Giada De Laurentiis and Her Daughter Love Making These Adorable, Cheesy Pasta Cupcakes

Giada De Laurentiis knows how to make Italian food fun, and her latest viral recipe is proof. Pasta cupcakes—yes, cupcakes—are her cheesy, crispy answer to leftover pasta, and they’ve been a favorite in her house for years. In May 2024, she shared a video making them with her daughter Jade, who grew up eating these bite-sized pasta bites. “I created this recipe when Jade was little to get her excited about cooking,” Giada wrote. “It’s good to know she still loves it after all these years.” They’re easy, customizable, and, as Giada puts it, a great way to use up whatever’s in the fridge. Plus, they freeze like a dream. Here’s how she makes them.

Giada’s pasta cupcakes are a family favorite

In May 2024, Giada De Laurentiis took to Instagram with her daughter, Jade, to share a recipe that’s as fun to make as it is to eat. “We’re going to make pasta cupcakes that were a favorite when you were a kid,” Giada tells Jade, who immediately confirms, “Yep.”

“I created this recipe when Jade was little to get her excited about cooking. It’s good to know she still loves it after all these years,” Giada wrote in the caption.

These baked pasta bites aren’t just a nostalgic nod to Jade’s childhood—they’re a creative way to repurpose leftovers. On her blog, Giadzy, Giada explains that the idea was inspired by her own mother. “She had an amazing knack for turning leftover pasta into something new entirely,” Giada shares. She and Jade created the recipe together and it soon found itself a staple in Jade’s school lunch box. “It’s a great way to use up odds and ends that you have left in the fridge!” Plus, they freeze beautifully for easy snacking later.

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Giada’s tips for perfect pasta cupcakes

Throughout the cooking tutorial, Giada shares some helpful tips for home cooks to keep their back pocket.

• Use whatever pasta you have! Giada opts for nodi marini, but any short and small pasta works, such as elbows.
• Swap out the protein and veggies. “You can just put whatever you want,” Giada says. Leftover chicken, different cheeses or extra veggies all work well.
• Breadcrumbs + olive oil = the ultimate crunch. “It gives it that golden Bain de Soleil tan,” she jokes.

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How Giada makes her pasta cupcakes

Whether you’re feeding grandkids, repurposing leftovers or just want a fun, easy snack, these pasta cupcakes are a must-try. Just ask Jade—she still loves them after all these years! We broke down a simplified version of Giada’s official recipe below:

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Ingredients:

• Vegetable cooking spray
• 2 cups dried bread crumbs, divided
• 1 Tbs. olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
• 8 oz. ground turkey or chicken, preferably dark meat
• ½ tsp. kosher salt
• ¼ tsp. black pepper
• 8 oz. (about 2 cups) small pasta
• 2 cups grated Parmesan
• 1½ cups grated white Cheddar
• 2 cups broccoli, chopped into bite-sized pieces

Directions:

• Total time: 50 minutes
• Yield: 20-24 cups

1. Preheat the oven to 375° F. Then, heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground turkey or chicken, salt and pepper and cook, breaking up evenly, for five to eight minutes. Set aside.
2. Giada starts by prepping two (12-cup) cupcake pans, adding vegetable cooking spray and 1 cup breadcrumbs to each cup. “It makes it easier to pull them out,” she explains.
3. Then, she brings out the star ingredient—pre-cooked pasta. But not just any pasta. “Jade has been eating this already,” Giada laughs, holding up a bowl of nodi marini (sailor’s knots). Cook the pasta for eight to 10 minutes, then mix with the cooked ground turkey and broccoli in a large bowl.
4. Spoon the mixture into each cupcake mold. “Now, a lot of times I used to add asparagus and tomatoes,” Giada says, but today it’s just broccoli. Jade, clearly not a fan of additional veggies, shakes her head at the thought.
5. Next comes the cheese—shredded cheddar and a sprinkle of Parmesan. “The cheese is what’s gonna hold it together,” Giada notes. You can also add it in step 3 if you want cheese in every bite. To finish, she adds a dusting of breadcrumbs with the remaining 1 cup and a drizzle of olive oil.

The perfect bake

With the cupcakes assembled, Jade takes the lead on baking instructions. “Put them on the top rack for 15 to 20 minutes until they’re golden,” she says. “What’s the temp, buddy?” Giada asks. Jade confidently says 350°F before Giada corrects her—375°F. “I like higher,” Giada says with a smile.

Once baked to crispy perfection, Giada lets them cool slightly before popping one out. “Ladies and gentlemen, pasta cupcake!” she announces, as Jade claps. As they take crunchy bites, Jade grins, “I feel like I’m five years old again.” Giada nods, “These are amazing, they truly are.”