BEST PASTA DISHES IN OMAHA
My Personal Mount Rushmore
Few things are more comforting in this world than pasta. Any bowl of carbs matched with a sauce and protein is a welcome sight on this writer’s table.
The beauty of pasta is that it’s a blank canvas; depending on the noodles, sauces, protein, and even cook time, you can craft wildly different meals. And Omaha restaurants showcase the whole spectrum.
We have chefs that have trained in Italy or imported from other countries. There are restaurants making handcut and extruded pastas every day, pairing them with thoughtful and perfectly crafted sauces.
Omaha is a pasta paradise, and you’ll find great dishes all over town. But if you’re looking for the best of the best (at least, according to his palate), check out these dishes below. They’re enough to make any carb-conscious diner abandon their diet without hesitation.
***Note: Just one dish per restaurant is included on this list. I wanted to showcase many restaurants rather than shower all praise on a few elite joints. Also, two of my favorite restaurants, The Boiler Room and V. Mertz, always have fresh, handmade pasta on their menus. But the dishes often change, sometimes every few days, so I didn’t include on particular dish from either, as it likely won’t be available when you visit. But go to these places and get pasta. Trust me.***
Tagliatelle & Bison Sunday Ragu (Dante)
Dante is Omaha’s pasta king. I could’ve listed about 7 or 8 dishes I love in this spot, from the infamous Rigatoni Bolognese to the simple yet refined Carbonara. But this combination of silky, handcut noodles, savory bison, and reduced tomato sauce takes the cake.
The noodles themselves are masterful. These long strands have a good chew and have strong texture, which allows them to cling to the deeply savory sauce (a combination of tomatoes, red wine, and nduja). But the coup de grace is the bison short rib, courtesy of Central Nebraska Buffalo, and pork. This meat combo melds the lean sweetness of the buffalo with the rich, decadent pork to create a dish you’ll find yourself wolfing down at alarming speeds, and severely missing when your plate is regrettably clean.
Radiatore + Sausage Ragu (Semo Pasta + Wine)
Semo Pasta + Wine makes all its own pasta, allowing it to form noodles not seen in most restaurants. That includes radiatore, a corkscrew-like noodle that beckons whatever sauce its paired with to nestle into its spirals.
In this case, it’s a tangy, slightly spicy sauce (influenced by Calabrian chiles) and loaded with meaty, peppery sausage. The noodles are cooked to a perfect, tender al dente, and a healthy dose of parmesan cheese ties it all together with a rich nuttiness.
Bolognese Bianco (Avoli Ostoria)
Most bolognese dishes start with a tomato base, giving them the red hue commonly associated with pasta dishes. But Avoli Osteria breaks tradition to craft one of Omaha’s most unique and delicious plates of pasta.
The combination of pork and veal makes this a very meat forward dish, and the chunks of protein nestle cozily into the crevices of the al dente rigatoni noodles. But the white sauce adds just a touch of cream and fat without the heaviness of an alfredo, while roasted hazelnuts add crunch and texture.
Bolo (Koji)
There aren’t many restaurants that attempt to combine Japanese and Italian cooking, but this Koji dish walks the thin tightrope brilliantly.
The giant, supple dumplings, stuffed with savory ground pork, are delicious on their own. But the bolognese is the star; this slowly-cooked chicken meat sauce is rich, hearty, and overloaded with sweet, herbal, meaty flavors. A generous shaving of nutty parmesan rounds out this dish, which proves that pasta doesn’t have to color within the Italian lines.
Honorable Mention Omaha Pasta Dishes
Pasta of the Week
I’m cheating a bit because Au Courant’s tasting menu changes each week, so you’re going to get something different just about every time. But chef Andy Barnard is such a pasta savant that his masterpieces deserve inclusion. The pasta course at Au Courant is guaranteed to be thoughtful, well-made, and most importantly, delicious. From stuffed pastas like agnolotti and tortellini to long, thin noodles like pappardelle and tagliatelle to lasagna, you never know how Barnard is going to elevate the humble noodle to upscale, previously unforeseen heights. If the Short Rib Agnolotti (pictured right) ever reappears on the tasting menu, make your reservation NOW.
Rotating Pasta
The Boiler Room isn’t an Italian restaurant, but few Omaha establishments can rival its ability in crafting handmade pasta. From the tender agnolotti pockets stuffed with spinach and ricotta to the pouches of cappelletti with bacon and a broth so delicious you could drink it to the handmade tagliatelle noodles paired with a brilliantly meaty ragu bolognese that could make Italian nonas weep, it’s clear The Boiler Room knows pasta. And because the menu is constantly changing, there’s always a new noodle dish to try here.
Bison Bolognese
The brilliance of this dish starts with the long, flowing strands of in-house pappardelle. The fresh pasta is tender and slightly chewy, and its large surface area and rough texture make it perfect for pairing with the ragu.
The richness of the bison, wagyu, and pork pairs wonderfully with the tangy tomato in the sauce, and a giant ball of herb ricotta adds creaminess and nutty flavor.
Savory Beef Bolognese
To call the bolognese at WD Cravings a “sauce” doesn’t feel entirely accurate. This dish is so meat-forward that the first sensation you get is a the hearty, smoky flavor of the meat, which covers every strand of noodle.
But then subtle elements begin to hit your palate, from the tart of the red wine the beef is cooked in to the hard saltiness of the pecorino romano cheese and finishing touch of rich truffle oil. The sauce is a masterpiece, and it clings tightly to whatever noodle chef Piero Cotrina decides to pair it with.
Mafalde Ragout
Few pasta dishes in Omaha achieve a more symbiotic relationship between pasta and sauce. The long, wavy mafalde noodles create crannies for the smoked local wagyu and duroc pork ragout. The meat isn’t heavy-handed, but it permeates the dish with a rich meatiness and just the right level of smoke. The noodles themselves are tender and well-salted, and a dusting of parmesan cheese rounds out this gem of a dish. Via Farina is well-known for its pizza, but as this dish proves, it deserves love for its pasta, too.
This list covers just a brief sampling of Omaha’s great pasta dishes, and I haven’t tried them all (who could?!) So hit me with your favorites! Comment below, tweet at me @danhoppen, or message me on Instagram @dan_hoppen.