The Best Wine With Spaghetti & Pasta (Guide to Perfect Pairings)

It may be confusing to choose the best wine with spaghetti, but we’re here to help! Below, we’ll outline several pasta pairings including different wines for each one! So, whether you’re having a classic Italian dish of spaghetti or spaghetti carbonara, we’re here to help you find the perfect match!

It’s important to note that different wines go better with different pasta dishes. With that said, we’ll help you find the right pairing and outline which specific wines go well with classic Italian food.

How to Pick the Best Wine With Spaghetti

Spaghetti is a popular dinner option around the world. On top of being simple to prepare, this delicious pasta dish also pairs perfectly with wine!

Picking the perfect wine to go with your pasta dinner is a must to ensure everything tastes amazing when enjoyed together.

Below are 5 things to consider when you are picking the best wine for your spaghetti!

1. Red Sauce Pairings

One of the biggest factors to think about when selecting the wine to go with your meal is the sauce that will be served with your spaghetti.

Traditional red sauce if made with acidic tomatoes, which means an acidic red or white wine would be the best choice.

A spaghetti dish served only with sauce would pair well with:

Dry Rosé Wines,
Pino Grigio,
Riesling,
or Sauvignon Blanc

2. Seafood Pasta Pairings

Pasta dishes made with seafood pair well with light-bodied wines like:

Pinot Grigio,
Gamay,
Pinotage,
Rosé,
or Chablis

The light flavor of these wine varieties will help bring out the flavor of the seafood without overpowering the meal.

3. Red Meat Sauce & Pastas

Spaghetti made with red meat pairs best with a medium or full-bodied wine, like:

Chardonnay,
White Rioja,
Chianti Classico,
Pinot Noir
Rhones whites,
or Riesling

These wines help bring out the flavors of both the meat and the drink. We love a Pinot Noir for a meaty lasagna!

3. Cheesy Pasta Dishes

In addition to meat, cheese is often a popular ingredient in pasta dishes. That means the type and amount of cheese in your spaghetti also plays a role in selecting your dinner’s wine.

If cheese is the star of your pasta dish, consider serving the spaghetti with a light bodied white or red wine, like:

Light Chardonnay,
Riesling,
or Pino Noir

4. Vegetables.

Meat and cheese aren’t the only options when it comes to preparing a delicious pasta dish. Vegetarian pasta is another option for a yummy spaghetti dinner.

To help bring out the flavor and freshness of the veggies in your dinner, try pairing the meal with a light bodied wine, like:

Riesling
Chardonnay
Soave

5. Spices.

The final factor to consider when picking the best wine for spaghetti is the amount of spice in your pasta dish.

If your pasta is packed with exotic spices or fresh herbs, consider serving the pasta with a medium bodied wine, like Merlot or Sangiovese. We love a Merlot with spicy meatballs!

And if you plan on serving spicy pasta for dinner, pick a dry white wine, like Riesling, or a light red wine, like Zinfandel. These wines will help bring out the flavor of the spices without overpowering the taste of the meal.

6. Creamy Sauces

If you love creamy sauces like Fettuccine Alfredo, a bottle of Chardonnay or Pinot Grigio is a perfect choice!

If you’re looking to try something other than this classic pairing, a Sauvignon Blanc is another great choice. The acid in the wine balances out the richness of the dish nicely!

Are All Red Sauces the Same?

Red sauce is a popular option when serving spaghetti. But you might be wondering if all red sauces are the same.

Although most red sauce looks similar, there are actually a few different varieties of red sauce to choose from, and they affect the flavor of the sauce.

The 3 Red Sauces

Marinara.

Traditional tomato sauce is often called marinara sauce. This red sauce is often made by combining tomatoes and spices into a smooth fresh tomato sauce.

Meat sauce.

When you combine marinara sauce with meat, like ground beef, lamb, or pork, you make meat sauce. This type of sauce is typically made by simmering the tomatoes, spices, and meat until the mixture is reduced to a sauce, then served over the top of spaghetti or other pasta.

Bolognese.

Although meat sauce and Bolognese both typically feature meat, Bolognese is a much thicker sauce than traditional meat sauce and is a rich dish. That’s because this sauce is typically made with milk or heavy cream, creating a creamy sauce to serve over pasta.

Are There Different Types of Spaghetti?

Most people know that spaghetti are long, thin pasta noodles. But did you know that there are actually three different types of spaghetti to choose from when preparing your pasta dish?

Spaghetti is the most popular option.

It’s a thin, cylinder noodle that is typically served with marinara sauce on top.

Spaghettoni is a thicker variation on traditional spaghetti.

This type of noodle is often served with rich, dense sauces like Bolognese.

Capellini (angel hair), on the other hand, is a very thin version of spaghetti.

This delicate pasta is typically served with lighter sauces, like oil based toppings.

Above we’ve outlined several spaghetti pairings with popular wines. We hope the explanation of how the flavors of the dish work with the different wine varieties help you choose the right bottle of wine for any dish!

We love to pair our pastas with Italian wines or Sicilian wines for fun, but you can find great wine choices from all over the world!

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