Slurp your way to a better pasta dinner.
By Hannah Selinger | Published Jun 9, 2022 4:30 PM
Trust us—you need a pasta bowl in your life. It’s one of those specific pieces of dinnerware that makes complete sense: A plate is too flat, encouraging the sauce to spread rather than stick to the pasta. A salad bowl is too small. After all, who actually wants such a small serving of pasta? Enter the shallow-yet-rounded pasta bowl, with enough capacity for a truly hearty serving of everyone’s favorite carb. It’s the bowl you need, but maybe never had the time or inclination to buy. Maybe it’s the bowl you just never got around to paying attention to. Either way, now’s your chance.
We’ve curated our favorites, from rimmed to ceramic to glass. These are the best pasta bowls around, and we’re here for it.
Material: stoneware | Volume: unknown | Dishwasher Safe: yes | Microwave Safe: yes
Why we chose it: Design-minded stoneware bowls that will stand the test of time.
Serax has collaborated with Yotam Ottolenghi to create a vibrant, eye-catching collection of plates and pasta bowls that can be ordered in a variety of colors and patterns. The bowls, which are dishwasher- and microwave-safe, are show-stoppingly beautiful, even if vibrant isn’t necessarily for everyone. Sets only come in service for four, so you may need to invest twice, and they are on the expensive side. However, the quality of these stunning bowls cannot be beat.
Material: porcelain | Volume: 1.4 lbs | Dishwasher Safe: yes | Microwave Safe: yes
Why we chose it: An affordable, all-purpose pasta dish that’s easy on the eyes.
The price is hard to beat with this six-pack of multi-color porcelain bowls. Clocking in at under $40, two entire sets–enough for service for 12–will cost you less than most single sets elsewhere. The Sweese, for all its value, does have a few minor drawbacks. For one, the multi-color selection may not be for everyone, and the colors are not sold in single units. Some have noted that the bowls are prone to chipping, too.
Material: glass | Volume: unknown | Dishwasher Safe: no | Microwave Safe: no
Why we chose it: A stylish glass set with a nod toward the past.
These gorgeous glass bowls are part of Mosser’s larger collection of vintage-style dinnerware. Available in five different colors, including neutral gray and retro jadeite, it may be hard to decide which one suits you best. Some notes to consider: with glass bowls comes the responsibility of glass. Bowls cannot go in the microwave or dishwasher, and they do require careful storage and handling. But, if you love classic vibes and an aesthetically-pleasing table, the extra maintenance is more than worth it.
Material: stoneware | Volume: unknown | Dishwasher Safe: yes | Microwave Safe: yes
Why we chose it: A stunning glazed piece for your luxury dining collection.
You may be surprised to learn that this luxury bowl can be used in both the dishwasher and the microwave. Made from stoneware with a reactive glaze finish, this pasta bowl is just as much a decorative centerpiece as it is functional dinnerware. The bowl is sold individually, which contributes to its high price point. Some may find that the thin-lipped rim is easier to chip, but it may be worth it for such beauty.
Material: ceramic | Volume: 24 fl. oz. | Dishwasher Safe: yes | Microwave Safe: yes
Why we chose it: A rimmed bowl from an iconic California company.
Heath Ceramics has produced benchmark pieces since 1948, and they continue to do so today. These drool-worthy rimmed pasta bowls offer everything essential: enough depth for scooping up noodles, and a rim for holding a hot bowl or preventing looser sauces from spilling out. Bowls come in four distinct colors and are dishwasher- and microwave-safe. They are, however, expensive and sold individually, but such is the cost of greatness.
Material: porcelain | Volume: 20 oz. | Dishwasher Safe: yes | Microwave Safe: yes
Why we chose it: Shallow, porcelain bowls with an earthy, casual style.
HAAND’s Ripple Bowls are large, shallow, and can easily accommodate even the largest pasta serving. Available in nine earth-based colors, these microwave- and dishwasher-safe bowls are a lovely addition to any tablescape. The design is casual, and it may not suit everyone’s taste. The glaze on the porcelain can show cutlery marks over time, and buyers should know that these bowls are sold individually and not as a set. They are, though, a unique buy and a worthwhile investment for those who prefer porcelain.
Material: porcelain | Volume: 26 oz. | Dishwasher Safe: yes | Microwave Safe: yes
Why we chose it: Extra-large bowls that come with a 100-day trial
Fable’s hand-finished bowls hold a whopping 26 ounces of pasta, making these bowls good for family-style service as well as bountiful portions of pasta. But we were also smitten with the 100-day trial, an unheard of offering in dinnerware, which truly allows customers to decide whether they really love the bowls. Dinnerware is microwave- and dishwasher-safe, a bonus for anyone tired of hand-washing. Some minor drawbacks include a limited color palette (four options) and some shipping charges, assuming you spend less than $220. Also, large bowls may not be for everyone, which is worth keeping in mind.
We chose our products based on material (porcelain, stoneware, ceramic, and glass) and overall aesthetic, looking at trusted brands and researching reviews. The products we picked reflect both the quality of production and quality of design.
The shape of your pasta bowl should reflect the shape of the pasta that you’re serving, says Julian Gaxholli, chef/owner of Beso Restaurant, Bayou, and Blue in New York. “Long pastas like linguine, spaghetti, and pappardelle like to stretch out, so an oval shape is best,” he says. “Tortellini, gnocchis, or radiatore love to be snug together, so a deep, round, and about five-inch in diameter bowl would be a great choice.” Which is to say: you might consider investing in more than one set of bowls, if you have the space and inclination.
Material, Gaxholli says, can matter, particularly if you are a slow eater. “A heavy clay dish will help to keep the pasta warm longer,” he says. “White porcelain china is perfectly fine, and recommended, because they are like a white canvas for all the ingredients to shine.” But other materials–recycled materials and glass, for instance–can also work well for pasta.
“In the event that pasta is served family-style, which is a very popular way to serve it, then yes, the pasta bowl should be very heavy,” says Gaxholli. “You will benefit from the size of it as well, as a heavy pasta bowl will retain heat.” Gaxholli recommends keeping a pasta bowl warm in the oven (assuming it is oven-safe) before plating your pasta.
According to Judy Francini, a chef and culinary concierge who lives in Italy, pasta bowls are non-negotiable in the country. “Some are deep enough to use for risotto and soups as well,” she says. Julian Gaxholli also considers them a necessary part of dinnerware. “Pastas are comfort food and make us happy,” he says. “You want to feel good when someone says, “pass that pasta bowl around.’”
If you want to eat pasta the way the Italians do, Francini says, opt for a smaller bowl. “A 500-gram bag or box of pasta [equivalent to roughly one pound] feeds six in Italy,” she says. In the United States, where pastas are more traditionally served as entrees, bowls tend to be larger (servings can be six times larger) so you may want to have several sizes of bowls on hand, depending on how you prefer to eat.
Soups, Gaxholli says, are typically eight to 12 ounces in size, while pastas are 20 to 32 ounces in size. “Even bigger if you’re serving family-style,” he says.
Serax’s vibrant pasta bowls are our top pick for what a pasta bowl should be: deep enough for the right ratio of pasta to sauce and lovely to look at.
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