Mafalda Pasta in creamy yogurt sauce is our favourite healthy vegetarian Italian noodle recipe.
This recipe is quick and easy to make since we’ve used store bought dried mafalda ribbon shaped pasta noodles.
Toss al dente Mafalda pasta in our homemade yogurt sauce and the delicious main course dish will be on the table ready to eat in under an hour!
Your family will love forking through this colourful and complex vegetarian pasta recipe featuring flavourful tomatoes, red chili, olive oil, butternut squash, onion, garlic, Greek yogurt, cumin, egg yolks, cilantro and pecorino cheese.
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What Is Mafalda Pasta?
Mafaldine, also known as reginette or simply mafalda or mafalde, is a type of ribbon-shaped pasta.
It is flat and wide, usually about 1 cm in width, with wavy edges on both sides. They look like a thinner version of lasagna noodles.
Mafalda Noodles were named in honor of Princess Mafalda of Savoy, and enjoy an alternative and affectionate name “little queens”.
Mafalda Pasta dishes are typically tossed in a thick or chunky sauce as they hold well throughout the noodles ribbons.
Travel to Italy by Cooking Mafalda Noodles at Home
I love traveling to Europe!
During my first visit to the continent I traveled for 5 months by train and plane. I had the opportunity to eat my way through Ireland, Scotland, England, Wales, Portugal, Spain, France, Belgium, Holland, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland,Russia, Estonia, Latvia, Poland, Czech, Germany, Austria, Croatia, Bosnia, Hungary, Slovakia, Greece, Turkey and Italy.
What I love most about traveling to Italy is the opportunity to sample unique dishes in each region and city. The dishes in Tuscany (Florence, Pisa, Volterra, Saturnia, Pitigliano, Sorano, Montalcino, Siena) are unique from what you’d find in Venice, Modena, Milan, Rome, and Amalfi Coast.
Mafalda Noodles are originally from Naples, Campania where many pasta makers produce it. There are also a number of traditional pasta dishes from Sicily and Puglia cooked with it and it’s available throughout Italy.
Once back home from an Italian holiday you’ll have a newfound appreciation for pasta and can impress friends and family by making our vegetarian Mafalda Noodles recipe!
Where To Eat Mafalda Noodles
If you live in a large city in Canada or America you’ll likely have access to a local Italian restaurant that serves Mafalda Pasta.
Haven’t traveled to Italy before? It may be helpful to first sample Mafalda Noodles at a local Italian restaurant to better understand how the dish is served. You can also assess the ideal pasta to yogurt sauce ratio, best roasted vegetables to toss into the dish, and which complimentary side dishes to serve at the table.
In Toronto, popular Italian restaurants in Yorkville, King West and Ossington that may serve Mafalda Pasta include Bar Vendetta, Buca, Superpoint, Amano, Fabbrica, Oretta, FIGO, Nodo, Locale Mercatto, The Good Son, Taverna Mercatto, Ascari Enoteca, Il Fornello or Gusto 101.
My Family Loves Cooking Mafalda Pasta Noodles
I love cooking Mafalda Pasta for my family.
This bright and colourful healthy vegetarian pasta dish is best served in the spring and summer. Serve it on on backyard patio on a sunny day with a glass of cold white wine and fresh salad.
The recipe features complex flavours and textures like crispy garlic chips, herbaceous cilantro, spicy tomato chili sauce and tender roasted squash.
I knew my family would enjoy this vegetarian recipe because they love Italian pasta, roasted squash, creamy yogurt and mountains of cheese.
Vegetarian Mafalda Pasta Health Benefits
Our Mafalda pasta recipe is packed full of healthy ingredients!
Olive Oil is ranked as one of the healthiest fats and is a staple in the Mediterranean diet. It contains vitamins E and K and plenty of beneficial fatty acids and antioxidants.
It is only recently that scientists have begun to identify the components responsible for garlic’s myriad health benefits. Rich in phytochemicals and potassium, garlic helps boost your immune system, fight cancer and protect your heart.
Onions are a humble vegetable packed with vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals. Regular consumption of onions can help boost digestive health and reduce the risk of developing heart disease.
Chili has been proven to help reduce the duration of sickness, prevent heart disease, and promote weight loss.
Rich in a group of phytochemicals called carotenoids, tomatoes may help reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke, and provide protection against cancer. Tomatoes are also a good source of immune-boosting vitamin C.
All varieties of pumpkin (or squash) are nutritious, but butternut squash is a superfood because it contains high levels of carotenoids, which help combat cancer and support skin health.
Packed with calcium and friendly probiotic bacteria, sour cream and yogurt help keep your bones strong and your gut healthy. Yogurt may also help reduce the risk of obesity, diabetes and some types of cancer.
Consuming dairy products (such as milk and cheese) provides health benefits — especially improved bone health. Dairy foods provide nutrients that are vital for health and maintenance of your body. These nutrients include calcium, potassium, vitamin D, and protein.
A rich source of blood-building iron, cumin may also help balance your blood sugar levels and reduce bad cholesterol. It is also traditionally used as a digestive aid.
Eggs contain two vital nutrients that are not present in many foods: iodine and vitamin D. Eggs are also rich in tissue-building protein and vitamin B12, which helps your body manufacture blood cells.
A good source of bone-strengthening vitamin K, cilantro is also rich in antioxidants that help protect the eyes from damage by free radicals.
Mafalda Noodles Recipe Cooking Tips
This healthy pasta recipe is quick and easy to make at home.
- Use a high quality nonstick skillet to prepare the yogurt sauce.
- Use a food processor to prepare the spicy chili tomato sauce.
- You can purchase dried Mafalda pasta noodles on Amazon or at a local Italian grocer.
- We’ve used apple cider vinegar in the chili sauce but you can substitute for white wine vinegar.
- We’ve roasted butternut squash but you can substitue for honeynut squash, acorn squash or kabocha squash.
- We’ve used Spanish cooking onions in this recipe but you can substitute for red onions, white onions or shallots.
- Garnish the dish with cilantro or a mix of chopped basil and parsley.
- We’ve used pecorino cheese but you can substitue for another aged cheese like Gruyere, Parmigiano Reggiano, Manchego, Beemster XO or Mimolette.
What To Serve With Mafalda Pasta
There’s nothing more comforting than cozying up to a bowl of creamy Mafalda Pasta.
If you’re hosting an Italian-themed dinner party we suggest serving Mafalda Noodles as part of a decadent buffet featuring Instant Pot Short Rib Ragu, Cheesy Polenta, Ricotta Gnocchi, Involtini di Pollo, Parmesan Ditalini Soup, Aperol Gin Cocktails and Amaretto Disaronno Sour.
For a light lunch or dinner, pair the recipe with fresh salads like Vegetarian Roasted Pumpkin Feta Salad, Roasted Beetroot Salad, Garlic Lemon Chickpea Avocado Salad, Fennel, Apple, Celery and Roasted Hazelnut Salad, Toasted Pecan Parmesan Pear and Rocket Salad, Cambozola Currant Pear and Fennel Salad, or a Romaine Salad With Tahini Caesar Dressing.
After dinner why not dazzle your guests with one of our popular desserts such as Kardemummabullar Swedish Cardamom Buns , Gevulde Speculaas, Turmeric Pumpkin Spice Indian Cake, Chewy Easter Toffee Cadbury Mini Egg Cookie Bars, Oat Flour Cookies with Chocolate Chips, Dark Chocolate Lindt Lindor Cookies, Maraschino Cherry Cupcakes Recipe or Cinnamon Babka.
Other Vegetarian Recipes You May Enjoy…
- Curry Leaf Rice with Cashews
- Turkish Pogaca Feta and Dill Bread Rolls
- Sangchu Geotjeori Sweet and Sour Korean Lettuce Salad
- Pan Fried Korean Tofu
- Lebanese Cabbage Malfouf Salad
- Spicy Crispy Roasted Harissa Potatoes
- Kookoo Sabzi Vegetarian Persian Omelet
- Slow Cooked Red Cabbage with Cranberries
- Oven Baked Halloumi with Roasted Vegetables
- One Pot Indian Thakkali Tomato Biryani
- Zeytoon Parvardeh Marinated Persian Olives
- Mutabbal Vegan Middle Eastern Eggplant Dip
- Parippu Vada With Coconut Chutney
- Middle Eastern Spiced Pea Fritters
- Tallarines Verdes Peruvian Green Spaghetti
- Buckwheat Gluten Free Porridge
- Mihlama Kuymak Turkish Melted Cheese and Cornmeal
- Za’atar Butter Bean Dip
How To Make Vegetarian Mafalda Pasta Noodles
Vegetarian Mafalda Pasta Noodles
Equipment
- Food processor
- Large Nonstick Skillet
- French knife
- cheese grater
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- Roast Pan
- Large pot
Ingredients
Chile Sauce
- 1 Plum Tomato chopped
- 3 Red Chiles seeds removed and chopped
- 1/4 tsp Kosher Salt
- 4 1/2 tsp Apple Cider Vinegar
- 2 tbsp Olive Oil
Mafalda Noodles + Yogurt Sauce
- 2 lb Butternut Squash peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 Spanish Onion peeled and cut into 6 wedges
- 6 tbsp Olive Oil
- Kosher Salt and Pepper to taste
- 6 Garlic Cloves thinly sliced
- 200 g Mafalda Pasta Noodles
- 2 cups Greek Yogurt plus 2 tablespoons
- 1 1/4 tsp Ground Cumin
- 2 Egg Yolks
- 1 1/2 tsp Cornstarch
- 1/4 cup Cilantro Leaves
- 1/4 cup Pecorino Cheese shredded
Instructions
- For the chile sauce: Put the tomato, chiles, and salt into the bowl of a food processor and blitz until minced, scraping down the sides of the bowl. Add the vinegar and olive oil and pulse for a few seconds. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 475 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and line a plate with a double layer of paper towel.
- Put the squash, onion, 3 tablespoons of the olive oil, 3/4 tsp salt, and black pepper into a medium bowl and mix until well combined. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet and roast for 30 minutes, stirring once or twice, until soft and charred.
- Meanwhile, put the garlic, and 2 tablespoons of olive oil into a small frying pan and place on medium heat. Cook gently, stirring occasionally, until the garlic becomes deeply golden and crispy, about 12 minutes. Reserving the oil, use a slotted spoon to transfer the garlic to the prepared plate.
- Cook the pasta in plenty of salted boiling water until almost al dente, about 7 minutes. Reserving 3/4 cups of cooking liquid, drain the pasta well.
- Put the yogurt, remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil, cumin, egg yolk, cornstarch, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt into a blender and blitz until smooth, about 1 minute. Pour the mixture into a large saute pan on a medium heat. Cook, stirring continuously, until thickened and just beginning to bubble, about 15 minutes. Add the pasta, reserved pasta water, chopped cilantro, and half the squash mixture and cook for another 4 minutes. Transfer to a large serving platter and top with the remaining squash mixture. Drizzle with one-third of the chile sauce and top with fried garlic, cilantro and reserved garlic oil. Serve with shredded pecorino cheese.
Nutrition
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