Pasta Recipes

Easy Pasta Dishes

Find your favorite Easy Pasta Dishes and pasta recipes including spaghetti, chicken pasta dishes, shrimp pasta and other Italian pasta dishes recipes sure to please.

Rigatoni Pasta with Zucchini Recipe

The beauty of pasta recipes is that they are usually quick plus satisfying. This one of those easy pasta dishes that cooks in one pot. Love it! Zucchini is a mild vegetable, so you may even get the kids to eat it. Just put the parmesan cheese on the table. Kick it up a notch if you want with some dried red pepper flakes. This is one of those recipes you will be happy to have when the neighborhood gardener comes over with a few more zucchini from the garden. That is one thing about growing zucchini, you always have some to share.


Easy Pasta Dishes Ingredients

8 oz rigatoni pasta noodles
4 small zucchini, cut in half crosswise, then julienned into samall strips
2 cloves garlic, pressed
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup torn fresh basil leaves
1 Tablespoon Parmesan cheese



Easy Pasta Recipe Cooking Instructions

Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling water according to the instructions on the package.
During the last minute, drop the zucchini into the pasta water.
Cook an additional minute and then drain.
While the pasta is cooking, add the garlic into a large bowl.
Add the feta cheese and olive oil.
Stir well with a fork until blended.
Add the pasta and zucchini to the cheese mixture. Toss carefully.
Add the basil leaves and Parmesan cheese. Toss one more time.
Serve immediately.

Wagon Wheel Pasta with Blue Cheese Recipe

There are so many varieties of pasta, it is simply amazing. The Italians really take pride in matching the perfect pasta with each sauce. So break out of your mold and try one you have never had before. Have some fun. We have even seen some with different themes. Cars and trucks, dinosaurs, sharks and sea critters! 
This is a great recipe to finish off the chunk of blue cheese that is still sitting in your fridge,left over from the party.   Creamy, yummy and quick.  That's why we love pasta!


Easy Pasta Dishes Ingredients

10 ounces wagon wheel shaped pasta
1/2 cup fat free half and half
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup water
2/3 cup crumbled blue cheese, plus set aside 2 additional Tablespoons for garnish
1  10-oz package of frozen tiny baby peas, thawed
1/3 cup walnuts, toasted and roughly chopped

Easy Pasta Recipe Cooking Instructions

Cook pasta until 'al dente', do not add oil or salt to water. DO NOT DRAIN.
In a medium saucepan, heat the half and half, salt and water over medium heat until it comes to a simmer.

Stir in 2/3 cup blue cheese, heat another 3-4 minutes until thoroughly heated.
Place the peas in a colander, drain the pasta over the peas.
In a large serving bowl, combine the pasta, peas, cheese sauce and walnuts.
Toss all ingredients and top with the remaining cheese and serve.

Alfredo Cream Sauce Recipe

Finally a low fat Alfredo cream pasta sauce that is simply delicious.  Try it and become a believer.  Best with a flat fettucine-type pasta.  This is one of those quick meals that can be made on a weeknight when you are already overbooked with activities.

Easy Pasta Dishes Ingredients

1 cup low fat milk
1 Tablespoon cornstarch
2/3 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
3/4 cup low fat plain yogurt
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated
1/4 teaspoon white pepper

1 lb fetticine noodles or one of your favorites

Easy Pasta Sauce Cooking Instructions

In a medium saucepan, whisk together the cornstarch with the milk until dissolved.
Place over medium heat and cook, stirring until the mixture comes tosimmer and thickens.
Continue cooking about three minutes,stirring constantly.
Remove from heat and add the cheese, whisking until melted.
Then whisk in the yogurt, nutmeg and pepper.
Cover, and allow to set for 3-5 minutes.
Stir before serving. Reheat over low heat if necessary.

Macaroni Salad Recipe

This pasta salad recipe uses ham to add some extra flavor. The chutney gives it a sweet and spicy hint. A great finale for that last bit of your leftover ham.  Travels well to the beach or your team tailgating.








Easy Pasta Recipe Ingredients

8 oz macaroni, cooked, rinsed in cold water, drained
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup reduced fat sour cream
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 Tablespoon cider vinegar
1/4 cup mango chutney
2 stalks of celery, diced fine
1/2 cup ham, diced in 1/4" cubes
1  2-oz jar of diced pimentos, drained
fresh parsley for garnish



Easy Pasta Dishes Cooking Instructions

In a large bowl, mix the mayonnaise, sour cream, sugar, vinegar and chutney until smooth.
Add the celery, ham and pimentos.  Stir until well combined.
Add the macaroni and stir to coat well.
Refrigerate, covered for at least 3 hours.
Sprinkle with parsley before serving.

Fettucine Carbonara Recipe

A lovely Italian pasta recipe. Pulls together quickly. High in protein and lots of taste.

Easy Pasta Dishes Ingredients

1 Tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, smashed with the flat side of your knife
5 slices of proscuitto, cut into strips
1/2 cup white wine

2 whole eggs
1/4 cup Pecorino cheese, grated
2/3 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

freshly ground black pepper

4 portions of fresh, hot fettucine noodles
fresh parsley for garnish


Easy Pasta Recipes Cooking Instructions

Heat the oil in a large saute pan.
Add the garlic and proscuitto. Saute 3 minutes over low heat.
Add the wine, increase the heat to medium high.
Cook for 3 minutes. Remove from the heat.

In a medium bowl, beat the eggs with the cheeses and pepper.
Pour this over the hot noodles. Mix well to cook the eggs.
Add the proscuitto mixture, toss the noodles.
Sprinkle with parsley and more black pepper if necessary.

Penne Pasta with Pesto Recipe

This is our all-time favorite summer lunch. It is right behind eating a 'fresh from the garden' tomato sandwich at the kitchen sink. Making the pesto will fill your entire kitchen with an overwhelming spicy aroma. It will become one of your favorite summer memories. Pasta recipes can be so simple. This one can be served hot or cold.




Pure Pasts Ingredients

the pesto:
2 cloves of garlic
1 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons pine nuts
3 cups of fresh basil, packed loosely in the measuring cup
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

the pasta:
1 lb penne pasta
olive oil
Parmesan cheese

Pure Pasta Cooking Instructions

In your food processor, use the steel blade for this recipe.
While it is running, drop in the garlic through the feed tube.
Process until finely chopped and add the salt and the pine nuts.
Process until the nuts are also finely chopped and almost a paste.
Remove the cover and tuck in all the basil.
Cover and pulse until the basil is coarsely chopped.
Add the olive oil in a stream through the feed tube while the processor is running.
It should turn into a paste quickly. You may need to push down a few stray leaves from the sides.
Add the cheese and give it a few more pulses.

Cook the pasta 'al dente'. Drain.
Place the pasta in a large bowl and add some olive oil to coat slightly.
Add pesto one tablespoon at a time and stir thoroughly.
Continue adding until you have the flavor you like.
Basil flavors vary tremendously depending on variety and time of harvest. Sometimes you need only a bit and other times, up to a half cup.
Finish with Parmesan cheese and more salt if needed.