This creamy, garlicky Ditalini Pasta is the viral recipe that almost broke the internet! Why? Because it only contains a handful of ingredients, comes together within minutes, and is full of delicious, savory garlic flavor. This is sure to become an easy weeknight staple in your meal rotation! Plus, you can customize this recipe with other ingredients you have on hand!
I always love an easy recipe to get me by on a night when I don’t have a lot of time, or don’t want to put a ton of effort into dinner. But in classic Well and Full fashion, I can’t hear of a recipe idea and not put my own spin on it! So in this post, I have the classic Ditalini Pasta that “almost broke the internet”, and a jazzed-up version with chili crisp, extra cheese, and chickpeas. Because why not add chili crisp?! It’s so good added to Italian-y dishes – just ask my Chili Crisp Garlic Bread! (Well, if you could ask bread anything.)
Also in true Well and Full fashion, I give you lots of options in the recipe to add, adjust, or customize to your liking. I always love it when readers take my recipes as a “base”, then add their own twists to it (just like I do!). I know you’ll love this easy ditalini! Enjoy!
If you like jazzed-up, interesting pasta, try these other flavorful options like my Vegetarian Turkish Pasta or my Boursin Cheese Pasta!
And if you like chickpeas, try my Vegan Bacon Chickpeas, this Spicy Cucumber Salad with Chickpeas, or this Smoky Vegan Chickpea Stew!
Ditalini Pasta
Ingredients
Original Ditalini Pasta
- 3 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 4 Cloves Garlic minced
- 8 oz Ditalini Pasta about 2 cups
- 3 Cups Vegetable Broth or more, if needed
- 1/4 Cup Cream or milk
- 4 Tbsp Salted Butter
- 1/2 Cup Parmesan Cheese
- Salt to taste
- Black Pepper to taste
- 1/3 Cup Chopped Parsley for garnish, optional
Chili Crisp Version
- 4 Tbsp Chili Crisp
- 1/4 Cup Parmesan or Cheddar Cheese
- 1 Can Chickpeas
Instructions
- To start, bring the olive oil to medium low heat in a large, lidded saucepan. Once oil is hot, add in the garlic and stir for about 30 seconds, or until lightly fragrant. Don't let it burn!
- Then, add in the ditalini and stir it around with the garlic for about 1 minute.
- Then, add in the vegetable broth, salt and pepper to taste, and cover. Cook for about 2 minutes, then uncover and stir. Repeat this in 30 second intervals until the pasta is al dente. Check your box of pasta for a reference of cooking time.
- You want there to be some liquid still left in the pan when the pasta is cooked. If there isn't enough add about 1/4-1/3 cup of vegetable broth. If you'd prefer a less "soupy" pasta, then skip this step.
- Once pasta is done, take it off the heat and leave it uncovered. Add in the cream (or milk), butter, and cheese, and stir well.
- If you're making the chili crunch version, stir in the chili crunch, chickpeas, and extra cheese now.
- When ready to serve, garnish with fresh parsley if you'd like.
- Enjoy!
Notes
- 8 oz of ditalini is half of a standard, 1 lb (16 oz) box, or about 2 cups.
- The nutrition values for this recipe are calculated from the standard version only. If you make the chili crisp version, the values will be higher.
Nutrition
Ditalini Pasta FAQs
What is the closest pasta to ditalini?
Ditalini is a pasta shape that resembles a small, hollowed-out cylinder. The closest in shape would be rigatoni, but the closest in size would be a small, mini pasta like orzo, acini di pepe, or pastina. You can make this recipe with any type of pasta! Just note that larger pastas will take longer to cook.
What is the difference between ditalini and ditali pasta?
Ditali is just a larger version of ditalini! Otherwise, it’s the same shape.
Is this the same Ditalini Pasta recipe on TikTok?
Yes, this is my interpretation of the viral ditalini pasta on TikTok! Of course, I had to make this recipe in my own style, with chili crisp, parsley, extra parmesan, and chickpeas. If you’ve been following Well and Full for awhile, you’ll know that I LOVE chickpeas! That being said, there’s still instructions in the recipe in case you want to make it the plain, OG TikTok version.
How do you pronounce ditalini?
You pronounce it dee-tah-LEE-nee! In Latin and Romance languages, the letter “i” is almost always pronounced as an “ee” sound. (Thank you, three semesters of college linguistics!)
Is ditalini the same as orzo?
Nope, they are totally different! Ditalini are shaped like a mini, hollow cylinder, while orzo resembles grains of rice. You can definitely use orzo in this recipe, though! Just make sure to keep an eye on the cooking time, because it might be different with a different pasta shape.
P.S.
For more plant-forward recipes and New England lifestyle inspiration, be sure to follow along on Pinterest, Instagram, and TikTok! If you make a recipe, please tag me in the photo and use the hashtag #wellandfull so I can see! I love seeing your creations!
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