The Ultimate Meatless DIY Pasta Bar. Looking for a fun lunch or dinner party idea? A DIY Plant-Based Pasta Bar lets everyone get creative + personalize their own bowl! You can accommodate the pickiest eaters, the vegans, vegetarians, kids, dairy-free, egg-free, nut-free, and even your gluten-free friends! The best part? Most of the ingredients can be prepped ahead of time making it a lot easier on the host! Learning how to host a vegetarian pasta party is so easy, let’s do it! 
Tara’s Tuesday Tips: How To Host a Vegetarian Pasta Party
We have done this DIY pasta bar for a luncheon + for a dinner party. Both are super simple to pull together. When you are ready to host one, it will be so fun now that you have my tips!
Choosing the Pasta
It is important to offer a variety of at least 3 or 4 different varieties of pasta. At my pasta parties, the guests tend to eat up the penne and the rotini most. It is important to offer one gluten free, one lentil or chickpea based, and at least one white or semolina pasta.
Cooking the Pasta
Pasta is one of the easiest things on the planet to cook without it going wrong. But having so many varieties that need to go into boiling water at the same time can get tricky. That being said, manage your time appropriately by pre-cooking some of your pastas. Cook the pasta according to the directions on the box but leave it al dente, drain the water and transfer to the serving bowl. Then, drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil and place a tight-fitting wrap or lid on the bowl. The cooked pasta will stay warm and not get soggy or clumpy with this method. I do this for all my pastas except for the spaghetti. Cook the spaghetti last and serve it right when it is time to eat. PRO-TIP: extra virgin olive oil is your friend here. I’m usually not a fan of using oils but this tip saves the day for a pasta bar. Just a little drizzle over the cooked pasta and you will prevent the clumping and stickiness that comes along with pasta that sits out too long.
The Bowls
You heard me correctly, for the perfect plant-based pasta bar provide your guests with bowls instead of plates. Pasta bowls are ideal as people can layer in all their favorites without things without running out of room! Interesting observation that I have made at my pasta parties … people like to make little piles of pasta! I thought the tendency would be to choose a favorite, fill the bowl, apply sauce + veggies + eat. Nope! Pasta sampling in a bowl for my friends.Silverware
At my pasta parties, I provide my guests with a spoon, fork, and a knife to cover all of their needs as we don’t know what they will create in their bowl! If you are then having your guests sit at a dining table with place settings, set the silverware out there. If you want them to eat in different places, leave the silverware at the end of the pasta bar so that they can pick theirs up after they fill their bowls. I prefer to spread them out on a plate for a nicer presentation instead of placing them in cups or a basket.
Make a Bake
A pasta bake is an excellent addition to a pasta bar. It is fabulous to set aside on the counter next to the stove, perhaps next to a loaf of bread or basket of rolls. I have found that my pasta party people tend to congregate together around a casserole type dish, serve themselves, and stand together and eat. I leave a separate set of smaller bowls and silverware there to facilitate this. The two bakes that I use at my pasta parties are: Spinach Artichoke Cauliflower Gnocchi Bake (Dairy-Free!) or Baked Pasta Casserole. These are those make ahead dishes that can sit for a few hours + only get better as they set.Accommodating Gluten Free Guests
Keep the gluten free pasta separate and mark the bowl with a place setting card. Dedicate a specific serving spoon for that pasta. Most importantly, cook the gluten free pasta first and use a clean colander for draining the water. If you like, you can also provide a basket of clearly marked gluten free rolls (I buy a batch at the store to keep it simple). Pro-tip here: keep the boxes and wrappers of anything that you buy gluten free just in case your gluten free friends need to check the ingredients.Gnocchi Is Always a Good Addition
We love gnocchi! Air fried or oven baked. Gnocchi are a great addition to this party. I toss a few bags of Trader Joe’s Cauliflower or Kale Gnocchi in the oven or air fryer just before the party starts and it is always a big hit. Especially Cauliflower Gnocchi Garlic Knots or Crispy Air Fryer Cauliflower Gnocchi served with pesto. Trust me here, people love this!
Nut-Free Pasta Party Guests
Check the labels of any specialty pastas that they are not made with almond flour or any seeds that your friends with a nut allergy might be sensitive to. Remember, store-bought pesto has pine nuts and cheese in it! Make your own: Broccoli Sprout Pesto (Oil-Free). Again, keep the jar of any nut free pesto or sauce or box of pasta you used just in case your guests with allergies need to check the label.
Don’t Forget The Vegetables
Roast or air fry a few several types of veggies. Remember I said I spotted bowls with little piles of tastings? This is what they are tasting! My party people love to test out what new roasted or air fried veggie I’m currently into. I always choose broccoli for one vegetable and then either mushrooms or roasted zucchini. Try one of these: Healthy Air Fryer Mushrooms , Air Fryer Zucchini and Onions, Broccolini Roasted in Air Fryer.
Top It Off With Sauces
A red sauce is a must. You will also need one or two others. For a second option, I usually go with a pesto. For the pesto, I make a separate box of penne or bag of cauliflower gnocchi and apply the pesto before serving. That way, the guests can simply add veggies and/or protein on top and can also add a second plain pasta to try another sauce if they like without having to fuss with mixing the pesto into their pasta themselves. This can get clumsy otherwise. For my third option, I always do a plant-based Bolognese made from lentils, tempeh, tofu, or store-bought vegan beefy crumbles (such as Beyond Meat) mixed with red sauce. Try one of these:Three Ingredient Tomato Sauce or Creamy Vegan Chickpea Tomato Sauce or Meatless Marinara Sauce.
Pick a Plant-Based Protein
As I mentioned, I always include a plant-based Bolognese as an option. Secondly, I will make a meatless meatball. If I am short on time, I will do a store-bought version (Beyond Meat or Gardein are both good choices). If I have enough time to prep + plan, I make Eggplant Meatballs or Air Fryer Italian Herb Tofu. The eggplant meatballs can actually be made the day before to help cut down your time in the kitchen on party day.
Bread
This is the fun part! I like to do a big loaf that I cut up just before dinner. Set it out on a beautiful cutting board with some parchment paper, a knife, maybe some butter or plant-based spread next to it. Alternatively, you could do dinner rolls, breadsticks, or even a focaccia bread.
Salad
You can choose to do a side salad or not. I have done it both ways and I do not think you always need it! I originally thought you need a side salad as part of the pasta bar. Mr. MVF disagreed, the verdict? He was right, no one ate the salad! The last time we hosted a pasta party, I made a cold pasta salad (which I was able to make that morning ahead of time and that is fabulous), and that was a huge hit or the salad pictured above: Asparagus Salad with Lemon Garlic Dressing.Don’t Forget the Condiment Station
You need to put condiments out for this! We have learned that people love to sprinkle stuff on their pasta!- Salt + pepper (in cute shakers)
- Dried Italian herb seasoning
- Nutritional yeast (or grated parmesan if you do dairy)
- Roasted red pepper flakes
- Butter or garlic spread for the bread (with a spreading knife)
Food For Thought
This makes for a fabulous party. It encourages people to eat what they like and not feel bad about skipping what they don’t! You can accommodate lots of allergies or dietary restrictions with this. Above all, you can enjoy good food in the company of good people. Hope this helps you enjoy a wonderful DIY pasta bar for your next celebration! Still have more questions? Email me: tara@myvegetarianfamily.com 💚
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