Don’t believe potatoes could make a tasty sauce for pasta? You’re going to want to give this a go! It’s creamy, comforting and so, so delicious.
The potatoes are cooked gently in stock which gives them so much flavour – and the texture is great with the pasta.
This dish is based on pasta e patate – a dish from South Italy. It has simple ingredients and is easy to make, making it a perfect dinner for families to enjoy.
Love this recipe? Why not take a look at these 22+ of the Best Creamy Pasta Recipes.
The Ingredients
- Pasta – use any pasta you like, as long as it is short. I have used conchiglie here, but you could use penne, rigatoni- anything that is short. Tagliatelle and spaghetti type pastas won’t work so well in this dish.
- Pancetta – pancetta adds smokiness, saltiness and depth of flavour. You could add smoked bacon instead.
- Potatoes – use white potatoes. If you’re in the U.K., maris piper potatoes are perfect.
- Stock – you can use either chicken or vegetable stock, and you can use homemade stock or a stock cube – just make sure it’s a good quality one, because a lot of the flavour will come from there.
- Single cream – for the creaminess factor.
- Cheese – to top it off before baking. Any melting cheese is good. I used cheddar.
More easy pasta dinner recipes
If you enjoy easy pasta dinners like this one, you might also like to browse my collection of easy pasta recipes, where you’ll find plenty of simple meals perfect for busy weeknights.
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- Garlic Chilli Prawn Tagliatelle – a quick and flavourful pasta dish ready in just 15 minutes.
- Chorizo and Halloumi Pasta – bold flavours and golden fried halloumi make this a real weeknight winner.
- Mozzarella, Tomato and Basil Pasta Bake – a cosy baked pasta packed with classic Italian flavours.
- Ham and Leek Pasta – a creamy, comforting pasta that’s perfect for using up leftover ham.
Or explore all of my easy pasta dinner recipes here.
Creamy Pasta With Potato Sauce
Ingredients
- 400 grams pasta
- 100 grams pancetta diced
- 3 large potatoes
- 400 ml vegetable or chicken stock
- 200 ml single cream
- 75 grams grated cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the grill to high.
- Put a large pot of water on to boil. Add the pasta and cook according to packet instructions; drain and leave to one side.
- Put the pancetta in a large casserole dish (ideally one that can go on the hob and under the grill). Put on a medium heat and cook until the fat is released and the pancetta is golden.
- Peel the potatoes and cut into small cubes approx 1cm in size. Add to the pan – stir.
- Add the stock. Bring to the boil then simmer for 10-15 minutes until the potato is soft. Stir in the cream and season with salt and pepper.
- Add the cooked pasta. Mix well, then top with the grated cheese. Put under the grill until golden and bubbling.
Video
This recipe is such a comfort food staple and I hope you love it as much as I do.