Fregola (Traditional Sardinian Pasta)

Let’s take a trip to Sardinia with this traditional Fregola Pasta! It’s a unique pasta that is shaped into tiny pearls. Here I’ve served it with a classic Italian pomodoro sauce and pecorino cheese for a delicious taste of the island.

Have you ever heard of fregola pasta?? It's a pasta shape that originated in the island of Sardinia, Italy, which definitely needs more hype! It’s also known as Fregula, and it's shaped into tiny balls that look similar to Israeli couscous. It’s however toasted, giving it a rough surface with a deliciously chewy texture once cooked with your favorite sauce. I've been lucky enough to spend some time in Sardinia, so I'm going to show you how to make this traditional dish at home!

Here I’ve made it with a traditional Italian pomodoro sauce topped with pecorino sardo cheese, which gives it a yummy creaminess and is really easy to make. All you need to do is source the fregola pasta from either an Italian supermarket or you can possibly order it online. Better yet, come and visit the lovely island and stock up 🙂. You can also add fregola to soups as it's a type of pastina. Try it in my Italian pastina, pastina soup or even my classic minestrone.

I tried my first ever fregola about 2 years ago whilst spending the summer in Sardinia. You will find it literally everywhere, from restaurants, supermarkets and even shaped in different sizes. It can be served with various different sauces ranging from a tomato sauce to basil pesto and seafood sauces including clams or prawns. Its popularly served with a seafood marinara called 'fruitti di mare'. The first one I tasted was made with a zucchini cream (see picture as you scroll down) and it was that good I can still remember the exact moment I tried it!

From this point forward, I became hooked and started to learn more about how the Sardinian people make it. I traveled to the middle of the island, to an agriturismo (a farm house) and had the opportunity to learn how to make fregola from a Signora that has been making it for 50 years! We spent hours making this lovely local pasta, all in Italian mind you, which was super challenging at times as I’m still learning the language.

The pasta dough includes semolina flour, water, and sometimes a touch of saffron which gives it a lovely yellow color. It's then all made by hand using a special ceramic dish that has distinct grooves through the bottom. We then used the tips of our fingers to slowly rub the pasta dough into the grooves to create tiny pearls. I'm not going to lie, it was a very lengthy process but it was all worth it in the end. We made two sauces to go with the pasta, one being a classic sugo and the other in a veggie broth made with a medley of tiny cut vegetables.

Some other homemade Sardinian pastas I’ve learnt and shared are my culurgiones along with gnochetti which also goes by the name of malloredus.

Table of Contents

• Why you'll love this recipe
• What is Fregola?
• Ingredients and Substitutions
• How to make Fregola (Traditional Sardinian Pasta)
• Tips and Tricks
• Storage Instructions
• What to Serve with Fregola?
• FAQs
• Pairing
• Related
• Recipe
• Comments

Why you'll love this recipe

• Quick & Easy: Fregola is a quick-cooking pasta, so you can have a tasty meal on the table in no time
• Delicious: Once cooked, fregola has a slightly chewy consistency with a subtle nutty flavor and soaks up the delicious sauce
• Traditional: It’s a less common pasta shape, so it's fun and interesting to try a local Sardinian staple
• Versatile: Serve in various pasta sauces, add to a pasta salad, soups and wonderful in pastina

What is Fregola?

Fregola are small toasted pasta grains originating from Sardegna, Italy, taking the shape of small balls resembling Israeli couscous or orzo. However, their flavor is uniquely nutty and their texture becomes chewy when cooked.

Durum wheat semolina, the same flour used for pasta, forms the base of fregola and once toasted they can have a mix of shades from yellow, gold, and brown.

You can add fregola to your favorite pasta sauces such as an Italian tomato sauce (sugo), seafood sauces, soups like pastina soup or minestrone or even to a fresh pasta salad.

Ingredients and Substitutions

• Fregola is of course the star of the dish from Sardinia, Italy. Add it to your favorite sauce, soups, pasta salads and pastina recipes. You can purchase fregola sarda from an Italian supermarket or you can possibly order it online

Italian Sugo Ingredients

• Canned peeled whole tomatoes provide a rich, tomatoey base for the sauce. You can also use fresh tomatoes or passata
• Garlic cloves and extra virgin olive oil are the base flavor of the tomato sauce 
• Parmigiano reggiano cheese is grated to add a salty, cheesy flavor to the sauce. You can omit to keep it a vegan recipe
• Fresh basil leaves add a bright fresh flavor and aroma to the sauce
• Pecorino sardo also from Sardinia, adds an authentic flavor when finely grated and sprinkled on top. You can also substitute with extra parmesan cheese

How to make Fregola (Traditional Sardinian Pasta)

With just a few simple ingredients and little time, you can easily make an authentic Sardinian fregola pasta in your own kitchen. Follow my simple steps below.

Tips and Tricks

1. Don't overcook the fregola, as it can become mushy. Cook it al dente with a slight tender bite for the best texture
2. Always simmer the fregola pasta for the final minutes in your sauce. This will allow the yummy sauce to absorb into the pasta
3. Ensure to save some pasta water as using the pasta liquid will give your pasta a lovely silkiness and will allow the sauce to stick to the pasta

Storage Instructions

• Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days
• Reheat leftover fregola in a saucepan over medium heat. Add a splash of water or broth to prevent it from drying out
• You can freeze fregola for up to 2 months, however I prefer to cook it fresh for the best taste and texture

What to Serve with Fregola?

Fregola is a versatile pasta that works well with so many recipes. Here are some favorites:

• Salads: Fregola is a great base for a hearty pasta salad. Try it in my orzo salad, Greek orzo and even in replacement of quinoa in my quinoa salad
• Soups: Add it to soups for a heartier and more filling meal. Try it in my pasta e fagioli, minestrone soup, Italian pastina or pastina soup
• Mains: Serve it with your favorite pasta sauce such as my pasta with peas, burrata pasta or spicy vodka pasta 
• Sides: Fregola makes a great side dish with your preferred proteins such as air fryer salmon, tofu steak or teriyaki tofu

FAQs

Pairing

These are my favorite dishes to serve with Fregola:

Related

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