20 Ditalini Recipes for Pasta Parties at Home

I know that pasta can win hearts in every shape and size, but each type of pasta is unique and tends to shine when cooked the right way.

Several dishes need long and delicate pasta, some require the thick and plump kind, and others turn out best when you use small or short pasta. 

The ditalini is a small tubular pasta that works in a wide range of dishes. It’s great for cold salads, soups, stews, several saucy pasta dishes, and much more.

If you have a bag of this adorable Italian pasta at home, have a look at my premium collection of ditalini recipes and take your pick for the day!

1. Slow Cooker Sausage Ditalini Soup

As someone who needs to be in and out of the house to run errands all day, slow cooker recipes are a savior. They require minimum effort, and I have a hearty meal to serve and enjoy by the time I’m done.

My family members are always thrilled to get a pasta dish for dinner, and this slow-cooker sausage ditalini soup has become a favorite.

All the ingredients that go into this ditalini recipe are easily available at your nearest grocery store, so you get a hassle-free and delicious meal. 

2. Mediterranean Pasta Salad

Mediterranean food is tremendously wholesome in the sense that it encourages the consumption of fresh vegetables, fruits, and other plant-based superfoods, whilst allowing you to indulge in lean meats, particularly seafood.

I truly admire dishes inspired by Mediterranean cuisine because they miraculously make the body feel happier and healthier. This Mediterranean pasta salad is a breath of fresh air with all its colorful and nutritious components.

The ditalini pasta fits right in because it doesn’t get in the way but still adds a familiar and flattering texture to the dish. 

3. One Pan Meatball and Pasta Skillet Dinner

One-pan pasta meals are cherished by amateur and seasoned home cooks alike because everybody prefers a quick clean-up after finishing meal prep in the kitchen.

This ditalini recipe is one that I revisit whenever I need a pick-me-up at the end of a stressful or disappointing day. It tends to bring out the oxytocin, so I can go to bed feeling relaxed and hopeful for a new day.

I understand that spaghetti with meatballs is a classic, but this meatball pasta dish still deserves a standing ovation in my book. 

4. Swedish Meatball Pasta

Meatballs and ditalini are a winning duo because the Swedish seem to agree. This luxuriously creamy pasta from Sweden is everything you expect from top-notch comfort food.

This ditalini recipe contains ground beef and pork, so it’s no secret that it will keep you warm on the chilliest of winter evenings. The dish is pleasantly piquant, and the allspice mix gives it a mouthwatering aroma.

Legend says that leftovers taste even better the next day, but too bad I never had the opportunity to find out.

5. Ditalini Pasta with Peas and Parmesan

Ditalini pasta with peas and parmesan is a cute dish with simple flavors that you can prepare and serve within twenty minutes.

I highly recommend this ditalini recipe to moms who need to cook up something nice for their children who are literally famished after they get back from school in the afternoon.

Many kids are picky eaters, and they don’t touch foods with a complex flavor profile. This neat and easy pasta dish is definitely something they will eat without complaining or throwing tantrums. 

6. Vegan Ditalini Pasta Salad Recipe

I cannot forget my vegan and vegetarian friends now, can I? Here’s a light and refreshing ditalini pasta dish made from all plant-based ingredients. My fellow omnivores can enjoy it too!

The only way to further elevate this pasta dish is by using organic produce, which can be acquired from any farmer’s market in your area. If you have a home garden of vegetables grown by yourself, that’s certainly the best.

This pasta salad recipe includes instructions for making a homemade Vinaigrette Dressing that uses red wine vinegar. If you require a nonalcoholic version, you can replace the red wine vinegar with balsamic vinegar. 

7. Baked Ditalini with Peas and Ham

Meet baked ditalini with peas and ham, a pasta dish that appears to be a fusion of lasagna and a savory custard.

I made this pasta dish for guests during the holiday season and received overwhelmingly positive feedback. The only drawback to making this pasta is that it tastes too good and people keep coming back for more!

This dish contains dairy products, such as whole milk and heavy cream. If you have family members or friends who are lactose intolerant, you may opt for non-dairy or vegan substitutes.

8. Tomato Meatball Soup

Me and my brother used to go and stay at grandma’s house for a few weeks every summer vacation up until middle school. The best part of living with her was undoubtedly the delicious food she fed us.

My brother and I always returned home chubby and happy, thanks to grandma’s cooking. One of my favorite things to eat back then was her tomato soup with grilled cheese sandwiches that she often prepared for supper.

If Grandma were with us today, I’d love to make this tomato meatball soup for her and return some love. This ditalini recipe reminds me of her, and I’m sure she would like it very much. 

9. One-Pot Ditalini Risotto with Spicy Chicken Sausage

Through the years, I have observed that many people avoid homemade food not because they hate cooking but due to the mess it creates in the Kitchen.

People don’t like a dirty kitchen brimming with organic waste, dirty utensils, and whatnot! However, this is no excuse to keep oneself devoid of a hearty and nutritious meal.

One-pot meals like this ditalini risotto are the ultimate solution to minimize clean-up after cooking. This ditalini recipe contains chicken sausage, which has about 60% less fat than beef and pork sausages.

10. Slow Cooker Minestrone Soup

Minestrone soup is an Italian classic made from chicken broth, beans, vegetables, and ditalini pasta. Tubular pasta is ideal for this dish, so ditalini is an optimal choice.

The use of ditalini pasta also makes this soup kid-friendly, allowing for smaller morsels. The soup is prepared in a slow cooker, which intensifies the flavor of each individual ingredient and creates a harmonious blend.

This dish is a completely balanced meal, as it contains all the vital food groups and essential nutrients. I like to pair it with crusty garlic bread because the combo is simply superb. 

11. Cheesy Ditalini with Chicken and Spinach

When I was younger, I remember my mother bringing in a huge load of fresh spinach leaves every week from the food market. Spinach remains her favorite vegetable to date, and she occasionally makes her signature spinach and chicken curry for the family.

When I was younger, I’d take the leftover curry and add in some boiled macaroni to prepare a whole new meal for myself. Cheesy ditalini with chicken and spinach brings back those lovely memories to me.

Rest assured that this ditalini recipe is comparatively richer and fit for fine dining. If my humble childhood meal could be transformed into a fancy restaurant dish, this would be it. 

12. Creamy Shrimp Salad

You may have noticed that ditalini pasta is pretty good at complementing salads, so let’s celebrate these nimble rings of pasta with a creamy and colorful salad recipe.

Salads with lean protein are the best; shredded or diced chicken is the standard choice, but you should try shrimp for a change. They add a touch of the sea and supply you with a healthy dosage of Vitamin B12.

If you would like to lower the calorie content of this recipe and make it healthier, try using avocado mayo instead of regular mayonnaise. You can also make your own mayonnaise with olive oil at home. 

13. Deviled Egg Pasta Salad

Deviled eggs are divine, and I was so excited to discover this ditalini pasta recipe that manages to incorporate this delectable treat into a proper meal.

If you haven’t had deviled eggs before, I’ll happily introduce you. To make a devilled egg, you need to first hard-boil the egg.

Afterward, the egg is cut into halves and the yolks are removed; the yolks are mixed with a couple of ingredients and seasonings. The resulting paste is filled into the hollows of the egg whites, and your delicious devilled eggs are ready! 

14. One-Pot Creamy Broccoli Pasta

I don’t know about you, but I sure do like cooking with broccoli. If your kids refuse to eat this green wonder, I’ll assume that you haven’t presented it the right way. 

Do you know that eating broccoli has several health benefits? It’s full of vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants, which makes it a superfood. Adding broccoli to a pasta dish is a good way to convince your child to eat it.

This dish only takes fifteen minutes in total to prepare and cook, so what are you waiting for?

15. Sicilian Chicken Soup

This winter I’m going to order the latest edition of “Chicken Soup for the Soul” and make a big pot of this Sicilian chicken soup to keep me company during the frosty weather.

Soups are often considered to be an appetizer, but this soup with ditalini pasta is a full-fledged hearty meal that will keep you warm on the coldest nights.

This ditalini recipe makes the chicken soup look easy, and it’s so flavorful that you won’t be having soup any other way for a long time.

16. Pasta e Fagioli Italian Soup

We just did a chicken soup, so why leave out the bigger and mightier bird, i.e., turkey? This ditalini recipe is all about a light yet filling soup that packs some heat and lots of flavor.

The recipe mentions “julienne carrots,” which should not be mistaken as some variety or type of carrot. Julienne is basically a fancy term for cutting vegetables a certain way, i.e., into thin long strips like matchsticks.

You could also just use diced carrots like me because I don’t mind a chunky soup. You may modify the dish according to your particular tastes. 

17. Ditalini Pasta Salad with Tomberry Tomatoes

Whenever I’m hungry but I don’t want to eat something too heavy, I look up a pasta salad recipe. They involve minimum cooking, don’t take much time to prepare, and most of the time, they are delicious and satisfying.

This ditalini pasta is absolutely adorable because it features an array of miniature foods, including baby cucumbers and Tomberry tomatoes that look like canned cherries.

The ditalini pasta is kind of tiny itself, so it fits right in. This recipe also contains orange blossom honey that has subtle citrusy notes, and it complements the dish very well.  

18. Tuscan White Bean Soup

Pasta soups are awesome, so let’s discuss another one that has an unusual and interesting flavor profile. It’s not the most colorful dish on the list, and it’s not spicy, but that’s exactly what you need at times.

Fussy eaters are likely to approve of this because it’s a simple and elegant soup. Since it doesn’t include any animal protein, it’s a hundred percent vegetarian-friendly as well.

I’m the kind of person who makes stews and soups almost every other day during the winter, so I’m always eager to find new recipes to try.

19. Cheesy Ditalini with Mixed Greens

If you prefer your pasta with lots of greens, this ditalini recipe is for you. You may relish it as a light lunch or serve it as a side with roast chicken or grilled fish.

In this dish, the pasta is cooked in a mixture of beer and beef broth, which was something I’d never heard of or tried before. I’m not the biggest fan of boozy dishes, but this one made an impression.

When it comes to choosing your greens, be as creative as you can. I usually go for spinach leaves, kale, and lettuce. 

20. Chopped Greek Pasta Salad

It is time to wrap it up with another mind-blowing pasta salad, which incorporates the flavors of Greece. The country is known for some of the healthiest foods to exist, such as Greek yogurt, olives, olive oil, fresh ocean fish, and so on.

This ditalini recipe features artichoke hearts, which have a nutty and slightly bitter taste. Artichokes contain a special kind of dietary fiber known as “inulin”; it functions like a prebiotic and improves the overall functionality of the digestive system.