9 Old-School Pasta Dishes You Probably Haven't Had In Years - Tasting Table

"Thanks to Italian immigrants, pasta arrived in America sometime in the late 19th or early 20th century. Spaghetti swirling in marinara was one of the earliest popular dishes, but by the late 1920s, there were dozens of Italian-American staples, with brands like Chef Boyardee (known then as Chef Boiardi) canning everyone's favorites. America saw pasta as a blank canvas, and that introduced loads of quirky pasta dishes like cheesy casseroles, sandwiches, and even dessert pasta."

"The postwar landscape further influenced the Italian-American culinary scene. American soldiers got a taste for things like pasta and oregano while stationed in Italy. Additionally, Chef Boyardee's tinned spaghetti was eaten by thousands of U.S. troops during their service. Once word of the country's newfound love for pizza and pasta got around, Italians started taking their recipes out of the kitchen and into restaurants."

"Pasta primavera was the "it girl" of pastas in the 1970s and '80s. As The New York Times' Craig Claiborne and Pierre Franey even stated at the time, it was "by far, the most talked-about dish in Manhattan." It is a vegetable-heavy pasta served in a delicate cream sauce. Primavera, meaning spring, was popularized by a team of chefs at NYC's Le Cirque restaurant to celebrate the season's bounty of fresh vegetables."

Pasta arrived in America with Italian immigrants in the late 19th or early 20th century, and early favorites like spaghetti in marinara became widely popular. By the late 1920s, numerous Italian-American staples existed and brands such as Chef Boyardee canned classic dishes. Postwar exposure from soldiers and widespread canned products expanded demand, prompting Italians to open restaurants and adapt recipes to American tastes. Economic constraints and culinary curiosity spread inventive and often nostalgic pasta dishes across regions, where many now remain as occasional comfort foods. Pasta primavera emerged later as a vegetable-forward, cream-sauced celebration of seasonal produce.

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