A Cozy Winter Pasta Recipe Perfect for Cold Nights

This cozy winter pasta recipe was discovered at exactly the right moment and then, quietly over time, became part of our family. We first discovered it in a 1994 issue of Bon Appétit, when our next-door neighbor brought it over after our daughter was born. It was warm, comforting, and the kind of meal that felt like a gift in those early days of new parenthood.

Years later, after a move and another new chapter of life, the same recipe found us again. We were living in Washington, D.C., and a dear friend showed up with dinner after our son was born. And somehow, it was the very same pasta. Different kitchen, different baby, but the same cozy, familiar flavors. It felt like more than a coincidence, and that dish became forever tied to those early family memories.

Somewhere along the way, through moves, packed boxes, and changing kitchens, we lost the original recipe. But we had made it so many times that we remembered the main ingredients. Over the years, we’ve recreated it from memory, slowly adapting it to focus on the ingredients we love most. What started as a magazine recipe has evolved into something deeply personal, shaped by time, taste, and a lot of winter dinners around our own table.

Now, this pasta is our go-to when the weather turns cold, and we want something cozy and warm. Whenever we make this pasta, it always reminds me that the best recipes aren’t necessarily exactly followed, but remembered, shared, adapted, and made your own.

A recipe that has traveled with us

Over the years, we’ve moved coast-to-coast several times and have even made some stops in the middle of the country. But somehow, this recipe has very much stayed in the dinner rotation. Often, we made it ahead and had it ready to bake when returning home from a ski day. Sometimes, it was just what we needed on a frigid winter night. 

A lot of recipes are full of flavor and fun. But unlike many recipes, this one is simply cozy, comforting, and amazingly delicious.

How this pasta recipe has evolved over time

I do remember that the original recipe included Kalamata olives. Today, we make it with Castlevaltrano olives. The original recipe also included dried basil. We now use a blend of dried herbs called Tuscan Sunset from our local Penzeys Spices market. It contains sweet basil, oregano, red bell pepper flakes, garlic, thyme, fennel, black pepper, and anise seed.

We also add the dried herbs to the onions and garlic when sautéing them, not when the tomatoes are added in the original recipe. We feel the hot oil releases so much extra flavor that is infused into the onions and garlic, and later the tomatoes. We also add 1/3 cup of dry white wine to deglaze the pan before adding the tomatoes. And last, we use diced tomatoes in their juices (not drained) and skip the addition of chicken broth, and then cook the tomato sauce much longer than the original recipe calls for. Sometimes, time permitting, we make the sauce a day ahead and let the flavors meld together overnight. 

The ingredients for a cozy winter pasta

• Diced Italian tomatoes in their juices
• Dried herbs
• Crushed red pepper flakes
• Onions
• Garlic
• Castlevaltran olives, pitted and halved
• Dry white wine
• Olive oil (3 tablespoons for cooking and 3 tablespoons for drizzling over the cooked pasta)
• Havarti cheese
• Parmesan cheese
• Penne pasta
• Salt and pepper to taste

How I make this cozy winter pasta

1. Chop the onions, mince the garlic, add 3 tablespoons of olive oil to a large Dutch oven, and sautée untile the onions are softened and translucent. This should take about 5 minutes.
2. Add the dried herbs and red pepper flakes and continue cooking for 2 to 3 minutes more.
3. Add 1/2 cup of white and deglaze the pan.
4. Add the tomatoes and their juices, salt and pepper to taste, and when the mixture is bubbling, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for at least an hour (preferably longer if you have time), stirring once in a while to avoid burning on the bottom of the pan. 
5. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
6. Bring a pot of water to a boil and add salt, pasta, and cook until al dente. You want it a little bit more al dente than if you were serving it immediately, since you will be baking the pasta once it has cooked.
7. Drain the pasta and add the pasta to the Dutch oven with the cooked tomatoes. Add the grated Havarti cheese and thoroughly stir the mixture until combined. 
8. Add the pasta to a rectangular baking dish, sprinkle the parmesan cheese and olives over the top, and place it in the oven. Bake for 30 minutes.
9. Remove the pasta from the oven, serve it in warmed pasta bowls, and enjoy!

Is this pasta good as leftovers?

I would answer that with an absolutely “YES”! Transfer the leftovers to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator. When ready to have again, I like to warm it in the oven, covered in foil. However, you can reheat it in the microwave if you prefer. 

Why this cozy pasta will always have a place at our table

Some recipes are about technique or trends, but this one is about comfort and memories. It’s forgiving and adaptable, and a recipe that feels like it’s been with you forever, even if it did begin on a magazine page decades ago. Every time we pull it from the oven, bubbling and golden, it reminds us of memories and moments and the people we’ve shared it with, and also those who have shared it with us. If you decide to make this recipe, it feels appropriate to say “Bon Appétit” since, after all, that is where it all started.

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Here are a few other cozy recipes for winter evenings

• Tuscan winter soup
• Sausage and orricchette for a winter evening meal
• Spicy tomato, greens, and beans