What Starter Goes With Pasta? 10 BEST Ideas!
Need some ideas for what starter goes with pasta?
Relax, because you’ve come to the best place!
Whether you’re serving up a spicy tomato based dish like arrabbiata, or something cheesy and buttery like alfredo, we’re going to take a look at the very best choices of appetiser to perfectly complement your meal.
What starter goes with pasta?
A substantial and filling meal like pasta works well with a salad starter, and some good choices include Caprese salad, Italian salad, and grilled peaches with soft and creamy burrata.
Seafood starters also work well, such as tempura calamari and steamed mussels in white wine.
Other light yet delicious contenders include olive crostini, bruschetta, and ham wrapped asparagus skewers.
Keep reading to discover the best tried and tested recipes, plus more ideas and inspiration for your next pasta night…
1. Caprese salad
A Caprese salad really couldn’t be any easier to prepare, making it a great choice if you want to impress your guests but don’t want to spend too much time in the kitchen.
You’ll simply slice juicy tomatoes and mozzarella, and serve with fresh basil leaves and a drizzle of olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
An interesting fact to share at the dinner table is that this salad features the colours of the Italian flag!
This starter for pasta is simple, elegant, and always looks beautiful in the middle of the table.
2. Easy Italian salad
This easy Italian salad is a joy to both eat and make. It’s filled with crisp lettuce, fresh tomatoes, olives, and red onions, and has a delicious homemade vinaigrette dressing.
It’s light enough to be served before a pasta main course, but you can customise it to make it a little more substantial if you like, or you can add extras to any leftovers to enjoy for lunch the next day!
Some tasty additions would be red peppers, cucumber, artichoke hearts, and your favourite protein such as shredded leftover chicken, a tin of tuna, or salami slices.
3. Grilled peaches with burrata
If you follow food trends, you’ll know that burrata cheese is hugely popular at the moment.
This grilled peach and burrata salad combines ingredients like salty Serrano ham, peppery rocket, and toasted pine nuts to create a sophisticated and classy starter for any Italian meal.
If you like, you can add some crusty bread on the side, though it’s substantial enough on its own as a starter.
4. Rocket and parmesan salad
Rocket and parmesan salad is a classic choice for a starter for pasta dishes, and it couldn’t be any easier to put together.
This one is my go-to choice when I have guests coming round but I’m short on time!
Just toss your fresh rocket leaves with a little extra virgin olive oil and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, add salt and pepper, and shave over parmesan cheese.
(If you love exploring ideas for pasta night, you might also be interested in ideas for what to put on pasta instead of sauce).
5. Olive crostini
This olive crostini recipe is perfect for grown up entertaining!
You’ll make the olive mixture by combining olives, garlic, parmesan cheese, butter, and olive oil, and finish by folding in Jack cheese and a little parsley.
You’ll then spread the mixture over slices of baguette, and finish by grilling for just a couple of minutes.
These are best served hot straight from the oven, though you can do the prep in advance if that works best for you!
6. Classic bruschetta
When it comes to what starter goes with pasta, you can’t beat classic bruschetta!
They combine they wonderfully Italian flavours of tomato, basil, garlic, and cheese, and of course they’re super easy to make.
If you like, you can even experiment with adding additional toppings.
Good choices include Italian cured meats, chilli, bacon, and fresh pesto.
If you’re cooking for a dinner party, a super fun idea is to build your own bruschetta station.
It’s such a social way to eat, it’s perfect if you’re dealing with fussy eaters as they can just help themselves to whatever they fancy and leave what they don’t, and it also means that you have to spend less time in the kitchen.
7. Tempura calamari
If I’m serving a rich pasta dish for the main course, whether it’s something tomatoey or something cheesy and creamy, I love to share a light and bright seafood dish as a starter.
This tempura fried calamari ticks all the boxes, and it’s so good that you’ll be tempted to eat the whole batch yourself!
Serve with fresh lemon wedges for squeezing, and a little garlic mayonnaise for dipping.
8. Steamed mussels in white wine broth
Want to take the seafood route, but don’t love calamari?
No problem!
Another delicious often is a bowlful of steamed mussels in white wine broth.
I like this choice when I’m serving up a hearty tomato based pasta dish, like bolognese or arrabbiata.
Shallots, garlic, and white wine come together to create a beautiful sauce, and this starter is best served in a big bowl with some lemon wedges on the side.
9. Chilli garlic prawns
These chilli garlic prawns are the perfect starter if you want something that you can prepare in advance!
They’re served on cocktail sticks with slices of courgette, and cooked in a spicy honey glaze.
They bring the wow factor whilst being super easy, and they’re best enjoyed with a dollop of chilli jam.
Get king prawns from your local fishmonger if you can, for the very best results.
10. Ham wrapped asparagus spears
If you want a light but sophisticated choice for what starter goes with pasta, ham wrapped asparagus spears are a choice that’s worthy of a dinner party.
They’re best made using the highest quality ham that you can find, and I like to make sure that I make enough so there are leftovers that can be used in a salad the following day.
I chop them into bitesized chunks and toss with salad veggies before dressing with a squeeze of lemon and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Seriously, so good!
The best starters to serve before a pasta main course
Light and bright starters such as salads and seafood dishes like grilled prawns or steamed mussels pair perfectly with a pasta main course.
Stay traditional with classic bruschetta, or follow the latest food trends and serve up grilled peaches with burrata!
For more ideas to help you plan the perfect meal, take a look at what to serve with spaghetti bolognese, and what desserts go with spaghetti.
You might also like to take a browse through the best sides for ravioli, to take pasta night to the next level!
