Tagliatelle with radicchio and arugula is a quick Italian pasta of fresh egg noodles, red onion and speck in a wine-softened radicchio sauce, ready in about 30 minutes. It feeds 4, and the raw arugula on top adds a peppery, fresh finish.
Why This Recipe Works
Radicchio is bitter on its own. Cooked gently with sweet red onion and salty speck, it softens and the bitterness turns mellow. The speck seasons the whole pan, so you only need a little salt.
The red wine goes in after the onion and speck, not before. Letting it cook off for 1 to 2 minutes takes away the sharp alcohol taste and leaves a light tang that balances the radicchio.
The arugula stays raw and goes on at the very end. The heat of the pasta wilts it just enough, and it keeps its bite against the soft, savory sauce.
Tagliatelle with Radicchio and Arugula Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 red onion, peeled and roughly chopped
- 4 ounces speck, rind removed and cut into small strips
- 2 tablespoons dry red wine
- 5 ounces radicchio, finely chopped
- 1 pound fresh tagliatelle
- 4 ounces arugula (rocket), roughly chopped
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
How To Make Tagliatelle with Radicchio and Arugula
Make the sauce
- Cook the onion and speck: Heat the 4 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over low to medium heat. Fry the red onion and speck gently until the onion turns soft. Low heat keeps the onion sweet instead of browned.
- Add the wine: Pour in the 2 tablespoons red wine. Let it bubble for 1 to 2 minutes until it has cooked off and the pan looks almost dry.
- Soften the radicchio: Stir in the radicchio and cook until it wilts and turns soft. Season with salt and pepper, going easy on the salt since the speck is already salty.
Cook the pasta and finish
- Boil the tagliatelle: Cook the fresh tagliatelle in a large pot of boiling water for 3 to 5 minutes, until al dente. Fresh pasta cooks fast, so start tasting at 3 minutes.
- Toss with the sauce: Drain the pasta and add it to the skillet. Toss until every strand is coated in the radicchio sauce.
- Top with arugula: Divide the pasta among 4 plates and scatter the chopped arugula over the top. Serve right away, while the pasta is hot enough to soften the leaves.
Recipe Tips
- Chop the radicchio fine: Small pieces soften quickly and mix through the pasta. Big leaves stay chewy and sit apart from the noodles.
- Keep some pasta water: Scoop out a small cup of the cooking water before you drain. If the pasta looks dry in the skillet, a splash loosens the sauce.
- Watch the salt: Speck is cured and salty. Taste the sauce before you add any salt, and salt the pasta water lightly.
- Add the arugula last: Put it on the plate, not in the pan. Cooked arugula turns dull and loses its peppery bite.
What To Serve With Tagliatelle with Radicchio and Arugula
This pasta is rich enough to be the main dish, with a glass of the same dry red wine you cooked with. A slice of crusty bread and a simple tomato salad round out the table.
How To Store
- Fridge: Keep leftover pasta without the arugula in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Reheat: Warm it in a skillet over low heat with a splash of water until hot all the way through. Add fresh arugula after reheating.
- Freezer: Fresh egg pasta in sauce turns soft when frozen, so this dish is best eaten within a few days instead.
FAQs
What can I use instead of speck?
Pancetta is the closest swap and gives a similar salty, savory taste. Smoked bacon works too, though it adds more smoke. Both need to be cooked until the fat is soft and the onion is tender.
Can I make tagliatelle with radicchio and arugula vegetarian?
Yes, leave out the speck and add a bit more olive oil and a pinch of salt. Sautéed mushrooms bring back some of the savory depth. The dish then has no meat but still contains egg, since fresh tagliatelle is made with eggs.
Can I use dried pasta instead of fresh?
You can. Dried tagliatelle needs about 8 to 10 minutes in boiling water, so follow the package time. Fresh pasta holds the sauce better, but dried works well in this dish.
How do I stop the radicchio from tasting too bitter?
Cook it gently with the onion and wine until it is fully soft. Heat mellows its bitterness. The sweet onion and the splash of red wine balance what is left.
Nutrition
Estimated per serving (1 of 4), worked out from the ingredients.
- Calories: about 620 kcal
- Total Fat: 29g
- Total Carbohydrate: 68g
- Dietary Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 22g
Tagliatelle with Radicchio and Arugula
4
servings10
minutes20
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minutesFresh tagliatelle tossed with a sauce of red onion, speck, red wine and radicchio, topped with raw arugula. A fast Italian pasta for 4 with a bitter, salty and peppery balance.
Ingredients
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 red onion, peeled and roughly chopped
4 ounces speck, rind removed and cut into small strips
2 tablespoons dry red wine
5 ounces radicchio, finely chopped
1 pound fresh tagliatelle
4 ounces arugula (rocket), roughly chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions
- Cook the onion and speck: Heat the 4 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over low to medium heat. Fry the red onion and speck gently until the onion turns soft. Low heat keeps the onion sweet instead of browned.
- Add the wine: Pour in the 2 tablespoons red wine. Let it bubble for 1 to 2 minutes until it has cooked off and the pan looks almost dry.
- Soften the radicchio: Stir in the radicchio and cook until it wilts and turns soft. Season with salt and pepper, going easy on the salt since the speck is already salty.
- Boil the tagliatelle: Cook the fresh tagliatelle in a large pot of boiling water for 3 to 5 minutes, until al dente. Fresh pasta cooks fast, so start tasting at 3 minutes.
- Toss with the sauce: Drain the pasta and add it to the skillet. Toss until every strand is coated in the radicchio sauce.
- Top with arugula: Divide the pasta among 4 plates and scatter the chopped arugula over the top. Serve right away, while the pasta is hot enough to soften the leaves.
