Most of the time, pasta is cooked in boiling water. When it is done, the pasta is taken out of the water, drained, and then “dressed.” Dressing pasta meals means mixing it with wonderful sauces or other foods such as tomatoes, olive oil, fish, cheese, meat, or vegetables.

Some favorite pasta sauces are very simple (just olive oil or butter, a sprinkle of cheese, and salt and pepper). Other delicious pasta sauces are more complicated. They include meat and fish sauces, vegetable sauces (especially tomato sauces), and milk and cream sauces. Also, famous chefs often invent clever and exciting dishes with pasta for their restaurants!

Pasta is often served in soups. Sometimes it is cooked right in the soup broth, and other times it is cooked in plain water, and added to the soup when it is almost finished. Pasta soups are very popular in the Americas. People in Mexico, Central, and South America enjoy pasta in many different kinds of soups and stews. North Americans eat lots of chicken, beef, or vegetable soups with pasta.

Pasta dishes are sometimes fried or baked.