Creamy Vegan Tomato Basil Pasta The secret ingredient in this irresistible pasta recipe is vegan cream cheese! Oh, and as an added bonus: the cook time is under twenty minutes. Start by boiling a large pot of water and cook whole wheat penne according to package instructions. While the pasta is cooking, add ½ cup vegan cream cheese, a can of fire-roasted tomatoes, ½ teaspoon of salt, and a handful of fresh basil to a blender. Blitz until well-blended and creamy. Saute three cups of fresh chopped spinach in a skillet until wilted, and then add the drained pasta and blended sauce to the skillet and toss to coat. Stir for a few minutes until heated thoroughly. Enjoy your delicious and easy pasta meal on the table in twenty minutes or less!

Easy Pasta Salad

This easy pasta salad recipe is customizable and comes together in mere minutes. Cook tri-color pasta (any kind, but we think rotini and wagon wheels work particularly well here) according to package directions. Once the pasta has finished cooking, run under cold water and allow to cool completely. Meanwhile, small dice a cucumber and tomato, and crumble ⅓ cup feta cheese, and combine all in a large bowl. Add cooked and cooled pasta to the bowl and top with one cup Italian salad dressing. Mix well to coat and serve at your next backyard barbecue or cookout. Feel free to get creative by adding some chopped red onion, pepperoncini, or hard-boiled egg – the possibilities are endless!

Twenty-Minute Tortellini Bake

It’s saucy. It’s cheesy. It’s on the table in twenty minutes. It’s the twenty-minute tortellini bake! Start by preheating the oven to 350 degrees F. Then, cook either frozen or fresh tortellini according to the package instructions. Once the tortellini has been cooked and drained, place in the bottom of a casserole dish and cover with one-and-a-half cups of marinara sauce. Sprinkle the top with one-and-a-half cups of shredded mozzarella and two to three tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese. Bake at 350 degrees F for eight to ten minutes (turn on your broiler for the last few minutes to brown the cheese). Serve the tortellini bake with a green salad and garlic bread for a complete meal. Enjoy your delicious, easy, and quick dinner!

Easy Pasta Recipes with Chicken

Both chicken and pasta are incredibly versatile pantry staples. Chicken and pasta combined? Well, they’re a match made in heaven. Here are a few of our favorite easy pasta recipes with chicken.

Chicken Parmesan Pasta Skillet

This one-pan wonder comes together quickly for a delicious and easy weeknight meal with little-to-no-cleanup. Start by cubing three boneless, skinless chicken breasts and place in a medium-hot cast iron Dutch oven with two tablespoons of olive-oil based Italian vinaigrette and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Saute until the chicken is browned and cooked all the way through. After the chicken is fully cooked, add uncooked rigatoni and a jar of marinara to the Dutch oven. Then, fill the empty marinara jar with water and pour into the pot. Gently stir to combine and bring to a boil. Once the pot is boiling, reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, for fifteen minutes or until the pasta is cooked to your liking. Top with half a cup of shredded mozzarella and half a cup of grated Parmesan cheese and heat for an additional two to three minutes until the cheese is fully melted. Sprinkle with some fresh basil leaves and serve to your hungry family!

Lemon Chicken Pasta

All you need is some lemons, cooked chicken, linguine, and a little butter and you’ve got yourself an elegant (and surprisingly easy) meal. Start by cooking linguine according to the package directions (be sure to save one cup of pasta water before you drain the pot because you’ll need it at the end). While the linguine is cooking, heat ½ stick of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the butter is melted, add some shredded, cooked chicken and stir occasionally for one to two minutes until the chicken is heated through. Add finely chopped herbs to the skillet (fresh parsley, chives, and thyme will work, although feel free to use any that you’d like!), as well as ½ cup fresh lemon juice. Toss in the cooked linguine and ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, and gently stir to combine. Add a little of the reserved pasta water to create a cheesy, lemony emulsion. Plate with extra cheese, sliced lemons, and herbs, and pat yourself on the back for a job well done.

Easy Pasta Recipes for Kids

Be the hero of your household with these kid-pleasing pasta recipes. No boxed macaroni and powdered cheese in sight!

Lazy Day Lasagna

Some days call for a no-fuss meal, and this crowd-pleasing comfort food is sure to be a home run with your kids. Start by preheating your oven to 375 degrees F and spraying a baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Then, brown ground beef (ground turkey or pork also works well) in a skillet and drain any fat that was rendered during the cooking process. Allow the cooked meat to cool while evenly spreading ⅔ cup tomato sauce on the bottom of the baking dish. Top the sauce with an even layer of dry lasagna noodles. Layer ⅔ cup of ricotta cheese on top of the noodles, and sprinkle with ⅓ cup shredded mozzarella cheese. Top with ⅓ of the cooled meat. Repeat the same process (sauce, noodles, ricotta, mozzarella, meat) twice, and then cover the top with the remaining mozzarella cheese. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake for forty-five minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional seven to eight minutes, or until the cheese begins to bubble and brown. Be sure to let the lasagna cool before letting your kids dig in!

Kid-Friendly Pasta Bake

Noodles, cheese, and pepperoni? What’s not to love? Start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees F and spraying a baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Then, cook whole wheat rotini according to package directions until al dente. While the pasta is cooking, brown Italian sausage (casings removing) in a skillet until crumbly. Once the pasta has finished, and the Italian sausage is brown and crisp, add both to the baking dish and top with jarred marinara sauce. Mix to combine, and then top with two cups of shredded mozzarella cheese and ½ cup sliced turkey pepperoni. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 40 minutes. Then, uncover and bake for an additional five minutes until the cheese is browned and bubbly. This easy pasta bake makes enough to feed your hungry kids and have leftovers the next night!