Go-to pasta recipe that is not too complicated or heavy?

[Anonymous]

Do you have one? Looking for something that doesn't take a ton of time, is not super heavy, but is just good and comforting.

[Anonymous]

Cook up something green (really, anything: spinach, asparagus, kale) in lots of olive oil and garlic. Add some chili flakes if you like spice. Salt and pepper. Toss and cook with pasta and about a cup of pasta water. Delish!

[Anonymous]

Brown ground beef with some chopped onion- I use 93% lean - season with salt, pepper and garlic power (or real garlic)
Mix with 1 jar Newman's Own Sauce of your choosing
Mix in 3/4 container of cottage cheese (any fat level)
Mix it 1 cup cheese (mozz or italian blend)
Mix with 1 lb cooked, per box, ziti or rigatoni
Top with 1 cup cheese and bake at 350 for 40 min
Top with parm cheese

Can also be made ahead and refrigerated

[Anonymous]

We like Six O'Clock Scramble's Three Cheese Spinach Orzo Bake. The recipe appeared in the Post a while back, so I think you can just google it.

[Anonymous]

Stir fry frozen cooked shrimp in olive oil, garlic, whatever herbs you like (I do parsley and basil). Add fresh broccoli florets (the kind you buy prepackaged in the produce section). Add 1/4 cup wine and 1/4 cup chicken broth. When cooked (just a few minutes), put this over cooked pasta of your choice (we live cappelini or linguine). Add grated parmesan cheese. Delish and not too heavy!

[Anonymous]

I like broccoli sauted briefly in olive oil and garlic with a few red pepper flakes, tossed with fussilli, sprinkled with parm.

[Anonymous]

This is our comfort food and it's pretty basic:
Protein of choice (we usually use gr bison, but gr beef, gr chicken, gr turkey, gr turkey sausage have all worked for us).
Sauce protein with olive oil, chopped onion, chopped/minced garlic. Clear a spot in the middle of the pan, put in tomato paste, when tomato paste deepens to a maroon, stir everything together. Add diced or petite-diced tomatoes. Add tomato sauce or crushed tomatos or jarred sauce (we usually use Classico tomato and basil because it has the lowest added sugar). If using dried herbs (basil, oregano), add here. Cook 15-20 minutes to meld flavors. Add fresh grated parmesan, romano, or asiago cheese. If adding fresh herbs, add them here (basil, oregano). Optional, add some small broccoli florets to the sauce 2-4 minutes before finishing.

We make variations of this regularly as it's a household favorite plain spaghetti sauce. I always have the makings for this (except the protein) in the house.

[Anonymous]

This is best during the summer when tomatoes are fresh/peak and plentiful. Cook any pasta, I like penne bc sauce clings to it; while it cooks saute onion and dice lots of fresh tomatoes; when pasta is done, drain (reserving a little cooking liquid) and add a bit of evoo, the sautéed onions and top with the fresh diced tomatoes. Add a little cooking water if it is dry. Serve with grated parm cheese (a good kind from the cheese section) and diced fresh basil if you have some on hand. The key is to use lots of fresh diced tomatoes.

[Anonymous]

Brown Italian sausage and a few cloves of garlic in your pan. When it's brown, wilt in a bag of baby spinach. When it's wilted, dump in cooked farfalle pasta and a bunch of parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes. Easy and delicious.

Or, even easier: boil fettuccine. In a saucepan, put in a can of tomato sauce and a can of diced tomatoes. Salt and pepper and red pepper flakes. Let this simmer away for 20 or so minutes. When pasta is done, remove tomato sauce from heat, and stir in parmesan and heavy cream until it's orange (as light or as dark as you like- can be creamier or tomato-ier) and dump in fettuccine to coat. Throw in some fresh parsley or basil, you're good to go. I love both of these and usually cook one a week.

[Anonymous]

I am damn near religious about my devotion to this recipe. It is AMAZING, easy to make and makes terrific leftovers.

http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/skillet_gnocchi_with_chard_white_beans.html

[Anonymous]

Wow - thanks everyone! Can't wait to try a bunch of these.

A question for the gnocchi recipe poster: I've never dealt with gnocchi, do I need to boil it first it looks like? Looks like it cooks in the skillet?

[Anonymous]

That's why the skillet gnocchi recipe is so fabulous - I also never knew you could do anything with gnocchi without boiling it. Turns out that you can cook it straight in the skillet with a little olive oil. It puffs up slightly and gets this delicious crispy brown skin. It is divine!

Seriously I made this for dinner last night and am excited for the lunch leftovers. I had a party last week and this was the recipe everyone asked for! It's so good!!

[Anonymous]

We love this recipe. I substitute mushrooms for the shrimp as I don't really like shrimp.

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2007/09/cooking_with_my_punk-ass_little_sister_penne_a_la_betsy/

[Anonymous]

Wow that gnocchi sounds amazing! Thanks!

[Anonymous]

OP here - I made the gnocchi recipe and LOVED it! Thank you so much!

I was afraid it was going to be too liquidity at first, but if you let it sit for a minute it will dry out to a really nice texture. I might add a little more cheese than called for next time. So delish!

Trying some of the other recipes soon - this is a great thread and I hope it keeps going.