A recipe book chock full of sauces that go way beyond plain old tomato — it's time to expand those horizons, guys. (2024)

Table of Contents
1. A handy gadget that'll make perfectly al dente pasta right in the microwave. Just heat it up and then cover with the lid (it doubles as a strainer) to drain. Presto! 2. A cookbook by award-winning chef Marc Vetri with gorgeous pictures, super-helpful tips, and delicious recipes for all the inspiration you'd ever need for the ultimate dinner. 3. A pasta pot with a lock-on straining lid so you can drain your noods with ease (aka without burns). 4. A friendly dino who will lay his neck on the line to serve you the pasta you need. You'll be surprised at how good his teeth are at scooping up noodles of all shapes. 5. By the way, if you already have a regular pasta server, did you know that you can use it to measure out a perfect single serving? 6. The Tasty One Top, an all-in-one cooktop that'll pair with your phone (and the Tasty app) so you can take each recipe step by step — it even adjusts the temperature and power settings to match each part of the recipe perfectly. Hello, perfect bolognese sauce! 7. A print featuring every single type of pasta so you always know which one goes best with which sauce. 8. An olive oil infuser to help you kick your EVOO up another notch with rosemary, basil, thyme or any other herb, because olive oil is already a great lazy pasta topping, but now it can be even better. 9. A Philips pasta maker that'll transform flour, eggs, and water into a pound of freshly-made pasta in 15 minutes. Just pour in the ingredients and push the button. It's basically a robotic nonna. 10. And a totally collapsible drying rack to pair with your pasta maker so you can finish up your fettuccine without using all your extra counter space. 11. A four-piece chef's pasta set so your kitchen can look like a TV chef's. 12. A recipe book chock full of sauces that go way beyond plain old tomato — it's time to expand those horizons, guys. 13. A box of Barilla Pronto spaghetti to help you make one-pot or one-pan dishes — no waiting for the water to boil and no draining noodles. 14. A ravioli-making mold that will help you fill (without overfilling) your favorite pillows of goodness and make them in huge batches. 15. A specialized fork for anyone who needs to carboload for whatever plans are in store tomorrow, whether that's running a race, running errands, or running out of TV shows to watch on Netflix. 16. A next-level rolling pin that'll transform a flat sheet of dough into perfect fettuccine every time. 17. A clip-on strainer made of sturdy BPA silicone that'll store flat, making it a much more space-efficient alternative to a full size colander. (Plus it's dishwasher-safe, so no hand-washing required!) 18. A handheld spiralizer that'll make adding some veggies to your dinner seriously easy — without taking up a bunch of drawer space with another huge gadget. 19. A ceramic bowl with an airtight lid so you can take your leftovers from fridge to microwave to table without dirtying any extra dishes or wasting any time. 20. A stainless steel, four-slot spaghetti measurer to make feeding a family simpler than ever. It'll tell you exactly how much you need to make for a group of one, two, three, or four. 21. A variety pack of Banza chickpea pasta, if "upping your pasta game" means increasing your protein and fiber intake. 22. A five-piece serving bowl and dish set to make just another Wednesday dinner feel like you're actually dining in Rome. Plus, eating pasta out of a shallow bowl = making sure you get ever bit of sauce (unlike a plain ole plate). 23. Individual boiling baskets for those nights no one can agree on dinner, so you need to make ravioli for one person, angel hair for another, and something else entirely for someone else. 24. Airtight canisters to keep your pasta WAY fresher than the box it comes in. And it'll save space in your pantry, which is always a good thing. 25. Deliciously addictive chips made with semolina flour (just like pasta) and topped with your favorite flavors, including alfredo, marinara, rosemary, and more. 26. And, perhaps most importantly, a pasta-eating shirt you can wear for your favorite mealtimes, whether it's the same shirt that Dev wears in Master of None (left) or an homage to your favorite musician (right). Time to spa-GET-ti them all! References

    We hope you love our recommendations! Some may have been sent as samples, but all were independently selected by our editors. Just FYI, BuzzFeed and itspublishingpartners may collect a share of sales and/or other compensation from the links on this page.

    Send yourself some hot noods.

    by Maitland QuitmeyerBuzzFeed Staff
    A recipe book chock full of sauces that go way beyond plain old tomato — it's time to expand those horizons, guys. (2)

    Allison Krausman / BuzzFeed

    1. A handy gadget that'll make perfectly al dente pasta right in the microwave. Just heat it up and then cover with the lid (it doubles as a strainer) to drain. Presto!

    A recipe book chock full of sauces that go way beyond plain old tomato — it's time to expand those horizons, guys. (3)

    amazon.com

    Get it from Amazon for $14.99.

    Promising review: "Amazing, who would have thought you could just microwave pasta? This WORKS! I measured the serving size with the holes, added the proper amount of water, and microwaved it for the recommended time. It was perfectly al dente. No stirring and the pasta did not stick together. I made a simple sauce and salad, which was ready by the time the pasta was done. So 15-20 minutes after walking into the kitchen, you will sit down with your homemade dinner for one to four people. And best of all, you only have to rinse and wipe out the plastic cooker; no baked on residue, no scrubbing out a strainer. The plastic seems very sturdy and high quality, so I believe it will last a long time." —d'Artagnan

    2. A cookbook by award-winning chef Marc Vetri with gorgeous pictures, super-helpful tips, and delicious recipes for all the inspiration you'd ever need for the ultimate dinner.

    A recipe book chock full of sauces that go way beyond plain old tomato — it's time to expand those horizons, guys. (4)

    amazon.com

    Get it from Amazon for $18.29, Jet for $19.54.26 or Barnes & Noble for $26.99.

    Promising review: "This is an amazing cookbook. Vetri's approach addresses both the art and the science of pasta, and he gives lots of options for pasta dough, pasta shapes, and sauces. The book is also very beautiful, with an intelligent layout, lovely images and a clear and friendly writing style. It's a little like having a really experienced chef right beside you. I don't eat meat or poultry, so many of the sauce recipes need to be modified considerably for my family's use. But I agree with the reviewers who said this book is a must for the home cook who wants to get serious about making pasta from scratch. My family is delighted with what I'm learning from Marc Vetri!" —Sharon

    3. A pasta pot with a lock-on straining lid so you can drain your noods with ease (aka without burns).

    A recipe book chock full of sauces that go way beyond plain old tomato — it's time to expand those horizons, guys. (5)

    click.linksynergy.com

    Get it from Jet for $29.88. You can also get an eight-quart version from Amazon for $31.99.

    4. A friendly dino who will lay his neck on the line to serve you the pasta you need. You'll be surprised at how good his teeth are at scooping up noodles of all shapes.

    A recipe book chock full of sauces that go way beyond plain old tomato — it's time to expand those horizons, guys. (6)

    amazon.com

    Get it from Amazon for $9.99.

    Promising review: "This does a fantastic job of scooping up all kinds of pasta, from tortellini to spaghetti to macaroni. I love dinosaurs and this adds a touch of whimsy to my kitchen while also being really high quality and useful! I also have the Nessie ladle." —H. Jeffrey

    5. By the way, if you already have a regular pasta server, did you know that you can use it to measure out a perfect single serving?

    A recipe book chock full of sauces that go way beyond plain old tomato — it's time to expand those horizons, guys. (7)

    amazon.com

    Just a little pro tip from me to you.

    Get it from Amazon for $9.99.

    6. The Tasty One Top, an all-in-one cooktop that'll pair with your phone (and the Tasty app) so you can take each recipe step by step — it even adjusts the temperature and power settings to match each part of the recipe perfectly. Hello, perfect bolognese sauce!

    A recipe book chock full of sauces that go way beyond plain old tomato — it's time to expand those horizons, guys. (8)

    goo.gl

    Get the cooktop (which comes with a thermometer) from BuzzFeed's Tasty One Top for $149 (currently on sale from $175). Available in blue (pictured) or all black.

    You can also get a full cooking set (it comes with the cooktop and thermometer, plus a frying pan, sauce, pan, stock pot, and lid) for $184 (currently on sale from $225).

    And right now, they both will ship for free!

    7. A print featuring every single type of pasta so you always know which one goes best with which sauce.

    A recipe book chock full of sauces that go way beyond plain old tomato — it's time to expand those horizons, guys. (9)

    etsy.com

    Get it from Vintage Wall Graphics on Etsy for $7.00+ (depending on size).

    8. An olive oil infuser to help you kick your EVOO up another notch with rosemary, basil, thyme or any other herb, because olive oil is already a great lazy pasta topping, but now it can be even better.

    A recipe book chock full of sauces that go way beyond plain old tomato — it's time to expand those horizons, guys. (10)

    amazon.com

    It even has measurements on the top area, which you can fill before you pour so you know exactly how much you're using.

    Get it from Amazon for $12.33.

    Promising review: "This oil infuser is leaps and bounds better than a few others I've tried. It feels sturdy and well-constructed, comes apart easily for cleaning, and functions just as you'd expect. You squeeze the rubber sides to draw oil into the handy measuring top and then pour. The measuring top is perfect because you can specify exact how much oil you want to pour from the reservoir. As mentioned above, I've had some frustrations with other models, but this one works like a charm! It's rather nice looking too." —Brandon

    9. A Philips pasta maker that'll transform flour, eggs, and water into a pound of freshly-made pasta in 15 minutes. Just pour in the ingredients and push the button. It's basically a robotic nonna.

    A recipe book chock full of sauces that go way beyond plain old tomato — it's time to expand those horizons, guys. (11)

    williams-sonoma.com

    You can make any kind of pasta you want, even veggie flavors — just add veggie juice! This machine comes with discs to create four different shapes (spaghetti, penne, fettuccine, and lasagna), and it also comes with a recipe booklet so you can master it right away.

    Get it from Amazon for $254.99, Williams-Sonoma for $299.95 (originally $399), or Jet for $306.01.

    Promising review: "I love this. It's the best. I'm pretty sure the five pounds I have gained over the last few months is because we eat a lot more pasta. But it's so good, how can I help myself??? We buy the Bob's Red Mill semolina flour (on Amazon, of course) and it makes the best pasta (the recipe is in the book that comes with the machine. I bring this with me to friend's houses and they think I'm super cool. And I can be all impressive foodie pasta snob. One friend who lives close by messaged us at 8pm jonesing for some pasta. We had it all made in 20 minutes and he took it home to his family. His wife texted an hour later raving about the great pasta. This is worth the money if you like pasta. Also, kids think it's fun to cut the pasta when it comes out of the machine." —Brenda M. Ratliff

    10. And a totally collapsible drying rack to pair with your pasta maker so you can finish up your fettuccine without using all your extra counter space.

    A recipe book chock full of sauces that go way beyond plain old tomato — it's time to expand those horizons, guys. (12)

    amazon.com

    Get it from Amazon for $17.95.

    Promising review: "I am really into making my own pasta, and sadly, my very expensive pasta machine did not come with a pasta rack to dry my longer styles of pasta. This pasta rack is wonderful. The folding feature makes it really easier to store in my small kitchen and the pasta doesn't stick to it, even if it is a wetter pasta. I am very happy with this product and I think it will last a long time." —Zoe

    11. A four-piece chef's pasta set so your kitchen can look like a TV chef's.

    A recipe book chock full of sauces that go way beyond plain old tomato — it's time to expand those horizons, guys. (13)

    amazon.com

    It includes a eight-quart stock pot, pasta insert, steamer basket, and lid.

    Just place the pasta in the basket insert and plunge into the boiling water to cook. Then you can take the basket out to drain — no pouring or colander needed.

    Get it from Amazon for $81.99.

    12. A recipe book chock full of sauces that go way beyond plain old tomato — it's time to expand those horizons, guys.

    A recipe book chock full of sauces that go way beyond plain old tomato — it's time to expand those horizons, guys. (14)

    amazon.com

    Can you say "caramelized fennel and crumbled sausage?" How about "creamy fontina sauce with white truffle oil?"

    Get it from Amazon for $18.12.

    Promising review: "The most amazing sauces ever. If you love pasta but are tired of red sauce this is the book for you. My neighbors love my cooking thanks to this book." —Richard Taft

    13. A box of Barilla Pronto spaghetti to help you make one-pot or one-pan dishes — no waiting for the water to boil and no draining noodles.

    amazon.com

    Get a 16-pack from Amazon for $23.74. Check out the other available pasta shapes here. You can also get indicidual boxes from Walmart for $1.48+ each.

    Promising review: "I bought the rotini last week and cooked it up last night. I loved it. Literally was done in 10 minutes flat., instead of waiting for a huge pot to boil, cooking, steaming my windows, draining, forgetting i was supposed to reserve some water. I found it not too mushy nor too firm. In fact, I just kept stirring until it wasn't wet, which was about nine minutes. Added oil, vinegar, veggies, topped with feta. One of the fastest meals ever! I bought this to test for a camping trip when I want real food, and don't have the heat energy or water to spare. Excellent!!" —Sambadoll

    14. A ravioli-making mold that will help you fill (without overfilling) your favorite pillows of goodness and make them in huge batches.

    amazon.com

    Get it from Amazon for $17.12.

    Promising review: "This might not be strictly necessary to make homemade ravioli, but it simplified and sped up the process for sure. I was on the fence about whether to buy it or just try forming them all by hand. So glad we bought this and a pasta cutter as well. Our ravioli turned out great, and we made a ton. If we hadn't had this, we'd have been at it all evening." —Rebecca W. Walton

    15. A specialized fork for anyone who needs to carboload for whatever plans are in store tomorrow, whether that's running a race, running errands, or running out of TV shows to watch on Netflix.

    A recipe book chock full of sauces that go way beyond plain old tomato — it's time to expand those horizons, guys. (15)

    etsy.com

    Get it from For Such A Time Designs on Etsy for $18.

    16. A next-level rolling pin that'll transform a flat sheet of dough into perfect fettuccine every time.

    A recipe book chock full of sauces that go way beyond plain old tomato — it's time to expand those horizons, guys. (16)

    surlatable.com

    Get it from Sur La Table for $8.

    17. A clip-on strainer made of sturdy BPA silicone that'll store flat, making it a much more space-efficient alternative to a full size colander. (Plus it's dishwasher-safe, so no hand-washing required!)

    A recipe book chock full of sauces that go way beyond plain old tomato — it's time to expand those horizons, guys. (17)

    amazon.com

    And it'll fit all sizes of pots and pans!

    Get it from Amazon for $11.98.

    Promising review: "👉BEST👈 thing I have ever purchased! It literally fits every pot in my kitchen. I am able to brown hamburger and rinse the fat off of the meat to make meals healthier. I by far recommend this product to all the cooks out there. It is made from high quality silicone. It also has clips to clip onto pot lips to keep it from falling off or losing your pasta or meat. Clean up is a breeze. Best product I ever spent my money on!" —a5hl3y

    18. A handheld spiralizer that'll make adding some veggies to your dinner seriously easy — without taking up a bunch of drawer space with another huge gadget.

    A recipe book chock full of sauces that go way beyond plain old tomato — it's time to expand those horizons, guys. (18)

    OXO

    Look, if you don't want to consider zoodles pasta, that's fine. I'm just saying it's another OPTION.

    Get it from Amazon for $14.75+. Available in one-, two-, or three-blade options (to create different size "noodles").

    Promising review: "For ease of use, storage size, and not having to deal with a jigsaw puzzle of parts, this is the spiralizer you'll reach for and actually use. I've used it with carrots, zucchini, cucumbers, sweet potatoes, and beets to make gorgeous and delicious veggie noodles. It's easy to use for large or small batches, and it cleans up quickly. I've been using the single-blade spiralizer for a year now, and the only downside is that it only makes one size of noodle. Just today, I thought 'wouldn't it be great if it had interchangeable blades so I could make different cuts without greatly increasing the size or hassle-factor?' I looked on Amazon and — wow — was very pleased to see my wish had been granted. (If only it were always so easy, huh?) I'm ordering a three-blade model today!" —J. Williamson

    19. A ceramic bowl with an airtight lid so you can take your leftovers from fridge to microwave to table without dirtying any extra dishes or wasting any time.

    A recipe book chock full of sauces that go way beyond plain old tomato — it's time to expand those horizons, guys. (19)

    Urban Outfitters

    Get them from Urban Outfitters for $10 each. Available in three colors/patterns.

    20. A stainless steel, four-slot spaghetti measurer to make feeding a family simpler than ever. It'll tell you exactly how much you need to make for a group of one, two, three, or four.

    A recipe book chock full of sauces that go way beyond plain old tomato — it's time to expand those horizons, guys. (20)

    amazon.com

    Get it from Amazon for $6.49.

    Promising review: "After 40 years of thinking I really didn't need this kind of kitchen gadget, I succumbed and bought one. You get what you ordered! It's made of shiny stainless steel, has accurate measures for portions, and is flat and smooth! Stores easily in a utensil drawer or countertop holder and takes up zero space. Perfect little gift to toss in a gift basket for anyone going off on their own or starting out. I will be buying this again and again as a gift tag or stocking stuffer... great little kitchen tool!" —Mom the Artist Brown

    21. A variety pack of Banza chickpea pasta, if "upping your pasta game" means increasing your protein and fiber intake.

    A recipe book chock full of sauces that go way beyond plain old tomato — it's time to expand those horizons, guys. (21)

    amazon.com

    It has almost twice as much protein, and more than four times as much fiber as the average pasta.

    Ok, brief personal aside: I f*cking love normal pasta. But I've tried this and it is LEGIT. It tastes just like wheat pasta, and it won't block up your whole ~system~, if you catch my drift.

    Get a variety pack of six boxes from Amazon for $25. Individual boxes also available on Jet.

    Promising review: "My dietician recommended chickpea pasta so I (reluctantly) purchased these after being somewhat marginal with the gluten-free pastas I've tried in the past. These are wonderful!! They don't go easily soggy (like the rice ones) and they are healthy and don't leave you feeling overly full or bloaty. This variety case comes with a variety of useful pasta shape options. Definitely will reorder." –Gracie's Mom

    22. A five-piece serving bowl and dish set to make just another Wednesday dinner feel like you're actually dining in Rome. Plus, eating pasta out of a shallow bowl = making sure you get ever bit of sauce (unlike a plain ole plate).

    A recipe book chock full of sauces that go way beyond plain old tomato — it's time to expand those horizons, guys. (22)

    surlatable.com

    Get the five-piece set from Sur La Table for $32.99 (originally $80).

    Promising review: "Lovely! This set is beautiful! All of the pieces in the set are generous not yet not overwhelming in size. Perfect portion size. Makes for a terrific presentation or laid-back dinner time. Will likely purchase a second set for entertaining." —Kelly R.

    23. Individual boiling baskets for those nights no one can agree on dinner, so you need to make ravioli for one person, angel hair for another, and something else entirely for someone else.

    A recipe book chock full of sauces that go way beyond plain old tomato — it's time to expand those horizons, guys. (23)

    amazon.com

    Each basket contains about one serving, so it'll help you keep track of how much you're making, too!

    Get them from Amazon for $6 each.

    Promising review: "Somehow when I intend to make pasta for one or two, the seemingly small handful I add to the pot morphs into enough food for an army. I love how functional this is — straining in a colander isn't hard but saving that extra step with this basket really makes a difference. It's so helpful when I cook different kinds of pasta — say, tortellini and penne, since the cook times are different and I'd otherwise have to use two pots. With this, I just remove the pasta that's done from the pot and let the other one finish. So easy! Also love that it's dishwasher safe and best of all, it stores FLAT. Cupboard space is precious so any product that saves me a little gets bonus points in my book." —Bria J.

    24. Airtight canisters to keep your pasta WAY fresher than the box it comes in. And it'll save space in your pantry, which is always a good thing.

    A recipe book chock full of sauces that go way beyond plain old tomato — it's time to expand those horizons, guys. (24)

    amazon.com

    Get a set of five canisters in various sizes from Amazon for $24.99. Also available by the piece or in smaller sets.

    Promising review: "These are the best! Very sturdy, easy to clean, and seals tightly. All good sizes." —A.H.

    25. Deliciously addictive chips made with semolina flour (just like pasta) and topped with your favorite flavors, including alfredo, marinara, rosemary, and more.

    A recipe book chock full of sauces that go way beyond plain old tomato — it's time to expand those horizons, guys. (25)

    instagram.com

    They're available in seven flavors: garlic olive oil, alfredo, marinara, Mediterranean sea salt, rosemary, spicy tomato herb, and veggie sea salt.

    Get a pack of 12 bags from Amazon for $37.91.

    Promising review: "These are by far the best tasting chip snack we have had in our home and they are the best for you as well. My children tell me they taste like pizza (marinara flavor), and they are truly delicious! I have tried one other variety (sea salt) and I prefer this flavor, but they are both good." —N. Glenn

    26. And, perhaps most importantly, a pasta-eating shirt you can wear for your favorite mealtimes, whether it's the same shirt that Dev wears in Master of None (left) or an homage to your favorite musician (right).

    etsy.com, etsy.com

    Left tee: Get it from People's Tees on Etsy for $14.99. Sizes: S–2X. Available in six colors.

    Right tee: Get it from Pyknic Official on Etsy for $29. Sizes: S–XL.

    Time to spa-GET-ti them all!

    Netflix

    Reviews have been edited for length and/or clarity.

    A recipe book chock full of sauces that go way beyond plain old tomato — it's time to expand those horizons, guys. (2024)

    References

    Top Articles
    Latest Posts
    Article information

    Author: Stevie Stamm

    Last Updated:

    Views: 6261

    Rating: 5 / 5 (60 voted)

    Reviews: 83% of readers found this page helpful

    Author information

    Name: Stevie Stamm

    Birthday: 1996-06-22

    Address: Apt. 419 4200 Sipes Estate, East Delmerview, WY 05617

    Phone: +342332224300

    Job: Future Advertising Analyst

    Hobby: Leather crafting, Puzzles, Leather crafting, scrapbook, Urban exploration, Cabaret, Skateboarding

    Introduction: My name is Stevie Stamm, I am a colorful, sparkling, splendid, vast, open, hilarious, tender person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.