Who says pasta has to be a savory dish? While it is true that traditional Italian cuisine does not call for dessert after a plate of spaghetti, there’s no reason why you can’t think outside the box and enjoy a sweet treat after your next pasta dish.
Here are some most pleasing desserts that pair perfectly with pasta.
15 Desserts to Pair with Your Favorite Pasta Dishes
Pasta is an incredibly versatile dish that can be paired with various desserts to create a perfect meal. Here are 15 of the best desserts to go with pasta:
1. Fruit Tart with Balsamic Reduction
A fresh fruit tart is a perfect way to end any meal, especially when served alongside something as comforting as a big bowl of pasta!
This delicious fruit tart combines fresh berries and balsamic reduction for a unique flavor combination.
With their buttery crusts filled with sweet custards, these tarts offer an excellent balance between sweet & savory flavors!
2. Chocolate-Covered Cannoli
Cannoli is one of the most iconic Italian desserts—making them perfect for pairing with pasta!
Start by making homemade cannoli shells according to your favorite recipe. Then fill each shell with ricotta cheese mixed with sugar, vanilla extract, mini chocolate chips, orange zest, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ground cloves.
Dip each filled cannoli into melted dark chocolate and place on parchment paper to cool before serving. Then enjoy these sweet treats along with fettuccine alfredo or lasagna!
3. Tiramisu Cupcakes
Who doesn’t love tiramisu? Tiramisu is one of Italy’s most beloved desserts—for a good reason!
This classic Italian dessert is even better when served in single-serve cupcake form!
This yummy trifle consists of layers of espresso-soaked ladyfingers, creamy vanilla custard, rich cocoa powder, and fluffy whipped cream.
It’s the perfect balance of sweet and savory flavors that pairs wonderfully with a hearty plate of pasta like spaghetti and carbonara.
4. Fruit and Cheese Plate
A cheese plate is a perfect dessert to accompany a hearty bowl of pasta.
The richness of the cheese will balance out the heaviness of the noodles, creating a well-rounded meal. Keep it classic with some slices of Parmesan or Brie, or opt for something different like Gorgonzola or Pecorino Romano.
Add seasonal fruits like strawberries, grapes, figs, or peaches for extra flavor and texture.
5. Gelato
Gelato is another popular Italian ice cream dessert that goes great with pasta dishes.
Gelato comes in all sorts of flavors—from classic vanilla to exotic rosemary-lemon—so take your pick and enjoy it as a post-dinner treat.
Unlike American ice cream, gelato has less fat content due to its slow churning process, which releases fewer air bubbles into the mixture than regular ice cream.
For an extra decadent experience, top your gelato off with some crushed amaretti cookies! It’ll be sure to cool down your palate after eating some tangy tomato sauce over your noodles.
6. Cannoli
One of my favorite desserts that, I can always o for it.
Cannoli are fried pastry shells typically filled with sweet ricotta cheese, chocolate chips, or candied fruit for added sweetness. The crunchy texture contrasts nicely with pasta dishes for a delightful combination of flavors.
7. Panna cotta
A creamy custard-like pudding, panna cotta is made with heavy cream, milk, and gelatin before being topped off with fruit purees or syrups like caramel or raspberry reduction.
It can be flavored with anything from chocolate and coffee to fruit for added sweetness after the savory course.
It has just the right amount of richness that will pair nicely with pesto pasta dishes.
8. Chocolate Mousse
Who doesn’t love chocolate? The fluffy mousse is light enough in texture not to overpower your food yet packs enough sweetness to stand up against all kinds of sauces.
9. Biscotti
Another sweet treat for Italian Bucket is Biscotti.
Italian cookies are twice-baked until they become hard and crunchy on the outside but still have a hint of softness in their middle layer; perfectly balanced for biting into after indulging in some garlicky spaghetti or fettuccine alfredo!
10. Key Lime Pie
The tartness of this citrusy pie pairs wonderfully with marinara sauce over your favorite type of noodles, while its smooth custard base adds just the right touch of sweetness needed after such an indulgent dinner course!
11. Pizzelle
These delicate waffle cookies are usually flavored with anise seeds and dusted in powdered sugar for added sweetness, providing excellent contrast when eaten alongside salty dishes like carbonara pasta!
12. Cheesecake
A classic cheesecake that has been properly baked until its deliciously creamy filling sets & golden brown crust develops provides just the right amount of richness & decadence to complete any delicious Italian meal involving pasta! You won’t regret trying it!
13. Bread Pudding
Bread Pudding is an incredibly delicious and comforting dessert that can perfectly end a hearty pasta dish. Its unique texture has a soft, custardy interior and crunchy, caramelized crust.
The bread pudding base is usually made from stale bread or croissants combined with eggs, milk, sugar, and spices like nutmeg or cinnamon.
Some recipes include ingredients like chocolate chips, dried fruit, and nuts for additional flavor.
Not only does bread pudding taste great, but it also uses leftover bread, so there’s no waste!
This makes it an economical choice for those looking for an inexpensive yet flavorful way to end their meal.
14. Fruit Cobbler
Serve a warm fruit cobbler topped with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream for a comforting dessert following an Italian-style meal.
After having a delicious pasta meal, there is nothing better than the sweet southern taste of fresh fruit cobbler.
Perfectly combining fresh fruits such as blackberries, blueberries, or peaches; all of which are filled with a natural sweetness that is even more flavorful when combined with the tangy crumb topping and spices in an easy-to-make dessert, it is the perfect way to finish your meal.
Wrap-Up on: Best Dessert Goes with Pasta
There are fifteen delicious desserts that pair perfectly with your favorite pasta dishes.
The next time you’re looking for something special to serve after dinner (or want an excuse to eat more sweets!), try one of these recipes!
The desserts taste great and make you feel like an Italian chef in no time flat! Buon Appetito!
