# I eat pasta without sauce. Is this weird? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 21, 2013, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-eat-pasta-without-sauce-is-this-weird/658968 "2013-05-21T22:46:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![EmilyG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emilyg/32/364_2.png) [@EmilyG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmilyG)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2013, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-eat-pasta-without-sauce-is-this-weird/658968/1 "2013-05-21T22:46:06Z")
I eat pasta without sauce. I usually eat it plain, though with spaghetti, I like to put lots of grated Parmesan cheese on it. Does anyone else do this? (I’m a very picky eater, by the way.) (Not sure if this belongs in Cafe Society or IMHO.) ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2013, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-eat-pasta-without-sauce-is-this-weird/658968/2 "2013-05-21T22:48:39Z")
naked noodles can be tasty. same with bread. ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2013, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-eat-pasta-without-sauce-is-this-weird/658968/3 "2013-05-21T22:53:45Z")
You monster! ---
**Author:** ![Yorikke](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yorikke/32/4335_2.png) [@Yorikke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yorikke)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2013, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-eat-pasta-without-sauce-is-this-weird/658968/4 "2013-05-21T22:54:15Z")
It’s unusual, I suppose, but not weird. And buttered noodles with Parmesan cheese is fucking awesome. I used to eat salad without dressing until I was in my 30s. And cereal out of the box, no milk. Ramen straight out of the package. All kinds of stuff “not as intended.” ---
**Author:** ![Hockey\_Monkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a183cd/32.png) [@Hockey\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hockey_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2013, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-eat-pasta-without-sauce-is-this-weird/658968/5 "2013-05-21T23:28:30Z")
Butter, parm and pepper is super yummy and comforting. ---
**Author:** ![Athena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2013, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-eat-pasta-without-sauce-is-this-weird/658968/6 "2013-05-21T23:41:42Z")
My mother used to give me spaghetti, butter, and salt when I complained about being hungry before dinner was ready. I haven’t done it in a long time, but I suspect that a big bowl of spaghetti, butter, and salt would be incredibly delicious. Better with Parmesan, but if that wasn’t available, it’d still be plenty good. ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2013, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-eat-pasta-without-sauce-is-this-weird/658968/7 "2013-05-21T23:53:48Z")
weird, probably not. Bland, probably yes. ---
**Author:** ![Alan\_Smithee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/2acd7d/32.png) [@Alan\_Smithee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alan_Smithee)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2013, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-eat-pasta-without-sauce-is-this-weird/658968/8 "2013-05-22T00:14:47Z")
Pasta with nothing: weird. Pasta with Parmesan cheese: not weird. Pasta with Parmesan cheese and butter: not only not weird, but perfectly normal. ---
**Author:** ![R3d\_Anonymous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/aeb1de/32.png) [@R3d\_Anonymous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/R3d_Anonymous)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2013, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-eat-pasta-without-sauce-is-this-weird/658968/9 "2013-05-22T00:20:34Z")
Real men eat pasta without sauce (and I mean men as in mankind). ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2013, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-eat-pasta-without-sauce-is-this-weird/658968/10 "2013-05-22T00:23:02Z")
I do it when the mood strikes me. It may or may not be weird, but certainly you are not alone. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2013, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-eat-pasta-without-sauce-is-this-weird/658968/11 "2013-05-22T00:26:54Z")
Macaroni with butter and salt is one of my favorite sins. I can eat an entire package of the pasta in one sitting. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2013, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-eat-pasta-without-sauce-is-this-weird/658968/12 "2013-05-22T00:35:40Z")
Completely plain is a little odd. But with Parmesan and/or butter? Not weird at all. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2013, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-eat-pasta-without-sauce-is-this-weird/658968/13 "2013-05-22T00:40:34Z")
Seems fine to me as long as you put something on it. Just salt and pepper might be sufficient, but a little olive oil and crushed garlic wouldn’t hurt, along with some basil and parsley, and a hint of rosemary of course, then topped with some crushed red pepper and a sprinkling of parmesan. That’s pretty plain. ---
**Author:** ![turtlescanfly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/65b543/32.png) [@turtlescanfly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/turtlescanfly)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2013, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-eat-pasta-without-sauce-is-this-weird/658968/14 "2013-05-22T01:16:10Z")
My kids do not like sauce of any kind, so they eat it without (although usually with shredded mozzarella or some other Italian cheese blend). I used to heat up a small amount of sauce for myself in the microwave (no sense getting a pot dirty) but lately I’ve taken to not even doing that, so I eat it sans sauce right along with them (although I’ve been known to simmer some diced up bell peppers in butter and pour that over the pasta…not sure if that counts as a sauce) . Oh and I almost NEVER eat pasta without either sausage or meatballs, and usually garlic bread (or at least a buttered roll) to go with it. I’ll pass on the sauce, but these are mandatory! ---
**Author:** ![EmilyG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emilyg/32/364_2.png) [@EmilyG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmilyG)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2013, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-eat-pasta-without-sauce-is-this-weird/658968/15 "2013-05-22T01:23:54Z")
> [@johnpost](#): > > naked noodles can be tasty. same with bread. Maybe I’ll call sauce-less pasta “naked” from now on. 🙂 I like to eat toast dry (with nothing on it), and my mother’s cousin called it “naked toast.” And welcome to the board,\*\* turtlescanfly\*\*. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2013, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-eat-pasta-without-sauce-is-this-weird/658968/16 "2013-05-22T01:51:49Z")
I eat noodles with just parmesan\* fairly often, and with nothing at all quite a lot in earlier years. \*Specifically, cold noodles and cold parmesan. I like it on warm days when I don’t want to cook or eat anything hot. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2013, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-eat-pasta-without-sauce-is-this-weird/658968/17 "2013-05-22T01:57:57Z")
Pasta in buitter with lots of garlic salt. But I only eat it in my underwear, because the way I see it, if I’m going to degrade myself like that, I might as well go the full monty. ---
**Author:** ![R3d\_Anonymous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/aeb1de/32.png) [@R3d\_Anonymous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/R3d_Anonymous)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2013, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-eat-pasta-without-sauce-is-this-weird/658968/18 "2013-05-22T02:00:27Z")
I eat it with very hot green chillies and peppers, onions, mushrooms, and a little bit of vinegar. ---
**Author:** ![obfusciatrist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/4af34b/32.png) [@obfusciatrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/obfusciatrist)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2013, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-eat-pasta-without-sauce-is-this-weird/658968/19 "2013-05-22T02:01:56Z")
Sometimes. Though probably never just plain noodles with absolutely nothing on them. Old Spaghetti Factory has a dish of spaghetti with browned butter and mizithra cheese. I’d order that without the brown butter. I’ll also take a rotelli pasta and just eat it with crumbled feta. I also commonly drain all of the liquid out of noodle soups (particularly pho and ramen) before eating it but that is just because I’m not really fond of eating/drinking hot liquids. ---
**Author:** ![Aspidistra](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspidistra/32/3894_2.png) [@Aspidistra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspidistra)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2013, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-eat-pasta-without-sauce-is-this-weird/658968/20 "2013-05-22T02:07:06Z")
That ain’t nothing. My kids like their spaghetti naked AND raw! (crunch crunch) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-eat-pasta-without-sauce-is-this-weird/658968.md?page=2)