The Easiest, Yummiest Pasta Ever (and 5 More Delicious Recipes)
I had to take some long, hard looks at all these delicious dinners when I was at the studio shooting this “Foodiversity: Pasta 101” feature, and I don’t think I have ever been more tortured. Pasta is already my weakness, but — OMG! — these recipes! They are so good! Whether you are new in the kitchen and want to learn some easy dishes to whip up, or you are a seasoned pasta eater (like me!) and want some new ideas for fast weeknight fare, we got you. From a one-pot meal to one that uses breakfast ingredients in a totally novel way, these pages are truly good enough to eat. I personally don’t think Foodiversity had ever looked, or tasted, better. But bring some water to a boil and see for yourself. Signed, The Pasta Monster.
PHOTOGRAPHED BY ERIC HELGAS; FOOD STYLED BY MICHELLE GATTON.
The Easiest (& Yummiest) Pasta Ever
This pasta is not just easy to make; it’s fun to say. Pasta Aglio Olio (pronounced ah-lee-oh oh-lee-oh) is the ultimate quick, delicious dish. As a kid growing up in an Italian family, I was taught to make this pasta for myself. It’s carried me through all of my life — childhood, college, and adulthood. Even now, after a long, tiring day, I can zombie-walk to my pantry and absentmindedly whip up a batch of aglio olio in almost no time.
Spaghetti Aglio Olio
Makes 6-8 servings.
1 lb dry spaghetti
2/3 cup good-quality olive oil
8-10 large garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
1 cup grated parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
1 tsp salt for the pasta water
salt and pepper to taste
Fill a large pot or dutch oven ¾ full with water, (about 4 quarts). Add the salt and bring to a boil.
Add the pasta and cook, stirring frequently, until al dente, 9-11 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat the olive oil, garlic, and red pepper flakes (if using) over medium heat in a deep skillet. As soon as it starts to simmer, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook until the garlic is a very light brown, about 8 minutes.
4. sauce.
Remove the pan with the olive oil mixture from the heat and add the pasta to it. Stir in the parmesan cheese and add salt and pepper to taste.
Serve with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese and freshly ground pepper on top.
PHOTOGRAPHED BY ERIC HELGAS; FOOD STYLED BY MICHELLE GATTON.
Spinach Linguini With Walnut Pesto
There’s really nothing I love more than pesto (I even wrote a whole story about it). But personal bias aside, making your own pesto at home is really no big deal and it’s SO GOOD. And listen, take my advice and make way too much pesto. You can refrigerate or freeze it and use it on almost anything — toast, crackers, fish, meat, eggs — anything! Use this as a general rule of thumb: When in doubt, slather it in pesto.
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Spinach Linguini With Walnut Pesto
Makes 4-6 servings.
Walnuts are less expensive and easier to find than the traditional pine nuts, and we think they taste even better. Plus, they’re loaded with healthy fats.
For Pesto
½ cup chopped walnuts
2 well-packed cups fresh basil leaves
2/3 cup good quality olive oil
½ cup grated Parmesan-Romano blend
2 cloves garlic
½ tsp salt
For Pasta
1 lb dry spinach linguini
1 tsp salt for the pasta water
1 cup prepared walnut pesto
1 cup Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Process all of the pesto ingredients in a food processor until well combined. Refrigerate any unused portions.
Fill a large pot or dutch oven ¾ full with water, (about 4 quarts). Add the salt and bring to a boil. Add the pasta and cook, stirring frequently until al dente, 5 to 8 minutes.
Drain, but do not rinse the pasta; you want a tiny bit of the pasta water in the sauce.
Return to the pot and stir in the pesto and Parmesan cheese, add salt and pepper to taste. Save any extra pesto in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Garnish with a few small basil leaves if you have any left over, and serve with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese and freshly ground pepper on top.
PHOTOGRAPHED BY ERIC HELGAS; FOOD STYLED BY MICHELLE GATTON.
A Pasta That Uses Our Favorite Breakfast Ingredients
Once you make carbonara, you’ll see that it’s the magical unicorn of pasta dishes. It’s tastes so damn rich and good, it seems like it should be a lot of work — but it’s not. You don’t even have to cook your eggs; the just-strained pasta does that for you, to make a creamy sauce (without any cream!). Throw in some bacon and parmesan, and you’ve got yourself one hell of a dish. In fact, we’d argue it’s one of the best pasta dishes ever invented.
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Spaghetti Carbonara
Makes 4-6 servings.
1 lb dry spaghetti
2/3 cup good-quality olive oil
¼ tsp salt
½ pound thickly sliced, good-quality bacon, cut into ½-inch pieces
3 large eggs (preferred), or ¾ cup pasteurized egg product, such as Egg Beaters
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
Fill a large pot or dutch oven ¾ full with water, (about 4 quarts). Add the salt and bring to a boil.
Add the pasta and cook, stirring frequently, until al dente, 9-11 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook the bacon and garlic in a large saucepan over medium heat, until cooked throughout but not too crispy, about 5 minutes. Drain most of the fat from the pan, leaving enough to coat the pasta, about 3 tablespoons.
Drain, but do not rinse the pasta.
Quickly break the eggs into your serving bowl and whisk them with a fork. Throw in the just-drained, piping-hot pasta and mix to coat. The hot pasta will cook the eggs.
Then, toss in the bacon, garlic, and reserved bacon fat.
Stir in parmesan cheese, add salt and pepper to taste, and enjoy.
PHOTOGRAPHED BY ERIC HELGAS; FOOD STYLED BY MICHELLE GATTON.
This One-Pot Pasta Only Takes 10 Minutes
Tired of using the same store-bought sauce every time you make spaghetti at home? With a tiny bit of extra effort, you can upgrade to this puttanesca, which sounds fancy, but is actually really simple. The best part is you can throw everything into one pot, cook for only 10 minutes, and have dinner on the table — and hardly any dishes in the sink.
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One-Pot Puttanesca
Makes 4-6 servings.
8 oz dried pappardelle or other wide, flat pasta
1 cup tomatoes, roughly chopped
½ cup loosely packed basil, chopped
½ cup finely chopped onion
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup chopped, pitted kalamata olives
2 tbsp capers
1 tin of anchovy fillets, roughly chopped
32-oz box vegetable or chicken broth
1 cup grated Parmesan (for serving)
Add everything to a big (preferably 12-inch) skillet, boil, stirring frequently until most of the liquid is absorbed and the pasta is al dente, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and serve topped with Parmesan cheese.
PHOTOGRAPHED BY ERIC HELGAS; FOOD STYLED BY MICHELLE GATTON.
The Only Pasta Bake Recipe You’ll Ever Need
Sure, autumn leaves and crisp, cooler weather are great and all, but the best thing about fall by far is getting to indulge in gooey, creamy baked pastas. Although baked pastas can be labor-intensive, the below recipe is super-easy to pull off — besides, if you make it on a Sunday, you’ll have leftovers for the entire week!
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Primavera Pasta Bake With Autumn Vegetables
Makes 6-8 servings.
8 oz rigatoni
2 tbsp olive oil
2 cups thinly sliced leeks
3 cups small cubes butternut squash
2 cups sliced crimini or button mushrooms
½ cup milk or cream
2 oz cream cheese
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp thyme
¼ teaspoon salt — plus 1 teaspoon more for pasta water
1 cup shredded mozzarella
½ cup grated Parmesan, plus more for serving.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Bring water and 1 teaspoon salt to a boil in a large Dutch oven. Add the rigatoni and cook for 10-13 minutes or until al dente.
Meanwhile, sauté the leeks, squash, and mushrooms in olive oil in a large pan over medium heat until the vegetables start to turn brown. Remove from heat and stir in milk, butter, cream cheese, thyme, salt, and pepper, and stir until the cream cheese is melted and incorporated.
Drain the pasta and return it to the Dutch oven. Stir in the veggies, cream mixture, and mozzarella. Top with Parmesan cheese and bake for 20-25 minutes, If your pan/Dutch oven is not oven-safe, transfer to a 2 quart oven-safe casserole dish first.
PHOTOGRAPHED BY ERIC HELGAS; FOOD STYLED BY MICHELLE GATTON.
This Lasagna Hack Changes Everything
Making a lasagna can be completely terrifying, not to mention super-labor-intensive. But this lasagna hack cuts the prep and cook time in half, moving the process from the oven to your stove top. The result is a pasta dish that tastes exactly like lasagna (gooey cheese and all) but isn’t nearly as difficult to make. In fact, the whole thing takes only about 30 minutes from start to finish!
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Skillet Lasagna
Makes 6-8 servings.
½ pound lean ground beef, turkey, or vegetarian fake-meat crumbles
½ cup chopped onion
1 cup sliced mushrooms
10 lasagna noodles broken into thirds (don’t worry if the pieces are unevenly broken).
1 tbsp fennel seeds
2 cups good-quality marinara sauce
2 cups water
½ tsp garlic powder
1 tsp Italian seasoning
½ tsp nutmeg
1 cup ricotta cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella
½ cup chopped fresh basil
¼ cup grated Parmesan
Freshly ground pepper for serving
Cook the beef, mushrooms, and onion in a large skillet over medium heat until the beef is browned, about 10 minutes, then drain any extra fat.
Add the lasagna noodle pieces, marinara sauce, water, and spices, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-high. Cook for 10-12 minutes or until the noodles are al dente, stirring frequently. Reduce the heat to low.
3. Gently fold in the ricotta. Sprinkle on the mozzarella cheese and chopped basil. Cover and let cook for 2 minutes more or until the cheese on top melts. Top with Parmesan and freshly ground pepper. Enjoy!
By Elettra Wiedemann & Zoe Bain
