3 Easy-Peasy Pasta Dishes

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Pasta has always been a go-to simple dinner, but you can make some pretty impressive dishes while maintaining the ease of noodles.

Here are some recipes that spice (not literally!) up traditional Italian pasta dishes:

Chicken Parmesan Pasta Skillet

by: Cookie Rookie

Anything made in a skillet has to be easy, right? Right…! This recipe

Ingredients:

  • 2 tablespoons Italian dressing (not the creamy kind)
  • 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into cubes
  • 16 ounces small/medium sized rigatoni pasta
  • 1 24-ounce jar of your favorite Alesci’s marinara pasta sauce
  • 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • Chopped fresh basil for garnish (optional)
  1. Heat chicken and Italian dressing in a large 12 inch skillet over medium high heat (If you don’t own a large skillet, you can use a stock pot). Season chicken with salt and pepper to taste.
  2. Cook chicken until browned and just cooked through, about 5 minutes depending on thickness of chicken.
  3. Add the box of pasta and the entire jar of marinara. Fill the empty marinara jar with water and add to the skillet. If using a stockpot, use 2 cups water. Lightly stir the mixture to combine.
  4. Bring mixture to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook for 15 minutes or until pasta is tender to your liking. ***
  5. Cover with grated parmesan and then shredded mozzarella. No need to stir. Continue to cook for 2-3 more minutes or until cheese is fully melted. You can also broil the entire skillet for about 4 minutes to make the cheese extra melty!
  6. Top with chopped basil (optional) and serve! Enjoy!
  7. ***The pasta in the middle of the skillet and underneath will be more tender than the outside pasta. It’s okay if those pieces are a bit toastier and less soft. The inside will be plenty soft.

Recipe from The Cookie Rookie.

One Pot Baked Ziti

Ingredients:

  • 230 g (8 oz) ziti or penne or similar pasta
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 Tbsp butter
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 3 cups crushed tomatoes with juice
  • ½ tsp Italian seasoning (oregano, basil and thyme)
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1 Tbsp red wine (optional, but recommended!)
  • 2 cups water
  • salt, black pepper
  • 1 cup (230 g) ricotta cheese
  • ½ cup (60 g) mozzarella, cut into small cubes
  • ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
  • 1 small egg

Steps:

  1. OPTIONAL STEP: Soak ziti pasta in salty water while you’re preparing the sauce (to shorten cooking time).
  2. Saute onion in olive oil and butter until soft. Add garlic, tomatoes, wine, sugar and seasonings and cook for about 5-10 minutes.
  3. Drain pasta, add it together with 2 cups water to tomato sauce in the pot. Bring to boil, cover and cook on low boil, stirring from time to time, until pasta is tender, about 10-15 minutes.
  4. Combine ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan cheese and egg. Season with salt. Stir half of the mixture into pasta and dollop remaining on top.
  5. Transfer the pan to the 500 F (260 C) preheated oven. Bake until cheese has melted and starts browning, about 5 minutes.

Recipe by: Kitchen Nostalgia.

4-Cheese Spaghetti

Ingredients:

  • 8 ounces spaghetti, uncooked
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1½ tablespoons minced garlic
  • ½ cup freshly shredded Mozzarella
  • ½ cup freshly shredded Parmesan Cheese
  • ½ cup freshly shredded Romano Cheese
  • 2 tablespoons whipped cream cheese
  • ⅔ cup heavy cream
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 tablespoons fresh, chopped flat-leap parsley

Steps:

  1. Boil salted water in a 3-quart pot. Add spaghetti and cook for about 7-8 minutes, until al dente. Drain, reserving 1 cup of pasta water.
  2. In a 10-12 inch saute pan, melt butter and olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and stir, cooking for about a minute.
  3. Add spaghetti, 1 cup of pasta water, cream cheese and heavy cream to the skillet. Bring to a boil and add shredded cheeses. Stir constantly until cheeses are melted and pasta is completely coated; about a minute. Reduce heat and continue to cook and stir until sauce is thickened and reduced; about 1-2 minutes.
  4. Remove from heat and stir in parsley. Taste and add salt and pepper as desired.
  5. Serve hot, and garnish with more fresh parsley and some fresh grated Parmesan, if desired.

Recipe by: Yellow Bliss Road