Longing for a night out on the town? There is no better place than a classic New York Italian restaurant. They’re always in the perfect location with beautiful views and the absolute best food. However, traditional Italian can get boring after a while. The romantic atmosphere, the nice glass of merlot, the classic gnocchi. We all get into the restaurant routines – you’re not alone. But why not freshen things up with something new? Try some of the 2018 Instagram Pasta Trends. You’ll be sure to spice up your night and your Instagram profile.
Color Your Plate – Rainbow Pasta
Photo: Courtesy of Salty Seattle
This colorful pasta has started to become a popular trend due to Salty Seattle’s opening in Washington. Linda Miller Nicholson hand-makes all of her pasta, dying them with plant extracts. Not only does this add nutritional value to the dishes, but makes them vibrant and wonderfully colored. Although Nicholson’s shop is for special events only, you can bet that the trend is on its way to an Italian restaurant near you. Nicholson also has a book coming out which will show you how to create and dye your own pasta.
Get Your Booze On – Red Wine Pasta
Photo: Courtesy of #theblondielocks
You’re going to have a glass of wine with Italian anyway, so why not combine the two? Ever since a cooking video went viral on Facebook, red wine pasta has become the next big thing. It is so easy to make and tastes amazing. Simply bring 4 cups of water and a bottle of cabernet sauvignon to a boil and add in your choice of pasta until cooked. For the sauce simmer a ¼ cup of the same wine with olive oil, garlic, red peeper, and butter. Mix the pasta and sauce together and add in parmesan and parsley to your taste. And there you go – red wine pasta!
Be Classic – Vodka Pasta
How can you go wrong with creamy vodka sauce? Yes, we know Vodka Pasta isn’t anything new, but it is so delicious (not to mention extremely popular) it has to be included on this list. The sauce itself is made from all the best ingredients; cream, tomato sauce, vodka, garlic, basil, and torn, however, the pasta combinations are endless. Try it with penne, gnocchi, or check out Caffé Buon Gusto’s homemade Spinach and Cheese Ravioli á la Vodka.
Spiralize it Up – Veggie Pasta
If you’re looking to ditch the carbs on your date night, look no further than spiral veggie pasta. Not only is it a healthy alternative, but these new vegetable dishes are vegetarian and vegan friendly. The pasta can be made with zucchini, carrots, squash, beets…any vegetable you can spiralize! You can easily do this at home with your own spiralizer or go out and try someone’s creation. We recommend Wild Park Slope, located in Brooklyn. Their Fresh Zucchini Noodles with mushroom and marinara sauce are to die for.
Go Dramatic – Squid Ink Pasta
It sounds strange right? But black pasta is quickly becoming a popular dish. When the pasta is being prepared, squid ink is added to the mixture. It gives the dish an extremely dramatic look and a rich, calamari-esc flavor giving you a true ‘sea’ like taste. In New York the place to get this is definitely midtown Manhattan’s Da Noi. Their Black Linguine Fatta in Casa is made with squid ink, garlic and olive oil and topped with shrimp, salmon, and calamari – bringing out the ‘sea’ undertones of the noodles.
