Here at G.E.T., our customers are always asking us what is better for pasta serving, a bowl or a plate? This is a great question, and like most questions, when it comes to selecting the correct tableware, the answer varies depending on multiple factors. Some of those factors are operational, but in many cases, it’s personal preference.
Like food, the presentation of food and the choices made for your dinnerware are creative solutions. Let’s take a look at some of the operational factors and then share some creative options you may want to consider for serving pasta in a bowl or on a plate.
The best pasta bowls are larger than standard bowls, typically accommodating from 20 to 32 ounces or more. Instead of being contoured like deep mixing bowls, pasta bowls are low and wide, making it easier to get to your pasta regardless of its shape.
How to Determine Which Dish is Best for Serving Pasta
The basic rule of thumb when selecting your tabletop items, which applies to both pasta bowls and pasta plates, is form follows function. This basically means, what are the operational needs you should consider? If you keep that in mind when making a selection, you’ll consistently be making the effective decision for your operation’s tabletop presentation above and beyond the appearance.
Pictured: Marzette serveware – Coming Soon at G.E.T.
As you look to determine your operational needs, some of what you may consider in this decision include:
- What is the portion size of your pasta entre? Choose an appropriate size dinnerware to support your entre size regardless if you choose a bowl or a plate.
- Do you offer a different size for lunch vs dinner vs a kids meal? You may need different dinnerware to support all your needs.
- Are you serving individual or family-style dishes? Family-style dishes usually require much larger dinnerware and larger oval platters could be versatile to serve a lot of family-dining items on your menu.
- Do you have sauces that need serving elevation so they don’t leak off the plate? Then choose something with an elevated rim.
- Does the pasta dish require some cutting, or are the ingredients bite size? You may choose to go with a plate if some cutting is involved and choose a bowl if all ingredients are bite size.
- Do you want to have certain pasta dishes presented in a certain way that enhance the perceived value?For a strong presentation, try serving your pasta in a bowl with a wider rim.
- How often do you serve pasta entres in your operation? If your operation serves a lot of pasta dishes, you may consider choosing a bowl that truly enhances the presentation of your menu. However, if you serve only one or two different types of pasta and pasta is not a huge focus for you, then I would recommend utilizing an existing dinnerware and not adding chaos to your kitchen with additional, unnecessary SKUs.
- How much storage room do you have in the dishroom, storage area, or on the cooking line?If you don’t have a lot of room, try to keep your tableware SKUs to a minimum. Choose versatile dinnerware that you can use for multiple items on your menu.
- How good is your bussing operation?The better the bussing in your foodservice operation, the less breakage you will have. Educate your staff on how to properly care for your dinnerware so you can use money saved to upgrade your tableware and enhance your food presentations.
The operator can answer all of these questions without much forethought, and from that understanding of these functional answers, the move to form (or selection) can begin. Operationally, a restaurant will need to consider the full menu when deciding on their dinnerware and whether or not they have the kitchen storage and washing space to support multiple-function options.
What size is a typical pasta bowl?
FAQ
What size should pasta bowls be?
What bowl to serve pasta in?
How many ounces is a typical pasta bowl?
What is the best material for pasta bowls?
How big should a pasta Bowl be?
A good pasta bowl should be at least 7 inches or more in diameter. It should have a wide bottom that is flat in the middle, and which slopes gently upward. This allows the sauce to pool around the pasta. How Much Can an 8-Inch Bowl Hold?
Is pasta healthy to eat?
Whole-grain pasta is healthier to eat while compared to refined pasta. Whole-grain pasta is high in fiber, manganese, selenium, copper and phosphorus while refined and enriched pasta is high in iron and B Vitamins. Refined pasta is high in calories and low in fiber, which decrease the feeling of fullness when we eat it. It also contain gluten which is bad for those who are gluten-sensitive. Whole grain pasta lowers appetite and increases fullness more than the refined one. Eating refined carbohydrates has been associated with increased risk of heart diseases, high blood sugar levels and insulin resistance.
What should a pasta Bowl look like?
Shape: Pasta bowls should have wide, flat bottoms and short sides. If you’re planning on using your bowls mainly for pasta, we recommend gently sloped sides, which allow the sauce to pool around the edges of the noodles.
Which pasta Bowl should I Choose?
Your best choice is melamine. These pasta bowls have all the same qualities of much more refined ceramic options. Although we noticed that these bowls were a bit smaller than others on the list during testing, they easily fit standard servings of pasta, oatmeal, and yogurt mixed with granola.