text

In Six Seasons, Joshua McFadden’s approach to seasonal produce revolutionized the way we cook with vegetables. Now, he’s back to transform the way we use another staple ingredient: dried pasta. In Six Seasons of Pasta, noodles become the perfect showcase for each season’s bounty of produce. There are more than 125 recipes organized by season, plus the Italian classics that everyone should have in their repertoire, from Cacio e Pepe to Pasta Fagiole (three ways!). Asparagus with Almonds and Lemon celebrates the fresh, delicate flavors of spring; Fall’s warming notes are reflected in Mushrooms with Onion, Pancetta, and Cream; and a classic Winter dish like Baked Ziti with Broccoli Rabe is hearty and nourishing. But Six Seasons of Pasta does so much more than pair noodles with seasonal produce. The book teaches home cooks how to intuitively build a pasta dish from scratch using McFadden’s tried and true “building-in-the-skillet” method. Cooking pasta is never as simple as it seems, so he walks the reader through every step, from boiling water to marrying the noodles with the sauce. McFadden’s time-tested technique will always result in a satisfying and delicious bowl of pasta.

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