9 Best Italian Desserts To Have After Pasta

When heading out for an Italian meal, pasta is the entrée of choice for many of us, whether it is a classic lasagna, spaghetti alla vongole, or the slightly less authentic mac 'n' cheese. When it comes time for dessert, choosing an option that will fill the need for a sweet treat without ruining the meal with overindulgence can be tricky. There are plenty of fantastic Italian desserts to choose from, and some of them were absolutely made to follow a pasta main course.

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To help navigate the multitude of delicious Italian desserts and choose the best one to follow your pasta dish, I asked Piero Premoli, executive chef and partner at Pricci Atlanta to share his favorite tips for finding the ideal pairing. From selecting dishes that represent the same region to making sure the ingredients are seasonal, Premoli recommends the best strategy for pasta-pudding perfection, and reveals some of his favorite combinations.

Let's explore the best desserts to eat after pasta, from silky bonet to refreshing lemon sorbet. These perfect pairings will allow you to enjoy Italian cuisine at its finest and celebrate the diversity of the different regions in the country.

Bonet with chocolate and Amaretto

When choosing the best Italian dessert to have after pasta, Piero Premoli advises diners to consider geography.  "Each region of Italy has a diverse and deep culinary tradition that is deeply seasonal," he explains. Thus, the ideal pairing can be found by choosing a sweet course that comes from the same part of Italy as your main course.

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One of Premoli's favorite wintertime desserts, which comes from the Piedmont region in the north of Italy, can be paired with a classic pasta from the same area. "In Torino, with tagliolini and white truffle, again during the winter, I would choose a bonet with chocolate and amaretti." A bonet, for the unfamiliar, is a silky smooth custard usually flavored with chocolate and almond, either from Amaretti biscuits, amaretto liqueur, or both.

Although it is creamy and indulgent, bonet doesn't contain flour or butter, so is not as heavy and filling as lots of other desserts, making it a good option to follow pasta. The rich chocolate flavor will complement the earthy, umami tones from the white truffles in your pasta to create a balanced meal that sits just on the right side of satisfying and sumptuous.

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Cannoli

If you have ever been to Sicily, you will understand the wonders of cannoli. This delicious dessert made from ricotta cheese surrounded by crunchy pastry is a fabulous sweet treat to follow a pasta dish, as it is both light and indulgent.

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The filling of cannoli can be easily adapted, from classic vanilla to decadent chocolate chips, or even a nutty twist, as in a pistachio cannoli. Whatever flavors are on offer, the versatility of cannoli means that they make a great pairing with a summery pasta dish. In keeping with Peiro Premoli's suggestion of keeping regional dishes together, cannoli will make a particularly good follow up to pasta alla Norma. 

This classic Sicilian pasta pairs marinara sauce with eggplant to make an earthy dish that's not too heavy. The soft, sweetened ricotta is a welcome component of the dessert, and its creaminess is a great contrast to the healthy pasta sauce. The crispy cannoli shell adds wonderful texture too, rounding off a delicious, summery Sicilian-inspired meal.

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Cheesecake

You may be thinking that cheesecake would make a pretty heavy end to a pasta meal, but you are probably not picturing the right type of cheesecake. Italian cheesecake is nothing like our New York version, instead tasting light and airy and full of fresh flavors. This makes it an ideal dessert to follow a pasta dish and end your meal with a smile on your face.

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Italian cheesecake is usually made with ricotta cheese flavored by lemon or vanilla. It often has no crust. This makes it silky and indulgent without creating the heavy, post-cheesecake feeling many of us are used to. Italian cheesecake is served year-round, and the toppings vary depending on the season. In the warmer months it will often be topped with berries, including strawberries or raspberries. This topping pairs well with summery pasta dishes, including those with courgettes or peas.

In fall and winter, to follow a more hearty pasta dish, a ricotta cheesecake may be topped with apples or figs.  No matter what time of year, choosing a light Italian cheesecake to eat after pasta is a great option, and is just enough to keep you satisfied without being overly full.

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Panna cotta

With its silky texture and beautifully light flavor, panna cotta is a dish that is a wonderful end to any meal, but is particularly good after pasta. Originating in the north of Italy, in the Piedmont region near the Alps, panna cotta literally means "cooked cream" since the basic form of the dish involves exactly that. It is famous for its signature wobble on the plate, demonstrating that the correct amount of gelatine has been used to create the perfect texture. Serving it in a glass is cheating — a quality cook should have the confidence to serve their panna cotta naked so that everyone can see it jiggle on the plate!

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Although panna cotta is made with cream and has a rich texture, it doesn't feel so heavy that it will spoil your meal after eating pasta. In summer, a strawberry panna cotta will be ideal, matching well with the vanilla that usually runs through the cream. In colder months, more warming flavors such as spiced apples or a caramel sauce will be just as satisfying.

Agnolotti del Plin is a classic pasta dish from Piedmont that will pair well with the panna cotta. The rich stuffed parcels will fill you up nicely, and the panna cotta will be a wonderful contrast, leaving you feeling content but not too full.

Certosino cake

Spaghetti Bolognese is a classic pasta dish to order in any Italian restaurant, but what dessert is the best option to follow, according to Italians? Well first of all, in Italy you are unlikely to even come across spaghetti Bolognese, since this Northern sauce is almost always served with tagliatelle instead. The wide noodles give a larger surface for the hearty sauce to cling to, making it the better choice for most Italians. Whatever pasta you choose to accompany the ragù alla Bolognese, Piero Premoli has a fantastic suggestion for a dessert hailing from northern Italy.

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"With a Bolognese tagliatelle ragù from Emilia Romagna, in the winter season, I would choose a certosino cake, which is essentially a spiced cake with almonds," he suggests. Certosino cake is a dessert traditionally eaten at Christmas in Bologna, where the famous Bolognese sauce hails from. The warming spices, which usually include cinnamon and nutmeg, along with the dried fruit and sliced almonds, create a dessert that is an excellent option to follow a rich, savory pasta. It is comforting enough to satisfy, but won't leave you feeling overly full. If you're looking for the ultimate pasta accompaniment in the colder months, certosino cake will not leave you disappointed.

Afffogato

One of the things that Italian cuisine does brilliantly is take simple ingredients and make them shine, and you don't get much simpler and more satisfying than affogato. Made from only two ingredients — coffee and ice cream — with the option of pouring a liqueur over it too, it creates a delicious dessert that is a feast for the senses.

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The word affogato means "drowned" in Italian, and perfectly describes this refreshing dessert, as a hot espresso is poured over the top of the frozen ice cream, drenching it with its deep brown color. Naturally, some of the ice cream melts instantly, falling to the bottom and creating a delicious pool of sweet coffee goodness.

The beauty of the contrasting temperatures in affogato is that this dessert can be enjoyed in any season. The refreshing ice cream will keep you cool in summer, while the piping hot espresso will be a welcome warming hit in winter. While vanilla Gelato is the classic choice, you can customize this versatile dessert by using whatever ice cream flavor you wish, and topping it with a cheeky shot of liqueur if you want to make it a bit more grown up.

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Though affogato can be enjoyed after any pasta, it goes especially well with a rich dish such as lasagna or carbonara. The freshness of the ice cream and bitter touch from the coffee will complement these pasta dishes better than a dessert that is overly sweet, making for a balanced meal all round.

Semifreddo

If your big bowl of pasta means you're struggling to choose between a proper dessert or a lighter scoop of ice cream, ordering a semifreddo is your best option. Translating as "half-cold," this classic Italian dessert is the perfect balance between ice cream and mousse and makes a great finale to any meal. Semifreddo is made using similar ingredients to ice cream, but the lack of churning means its texture remains softer, hence the semi part of the name. The light and delicate texture means you can happily eat this dessert after pasta without it feeling too heavy.

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Semifreddo is a versatile dessert that can be adapted to incorporate whatever ingredients are on hand, and use up seasonal produce. Bright, fresh berries are typical in the summer months, creating a tangy contrast to the creamy base, and in the colder months, who could resist an indulgent chocolate version to keep you satisfied? A stone fruit option such as this roasted plum semifreddo means that you don't have to miss out in the fall either.

A good semifreddo can happily round off any pasta dish but will be a great match to a comforting baked pasta such as lasagna or pasta al forno. Even if you usually struggle to manage dessert after a heavy entrée, there should be just enough room for a small portion of semifreddo.

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Lemon custard and lemon sorbet

When life gives you lemons, make sorbetto al limone! Well that's the way the Italians do it, and Piero Premoli thinks that lemon sorbet is an ideal dessert to follow pasta. It can be elevated even further when paired with a creamy lemon custard. When choosing desserts to eat after a pasta dish, Premoli advises to always consider the season, as well as the region the pasta is from, and choose an appropriate dessert. "With a pasta dish from the south like a linguine frutti di mare, in the summertime, I would choose a light lemon custard with lemon sorbet."

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Lemons are used throughout Italy, but are particularly loved in the south, with Amalfi lemons being some of the most famous in the world.  The sorbet can be made with just lemons, sugar, and water, and is often served in restaurants between courses to cleanse the palate for what is to come. You can make lemon sorbet at home, even if you don't have an ice cream maker, though the appliance would make the process even easier. Premoli also loves the takeaway version of this dessert, recommending "during the summer a Luick ice cream bar, which is essentially a lemon sorbet on a licorice stick (great at the beach after a quick pasta)."

Italian custard is a beautifully light addition whose rich texture will balance the zingy, cold sorbet perfectly, and both will be a lovely end to a seafood pasta meal. All three together create the ideal summery meal to be enjoyed in the south of Italy, or while sitting in your kitchen dreaming of being there.

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Torta della Nonna

If you've ever spoken to an Italian about cooking with the family, you will know how important nonna is to the set up. Italian grandmothers are at the heart of the kitchen, passing down family recipes and teaching grandchildren how to roll pasta, so it only seems fitting that they should have a delicious dessert named in their honor. Torta della nonna is a simple but flavorsome dessert that combines a light custard filling — usually flavored with vanilla and lemon — with a delicate crust that melts in the mouth.

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This classic Italian dessert originally hails from Tuscany so would make a great follow-up to any of the wonderful Tuscan pasta dishes. Pappardelle al ragù di cinghiale is a traditional meal that pairs wide ribbons of fresh pasta with a rich wild boar sauce. This hearty meat dish is usually served in the colder months of fall and winter, making it the ideal match for torta della nonna. The dessert is often served in Italy for Sunday lunch, and this pasta-dessert pairing would keep the whole family happy for the rest of the day.

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