10 Awesome Recipes with Grapes and Pasta

What happens when people choose not to listen to their parents about playing with their food? For some, it may spell disaster. As for others, combining ingredients like grapes and pasta into a recipe that works is an awesome experience. There are at least ten recipes involving grapes and pasta that are heavenly.

As odd as the combination may sound for some, this isn’t some new practice. Among ancient Mediterranean-based cultures, eating grapes with a bowl of pasta was considered normal. Don’t knock it if you haven’t tried it.

1. Baked Brie Pasta with Grapes

List of Ingredients

• 1 cup of baby shell pasta
• 1/2 cup green or red grapes (or half and half)
• 1/4 cup of brie cheese, crumbled
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1/4 cup walnuts
• 1 tsp honey
• 1/4 tsp thyme
• parmesan cheese

Directions

• Cook the baby shell pasta according to package directions, then drain.
• Gently mix the grapes and brie cheese into the pasta.
• Combine the pepper, salt, olive oil, walnuts, honey, and thyme into the pasta mixture.
• Once thoroughly mixed, sprinkle with parmesan cheese before serving.

Cook’s Suggestion; If brie isn’t your thing, go with feta cheese instead. It’ll work.

2. Broccoli, Grape, and Pasta Salad

Once upon a time, I worked as a cook at a prison facility. One of the biggest challenges was coming up with salads appealing enough to convince the inmates to eat more from it. This was also a challenge for the guards. The broccoli, grape, and pasta salad was something I remembered while working for a previous boss as we hosted catering events. Instead of sticking to his old recipe using raisins, I replaced it with grapes. When he learned about it, he made the switch too.

List of Ingredients

• 1 cup of elbow (macaroni) pasta, cooked, drained, and cooled
• 1/2 cup of red seedless grapes, cut in half
• 1/2 cup of small broccoli florets
• 1/2 cup of shredded marble cheese
• 1 red onion, finely diced
• 1/4 cup of cranberry sauce
• 1/4 cup of mayonnaise

Directions

• In a bowl, combine the elbow pasta, grapes, broccoli florets, marble cheese, and red onion together.
• In a smaller bowl, thoroughly mix the cranberry sauce and mayonnaise together.
• Gently combine the pasta mixture with the dressing before serving.

Cook’s Suggestion; If you want this salad to become meatier, add some cooked and crumbled bacon into it. When working at the prison site and learning majority of the inmates and staff were bacon addicts, I added this to the salad whenever I had the chance. I had to make sure to make plenty in order to avoid running out before serving was over.

3. Cashew Chicken Pasta

List of Ingredients

• 1 cup of bow ties pasta noodles
• 1 cooked chicken breast, cut into tiny cubes
• 5 green onions, chopped
• 1/2 cup cashews
• 1/2 cup green grapes
• 1 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 4 tbsp milk
• 6 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tbsp seasoning salt
• 1/2 tsp white pepper (black will do too)

Directions

• Cook the pasta according to package directions, then drain.
• In a bowl, mix in the chicken, green onions, cashews, and grapes with the pasta
• In a separate bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, milk, brown sugar, seasoning salt, and pepper.
• Gently blend together the mayonnaise mixture to the mixed pasta and serve immediately.

Cook’s Suggestion; You can always substitute the brown sugar with regular sugar. You can also use red grapes instead of green or use both.

4. Citrus Pasta Salad with Grapes

List of Ingredients

• 1 cup of spiral pasta noodles, cooked and drained
• 1 cup of crumbled feta cheese
• 1/2 cup of green or white grapes
• 1 bunch of watercress, trimmed and coarsely shredded
• 2 scallions, chopped
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 2 tbsp virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp vinegar

Directions

• In a large bowl, gently mix together the pasta noodles, feta cheese, grapes, watercress, and scallion.
• In a small separate bowl, thoroughly mix together the orange juice, virgin olive oil, and vinegar.
• Blend together the noodle mixture with the orange dressing and serve.

Cook’s Suggestion; If you’d rather swap the orange juice with lemon juice or pineapple juice, that’ll work too.

5. Creamy Dijon Grape Pasta

List of Ingredients

• 1 cup of spiral pasta noddles
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 cup shallots, thinly sliced
• 1 pound of chicken breasts, cut into tiny cubes
• 1 cup red grapes
• 1 tbsp thyme leaves
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 2 tbsp dijon mustard
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 1 1/2 tsp cornstarch
• 2 tbsp water
• 1 cup baby spinach

Directions

• Heat the oil and butter together over medium-high heat.
• Add the shallots and chicken, cooking for about five minutes or until the chicken has become golden brown.
• Add the grapes and thyme and continue cooking for another three minutes. It should reach the point where the grapes are beginning to split open.
• Add the wine and continue cooking for another three minutes or until the liquid has reduced. Make sure to scrape the bottom of the pan as you’re doing this.
• Combine the chicken broth, dijon mustard, and heavy cream into the skillet with the chicken.
• As soon as the contents begin to simmer, reduce the heat to medium-low and continue cooking for an additional ten to fifteen minutes. You want the liquid level to reduce a little bit.
• Cook the pasta according to the package directions.
• In a small bowl, mix together the cornstarch and water.
• While stirring the chicken, pour in the cornstarch mixture and cook for an additional four minutes. You want the sauce to thicken.
• Remove from the heat source and pour in the cooked and drained pasta.
• Add the spinach and serve immediately.

Cook’s Suggestion; If you want, switch the spinach with an arugula. That’s how it’s done according to Rachel Cooks.

6. Feta Cheese Pasta w/Spicy Grapes

List of Ingredients

• 1 cup green grapes
• 1 cup red grapes
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 4 pinches of crushed red pepper flakes
• 4 skinless chicken breasts, cut into small cubes
• 1 shallot, chopped
• 1 cup penne pasta noodles
• 1 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 cup feta cheese, finely diced or crumbled
• chopped parsley

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
• In a bowl, mix together the grapes, extra virgin oil, red pepper flakes, chicken breasts, and shallot.
• Pour the mixture into a casserole dish and roast in the oven for about fifteen minutes. Ideally, you want the cubed chicken to become fully cooked.
• In the meantime, cook the penne noodles according to package directions, then drain.
• In a large bowl, gently mix together the chicken and grape casserole, cooked noodles, balsamic vinegar, and feta cheese.
• Garnish with the chopped parsley before serving.

Cook’s Suggestion; This is a prepared dish that can be either served hot or cold.

7. Hawaiian Pasta Salad

This was a salad my old boss had as a creation while I worked for him. It was immensely popular to the point we sometimes had trouble keeping up with the demand.

List of Ingredients

• 1 cup of cooked and cooled elbow pasta
• 1/2 cup of green grapes
• 1/2 cup of ham, cut into tiny cubes
• 1 can of drained pineapple pieces
• 1 finely diced stalk of celery
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar and mozzarella cheese
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tsp relish
• 1/4 tsp vinegar

Directions

• In a large bowl, thoroughly mix together the pasta, grapes, ham, pineapple, celery, and cheese.
• In a small bowl, thoroughly mix together the mayonnaise, relish, and vinegar.
• Pour the dressing into the pasta mix, gently mixing everything together until thoroughly combined.

Cook’s Suggestion; This tastes even better when refrigerated for at least two hours before serving.

8. Green Grape Pasta Salad

This salad is a big hit during the summertime that took the citrus flavoring out of the equation. The fusion of flavor between the grapes and the ham has been a favorite that dates as far back as the Roman Empire. It was often one of the main features in feasts and festivals.

List of Ingredients

• 1 cup of baby shell pasta noodles, cooked, drained, and cooled
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 2 tbsp vinegar
• 1 tbsp dijon mustard
• 1 tsp white sugar
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 tsp dill weed
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 cup green grapes, halved
• 1 cup diced ham
• 1/4 cup chopped green onions
• 1 cup diced marble cheese

Directions

• In a bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, sour cream, vinegar, dijon mustard, white sugar, black pepper, dill weed, and salt together.
• In another bowl, mix together the cooled pasta, green grapes, ham, chopped green onions, and marble cheese.
• Combine the two mixtures together, then serve.

Cook’s Suggestion; You can easily substitute the ham with chicken. Among diets that prohibit the consumption of pork, chicken makes the best alternative.

9. Macaroni with Grapes and Blue Cheese

List of Ingredients

• 1 cup of cooked elbow (macaroni) noodles, drained
• 1/2 cup green, red, or white grapes
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1/4 cup blue cheese, crumbled
• 1/4 cup plain yogurt
• 1/2 cup milk
• a sprinkle of Emmental cheese

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
• In a bowl, mix together the cooked and drained macaroni noodles and grapes.
• Grease a casserole dish with butter.
• In a saucepan or small pot, combine the blue cheese, yogurt, and milk over medium heat.
• Stirring frequently to avoid scorching, cook until the blue cheese has completely melted.
• In a baking dish, pour in the pasta mix, then top it with the creamy cheese mixture.
• Sprinkle with Emmental cheese, then bake in the oven for about twenty to twenty-five minutes. You want the cheese on top to turn golden before serving.

Cook’s Suggestion; Emmental cheese is technically swiss cheese. If you’re not a fan, simply go with another kind like feta, mozzarella, or parmesan.

10. Red Grapes and Sausage Pasta

List of Ingredients

• 1 cup of farfalle or penne pasta
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 cup of Italian sausage, casings removed
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 cups red seedless grapes
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
• 2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil

Directions

• Prior to cooking the pasta, add two teaspoons worth of salt to the boiling water.
• Cook the pasta according to packaged direction. After draining, make sure to keep one cup of the pasta water in reserve.
• Cook the sausage in a skillet over medium heat, breaking up the meat in the process.
• Continue cooking the sausage until its well browned. This usually takes about fifteen minutes.
• Drain the fat from the sausage meat, then transfer it to a bowl.
• Using the same skillet, add the olive oil, onion, fennel, garlic, and the remaining salt. Cook, stirring occasionally until the onion becomes soft and golden. This should take about two to three minutes.
• Add the grapes, chicken broth, and red pepper flakes to the skillet.
• Raise the heat to medium-high and cook until the grapes soften or begin to burst. This usually takes about ten minutes.
• Return the sausage to the skillet.
• Put the pasta into the skillet and crank up the heat of the stove to high.
• Gently, stir all the ingredients in the skillet together and continue cooking until the sausage is hot and the pasta is well-coated with sauce.
• Should you find the mixture seems to dry, add the pasta water you reserved earlier.
• Once cooked, remove the skillet from the heat source.
• Before serving, sprinkle the parmesan cheese, pepper, and chopped basil.

Cook’s Suggestion; It doesn’t have to be red grapes. If you’d rather use green or white, the end result will still be the same.

Want More?

Believe it or not, there are more than just a tiny handful of recipes that pair grapes and pasta together. They don’t always have to be in the form of salads, either. Food and PBS also have some great recipes that combine the two ingredients.

Between chefs and foodies who have discerning tastes, often enjoy any pasta meal with a glass of wine. Even in liquid form, grapes and pasta go together in perfect harmony. Sites like Assaggio feature a list of the most recommended wines that pair well with pasta.