How We Texans Put Their Our Spin on Pasta for National Pasta Day

Growing up, I was introduced to pasta at a young age, though I didn’t realize it at the time. My mom’s Mexican heritage introduced me to fideos, a type of pasta she made with or without chicken, and it was always delicious.

From Fideos to Spaghetti: My Pasta Discovery

It wasn't until I was in the second grade, attending school at Torrejon Air Force Base in Madrid, Spain, that I encountered something a little different. One day, I came home from school and told my mom that they had served us fideos in the cafeteria, but with red sauce and hamburger meat on top. She quickly corrected me, saying, “That’s not fideos, that’s spaghetti.” And that’s when my love for pasta truly began.

West Texans Share Their Favorite Pasta Dishes

I recently asked our listeners to share their favorite pasta and toppings on our  Facebook. The responses, as expected, ranged from traditional to full-on Texan. Here's what some of them had to say in honor of National Pasta Day:

While in Europe, I tried many types of pasta, with fettuccine becoming one of my favorites. By the time my family returned home to Texas in my teens, pasta had become a regular occurrence at our school cafeteria. Yet, even as a young boy, I often wondered—how exactly did pasta make its way to Texas?

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As it turns out, pasta crossed the ocean with none other than Christopher Columbus. His crew included many Italians who worked in the ship’s kitchens and eventually settled in the Lone Star State. But hold on, Texas was still part of Mexico at that time, so pasta, in the form of fideos, was already here. This is where the magic happened. In Texas, with our love of bold flavors, we've introduced our twist to the traditional spaghetti and sauce, by adding good ol’ Texas smoked brisket.

The Rich History of Italian Texans

Yes, Italian Texans are real, and they have been here for centuries. According to the 1990 U.S. census, Italians make up the sixth-largest ethnic group in Texas, with over 441,000 Texans claiming full or partial Italian heritage. These Italian Texans, alongside Texas, Mexican, and Spanish influences, helped shape the unique fusion dishes that we celebrate today.

Texan Twists on Pasta

The marriage of pasta and Texas flavors has been going strong since the end of the 20th century. Some of the Lone Star State’s unique pasta twists include roasted garlic linguini, hot green chili tortellini, Texas poblano pepper corn shoestring spaghetti, and my personal favorite, Texas smoked brisket sauce on tortellini noodles.

Celebrate National Pasta Day on October 17th

Whether you love your pasta cold in a salad, drenched in a rich sauce, or paired with a Texas-sized steak, it’s clear that Texans have fully embraced this international food. So, as we celebrate National Pasta Day on Thursday, October 17th, let’s appreciate the flavors Texans have brought to the table.

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