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Pasta Dishes
Quick and easy pasta recipes are the perfect solution for busy days when you still want a delicious, satisfying meal. Whether you’re cooking in a small kitchen or feeding a full family, pasta dishes offer endless versatility with simple ingredients and minimal prep time. From creamy comfort classics to fresh, healthy options, these recipes are designed to get you from stove to table in 15 minutes or less—without sacrificing flavor.
Pesto Mac & Cheese
Ingredients
- 2 cups: uncooked macaroni
- 2 tablespoons: butter
- 2 tablespoons: all-purpose flour
- 2 cups: milk
- 1/2 cup: grated parmesan
- 1/4 cup: basil pesto
- 1/2 teaspoon: salt
- Freshly cracked pepper
- 1/2 pound: frozen spinach
Thaw the spinach at room temperature or in the microwave. Squeeze out the excess water. Set the spinach aside. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, then add the macaroni. Boil for 7-10 minutes, or until tender. Drain the noodles.
While the pasta is boiling, prepare the sauce. Add the butter and flour to a small sauce pot. Heat and stir the butter and flour over medium heat until it forms a creamy paste and begins to bubble. Continue to stir and cook for about one minute more.
Whisk the milk into the butter and flour, then allow it to come up to a simmer, while whisking. When it reaches a simmer, the sauce will thicken. Remove the sauce from the heat. Whisk the Parmesan and pesto into the sauce until smooth. This will further thicken the sauce. Season the sauce with salt and freshly cracked pepper. Make sure the sauce is well seasoned as the flavors will be less concentrated once the pasta and spinach are stirred in.
Return the cooked and drained pasta to the large pot (heat turned off) and add the thawed spinach. Pour the sauce over top, then stir until everything is combined.
Instructions
Recipe by bellyfull.net
Chicken Alfredo
Ingredients
For the Noodles
- 16 ounces dry fettuccine past
For the Chicken
- 1 pound: boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 teaspoon: Italian seasoning
- 3/4 teaspoon: sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon: pepper
- 2 tablespoons: extra-virgin olive oil
For the Sauce
- 1/2 cup: butter (cut into large cubes)
- 2 cups: heavy whipping cream
- 1 clove garlic (minced)
- 3/4 teaspoon: garlic powder
- 3/4 teaspoon: Italian seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon: salt
- 1/4 teaspoon: pepper
- 2 cups: grated parmesan cheese
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the fettuccine and cook until al dente according to package directions, usually 10 minutes, then drain well. Set aside.
Season chicken breasts with the Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Warm the olive oil over medium-high heat in a large nonstick skillet. Once it’s shimmering, swirl the pan to evenly distribute. Add the chicken and leave it undisturbed for 5-7 minutes, until the bottom is golden-brown. Flip over and add in 1 tablespoon of butter between them, picking up the pan to give it a gentle swirl to distribute. Continue cooking for another 5-7 minutes (or an internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.)
In the same pan, over medium-low heat, add the butter and cream; whisk until butter has melted. Add in the minced garlic, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper; whisk until combined and smooth. Bring to a gentle simmer (do not boil) and cook for 3-4 minutes, whisking constantly, until it starts to thicken. Stir in the parmesan cheese just until melted and the sauce is smooth.
Take the noodles, sliced up chicken, and alfredo sauce, mix them together and serve.
Instructions
Recipe by bellyfull.net
Instructions
Preheat oven to 425F. Coat a 9×13 baking dish with nonstick spray.
Dump 4 cups dry rigatoni pasta in the baking dish. From 3/4 of a pound bulk Italian sausage, break off very small pieces and dot all over the pasta, then sprinkle with 1 small chopped red bell pepper.
In a mixing bowl, combine 2 & 1/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth, 24 ounces marinara sauce, 15 ounce can diced tomatoes with its liquid, 1/2 teaspoon each coarse salt and pepper, a 1/4 teaspoon each garlic powder and onion powder, and 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes.
Pour the sauce mixture evenly over the pasta, sausage, and bell pepper making sure it’s all submerged in the liquid. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 45 minutes until the pasta is al dente.
Remove the foil and stir in 1/3 cup heavy cream, 1/4 cup grated parmesan, and 5 ounces fresh baby spinach and basil.
Baked Tomato Sausage Rigatoni
Ingredients
- 12 ounces (4 cups): dry rigatoni pasta
- 3/4 pound: bulk Italian sausage
- 1 small red bell pepper (chopped)
- 2 1/4 cups: low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 jar (24 ounce): marinara sauce
- 1 can (15 ounce): diced tomatoes (undrained)
- 1/2 teaspoon: coarse salt
- 1/2 teaspoon: pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon: garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon: onion powder
- 1/8 teaspoon: crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/3 cup: heavy cream
- 1/4 cup: grated fresh parmesan
- 5 ounce bag: fresh baby spinach
- 4 large fresh basil leaves (chopped)
Recipe by bellyfull.net
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