15 Italian Recipes Without Tomatoes

What should I make for dinner tonight? This might just be the number one question that we ask ourselves almost daily over here.

Then you have come to the right place, we have rounded up 15 italian recipes without tomatoes that we have shared over the years.

Plus, there is such a variety of flavours in these recipes, so you are sure to find something for you. Most of these recipes are quick and easy ones made especially for busy weeknights.

15 Italian Recipes Without Tomatoes

No Tomato Pasta Sauce

50 min

Red wine vinegar, olive oil, sliced beets, italian seasoning, garlic

4.677

Allrecipes

No Tomato Spaghetti Sauce

40 min

Ground beef, red bell peppers, cashew cream, spaghetti noodles, olive oil

4.515

Our Little Homestead

Tomato-less Marinara Sauce (Nightshade-free, AIP-friendly)

50 min

Coconut oil, beet, carrots, lemon juice, sea salt

4.874

Detoxinista

Rigatoni With White Bolognese

1 hr

Ground beef, pork sausage meat, italian white wine, rigatoni, dried porcini mushrooms

5.03.1K

NYT Cooking – The New York Times

The Best Italian-American Tomato Sauce Recipe

6 hr 20 min

San marzano tomatoes, fish sauce, red pepper flakes, butter, carrot

4.952

Serious Eats

Sensational No Tomato Sauce Spaghetti

50 min

Bacon, whipping cream, parmesan cheese, thin spaghetti, white pepper

5.08

Food.com

Nomato Sauce (Tomato Sauce Alternative)

35 min

Balsamic vinegar, fresh pumpkin puree, nutritional yeast, raw beet, carrots

4.25

Cotter Crunch

The 32 Best Vegan Pasta Recipes for Lunch or Dinner

Basil pesto, marinara sauce, avocado, mushrooms

5.03

The Green Loot

Pasta with Olive Oil & Garlic (Aglio e Olio)

15 min

Spaghetti, olive oil, garlic, black pepper

4.814

Girl Gone Gourmet

Garlic Olive Oil Pasta with Meatballs and Spinach

22 min

Pasta, spinach, italian style beef, parmesan cheese, olive oil

5.019

Courtney’s Sweets

Heartburn-Friendly Tomato Sauce-Free Lasagna

1 hr

Cream cheese, lean ground beef, lasagna noodles, beef broth, mozzarella cheese

4.289

Verywell Fit

53+ Healthy Italian Recipes for Weight Loss

2.29

Eat This, Not That

Pasta with garlic and oil

20 min

Spinach, red pepper flakes, parmesan cheese, olive oil, lemon juice

3.49

Chef Savvy

Lemon Pasta Recipe

15 min

Pasta, red pepper flakes, parmesan cheese, olive oil, lemon juice

5.016

She Loves Biscotti

Penne Pasta with Meat Sauce

55 min

Gluten free, ground beef, chunky tomato sauce, red pepper flakes, olive oil

5.026

Simply Recipes

9 Related Question Answers About Italian Recipes Without Tomatoes

What did Italians use instead of tomatoes?

Before tomatoes, the Italian diet was largely similar to the diet throughout the rest of the Mediterranean. Bread, pasta, olives, and beans were all staples, and Italians also made a variety of different types of polenta.

What can I use instead of tomatoes for pasta?

Don’t have tomato sauce or puree? No problem. The next best tomato paste substitute is ketchup! Ketchup has a consistency similar to tomato paste, but it has a saltier, tangier, and sweeter flavor.

What can I put on spaghetti instead of tomato sauce?

Butter, with cracked pepper or red pepper flakes, melts nicely on hot pasta. Just toss it for an instant sauce. Optional flavors include lemon zest, herbs or spices: ingredients found in any kitchen. If you have compound butter, great: Situations like this are exactly what it’s for.

What can you use instead of tomatoes in a recipe?

8 Best Tomato Substitutes

1. Tamarind Paste.
2. Olives.
3. Pumpkin.
4. Mango.
5. Stock and Vinegar.
6. Cheese.
7. Red Bell Pepper.
8. Canned Tomatoes.

Why does Italian food have tomatoes?

Early Eating

Despite the initial assumption that they were poisonous, tomatoes gradually made their way into Italian cooking. This was in part due to the influence of Spain, which controlled much of southern Italy during the 16th and 17th centuries.

Did Italy always have tomatoes?

The tomato, it turns out, has always been political. Brought to Europe by the Spanish when they colonized the Americas — it’s an Aztec plant, as we can tell by its original name, “tomatl” — by the mid-1500s, it had made its way to Italy.

How can I make plain pasta taste better?

8 Ways to Make Pasta Taste Better

1. Use Bronze-Die Pasta. …
2. Cook the Noodles in Salty Water. …
3. Cook the Noodles “al Dente” …
4. Sauce the Pasta in the Pan. …
5. Make a Base for the Sauce. …
6. Add Pasta Water to the Sauce. …
7. Add Fresh Herbs to the Sauce. …
8. Grate Cheese on Top of the Pasta.

Is there a difference between marinara and pasta sauce?

One of the key differences is that pasta sauce is more robust and complex, with a longer ingredient list and rich flavor. Marinara does not typically contain meat (while spaghetti sauce does), giving it a thinner texture. Marinara is traditionally used as a dipping sauce, while pasta sauce is not.

What can you add to plain noodles?

12 Ridiculously Simple Ways To Make Noodles Taste Better Than…

1. Crack An Egg In It. …
2. Add Some Roasted Chicken. …
3. Sauteed Mushrooms In Ginger. …
4. Load It Up With Cheese. …
5. Sprinkle In Soy Sauce. …
6. Boil It In Broth Instead Of Water. …
7. Sprinkle Lime Juice On It. …
8. Make It With Coconut Milk.