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Vegetarian, Italy

Pasta e patate

Pasta e patate is a Neapolitan dish that combines small pasta shapes, potatoes, and melted provola cheese in a thick, broth based sauce. It serves 4 people, takes 45 minutes, rates as easy, and costs about €1.40 per person. The key to getting it right is cooking the pasta directly in the broth, which releases starch and naturally thickens the dish.

Neapolitan comfort food at its best, pasta e patate, pasta cooked together with potatoes and melting provola cheese.

Pasta e patate
Total time
45 min
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€1.40
Calories per person
670 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Winter, Fall
The kids
They generally like it

Pasta e patate is a bowl of pasta and potatoes simmered together until they turn almost creamy, with no cream or roux involved. The broth thickens on its own thanks to the starch from the pasta and the potatoes, while smoked provola melts into stretchy, savory strands. It's less like a typical pasta dish and more like a thick soup you eat with a spoon.

This is the kind of recipe Mon Chou suggests for a cold winter evening when everyone needs something warm and uncomplicated. Kids love the melty texture and the stretchy cheese, while adults recognize that simple taste of vegetables slowly cooked down. One pot, one dish, and nobody leaves the table hungry.

The ingredients

4 people

Pantry

  • Mixed small pasta shapesoften in the pantry 250 g
  • Tomato pasteoften in the pantry 2 tbsp
  • Vegetable brothoften in the pantry 1 l
  • Olive oiloften in the pantry 4 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Fruits and vegetables

  • Potatoes 600 g
  • Onion 1
  • Carrot 1
  • Celery stalk 1

Dairy

  • Smoked provola or scamorza 150 g
  • Parmesan rind 1

Allergens Gluten, Lactose, Celery

The step by step recipe

  1. Finely chop the onion, carrot, and celery, then sauté them in the olive oil. 8 min

    Stir often so they don't stick to the pan.

  2. Add the diced potatoes, tomato paste, and parmesan rind, and cook for two minutes. 2 min

    Even sized cubes cook at the same rate as the pasta.

  3. Pour in the hot broth just to cover and let it cook with the lid on. 15 min

    Don't drown the potatoes, some of the liquid needs to get absorbed.

  4. Add the pasta and cook it in the same pot, stirring occasionally. 10 min

    Add more hot broth little by little as needed.

  5. Off the heat, stir in the diced provola and let it melt for five minutes before serving. 5 min

    The dish should be creamy, not watery.

Our tips to get it right

  • Cut the potatoes into even 1.5 cm cubes so they finish cooking at the same time as the pasta, instead of ending up with mashed potatoes on one side and al dente pasta on the other.
  • Use short pasta in mixed shapes like the Neapolitan tradition calls for, since irregular shapes release more starch and make the dish creamier.
  • Taste the broth before adding salt, since the parmesan rind and tomato paste already season the dish quite a bit.

The variations

  • Swap the smoked provola for mozzarella or caciocavallo if you can't find it, you'll lose a bit of the smoky note but keep the same melty texture.
  • This recipe is already vegetarian as long as you use vegetable broth and a vegetarian parmesan rind.
  • For a quicker, kid friendly version, skip the celery and carrot and stick with just the onion, giving you a milder, faster dish.

What to serve it with

  • A drizzle of raw olive oil on top
  • Crusty bread for dipping
  • A lemony green salad on the side

Storage

Pasta e patate keeps for 2 days in the fridge in a sealed container, and it thickens even more as it cools. Reheat it gently over low heat with a splash of broth or water to bring back the creamy texture. Freezing isn't recommended, since the potatoes and pasta turn mushy once thawed.

Questions about this dish

Can you make pasta e patate ahead of time?

You can prepare the vegetable and potato base ahead of time, then add the pasta right before serving. Pasta cooked too early in the broth turns mushy and loses its texture.

What pasta can I use instead of mixed small shapes?

Short pasta like ditalini, small shells, or macaroni broken in half all work well. The key is choosing short shapes that cook in about 10 minutes.

Can I swap the provola for a different cheese?

Yes, scamorza, mozzarella, or extra grated parmesan all give good results. The cheese mainly adds meltiness and a milky note at the end of cooking.

Why add a parmesan rind while cooking?

The parmesan rind infuses the broth as it simmers, adding deep umami flavor without extra fat. It's a classic Italian trick for using up every last bit of parmesan.

How long does it take to make a pasta e patate?

Count 45 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.

How many calories are in a pasta e patate?

About 670 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a pasta e patate cost?

About €1.40 per serving, or €5.60 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains gluten, lactose, celery. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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