Spaghetti Weeknights: a 4-week meal plan
Three dinners a week, four weeks, seven classics. Each week mixes quick and slow, rich and light, so nothing repeats too soon.
Week 1Silk, Sauce and Sea
A creamy start, a simple tomato middle and clams to close the week.
The house carbonara
A quick, rich dinner to beat the early-week slump.
Open recipe βSpaghetti al pomodoro
Light and sweet after the rich Tuesday.
Open recipe βSpaghetti alle vongole
Clams are freshest at the end of the week.
Open recipe βπ Shopping list for the week
Pasta & pantry
- Spaghetti: 600 g
- Canned San Marzano tomatoes: 400 g
- Extra-virgin olive oil: about 8 tbsp
- Dry white wine: 100 ml
- Black pepper (lots), chili flakes, salt
Deli & cheese
- Guanciale or pancetta: 100 g
- Pecorino Romano: 50 g
Produce
- Garlic: 5 cloves
- Flat-leaf parsley: 1 handful
- Basil: a few leaves
Fish counter
- Fresh clams: 500 g
Dairy & eggs
- Eggs: 3 (2 whole, plus 1 extra for the yolk)
β° Make ahead
Grate the Pecorino for Tuesday and keep it in a small jar. Soak the clams on Saturday afternoon while you do other things.
Week 2Bold Flavors, Three Ways
Two tomato classics and a fast garlic-and-oil supper.
Spaghetti all'Amatriciana
A cozy, rich sauce with crisp guanciale.
Open recipe βAglio, olio e peperoncino
Ready in 15 minutes when you are tired.
Open recipe βSpaghetti alla puttanesca
A bold, salty finish to the week.
Open recipe βπ Shopping list for the week
Pasta & pantry
- Spaghetti: 600 g
- Peeled tomatoes: 250 g
- Canned whole tomatoes: 400 g
- Extra-virgin olive oil: about 9 tbsp
- Black olives, pitted: 60 g
- Capers: 1 tbsp
- Anchovy fillets in oil: 4
- Dried chili or chili flakes: about 1 chili plus a pinch
- Dry white wine: 40 ml (optional)
- Salt
Deli & cheese
- Guanciale: 100 g
- Pecorino Romano: 40 g
Produce
- Garlic: 6 cloves
- Flat-leaf parsley: 2 handfuls
β° Make ahead
Crush the tomatoes for both sauces on Tuesday and keep the puttanesca portion in the fridge. Slice the garlic for Thursday and Saturday in one go.
Week 3Pepper, Cheese and Tomato
A gentle pomodoro, a peppery cacio e pepe and a hearty Amatriciana.
Spaghetti all'Amatriciana
A weekend plate with a little heat.
Open recipe βπ Shopping list for the week
Pasta & pantry
- Spaghetti: 600 g
- Canned San Marzano tomatoes: 400 g
- Peeled tomatoes: 250 g
- Extra-virgin olive oil: about 4 tbsp
- Black peppercorns: 2 tsp (for cracking)
- Dried chili: 1 small
- Dry white wine: 40 ml (optional)
- Salt
Deli & cheese
- Pecorino Romano: 120 g
- Guanciale: 100 g
Produce
- Garlic: 2 cloves
- Basil: a few leaves
β° Make ahead
Make a double batch of pomodoro sauce on Tuesday and save half for another night. Grate all 120 g of Pecorino at once and keep it chilled.
Week 4Garlic, Smoke and Sea
A grand finale: simple garlic, smoky guanciale and clams.
Aglio, olio e peperoncino
A 15-minute dinner to ease into the week.
Open recipe βSpaghetti all'Amatriciana
Tomato and guanciale for a rich midweek treat.
Open recipe βSpaghetti alle vongole
Fresh clams for a special last night.
Open recipe βπ Shopping list for the week
Pasta & pantry
- Spaghetti: 600 g
- Peeled tomatoes: 250 g
- Extra-virgin olive oil: about 10 tbsp
- Dry white wine: 140 ml (100 ml for the clams, 40 ml optional for the sauce)
- Dried chili: 2 (or flakes), plus a pinch of chili flakes
- Salt
Deli & cheese
- Guanciale: 100 g
- Pecorino Romano: 40 g
Produce
- Garlic: 7 cloves
- Flat-leaf parsley: 2 handfuls
Fish counter
- Fresh clams: 500 g
β° Make ahead
Slice all the garlic for the week on Tuesday and keep it covered in the fridge. Cut the guanciale into strips the night before Thursday.