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Recipes That Make Pasta Interesting

Italian Casserole in a baking dish

I make many meals at home and, like you, I’ve been making a lot more of my meals at home this year. The pantry is always stocked with boxed pasta and on those nights I don’t know what to make I grab a box. These are easy pasta recipes that are made with few ingredients. They make pasta interesting and always have my family running to the table.

A classic pasta dish that sounds fancy (but isn’t) is Fettuccine Alfredo. Megan Olson (Baraboo, WI) posted her recipe I make a lot.

“This rich, creamy dish is one of my favorite comfort foods and it has gotten rave reviews from even the pickiest eaters of the family,” Megan says. “It’s also very easy to make; when my husband learned to cook, this was the first dish he made.”

Comfort food to the max! Cheesy and creamy, this is a fantastic and simple alfredo recipe. It’s delicious as is served with garlic bread. Sometimes, though, I like to add grilled chicken to stretch the recipe.

The ingredients in Wanda Leech’s (West Palm Beach, FL) Pork, Bacon, and Onion Pasta caught my eye. It’s a great combination of flavors that I couldn’t wait to try.

“If you like sausage and bacon you’re going to love this,” thinks Wanda. “My family loves it. I hope yours will too.”

Balsamic vinegar and caramelizing the onions add a bit of sweetness to the dish. It’s smoky from the bacon and has a slight bite from the pepper flakes. If you don’t like spice, they can easily be left out. If heat is your thing, spicy sausage could be substituted. Serve with a salad and you have a dinner that’s easy enough for a weeknight but impressive enough for company.

“Pasta dishes are always a hit at our house,” explains Sena Wilson (Lake Jackson, TX). “This is a good recipe for those who favor vegetable dishes for dinner, or for others it can be a side dish.”

Sena’s Spinach Parmesan With Pasta is creamy, cheesy, quick, and easy – just how I like a recipe. I like to add bacon bits as Sena suggested and it really brings another depth of flavor. My favorite part is the pop of sweetness from sun-dried tomatoes. It’s a filling pasta dinner.

I love meals that are easy to make and pack a punch of flavor. That’s exactly what Gail Welch’s Italian Casserole does.

“This tastes like a cross between a meat lovers pizza and lasagna,” reveals Gail. “It is easy to make and very appetizing.”

Full of tomatoey flavor this casserole has a great meaty taste throughout. The bits of ooey, gooey cheese is perfect. Gail is right, it tastes like a cross between pizza and lasagna. So good!

Lasagna does take time to prepare, but they’re not hard to make. Leslie Bernardi’s (Pascagoula, MS) Roasted Red Pepper & Spinach Lasagna is rich and takes a few shortcuts to save time.

“It’s very cheesy and full of flavor,” shares Leslie. “My picky 11-year-old daughter even loved it! A must-try for lasagna lovers.”

Leslie’s meatless lasagna uses your favorite jarred pasta sauce which cuts down on prep time. It’s layered with noodles, spinach, roasted red peppers, ricotta, and mozzarella cheese. A delicious vegetarian entree.

These hearty pasta dinners are guaranteed to leave the family full. They’re uncomplicated pasta dishes that will impress your family. If you want more ideas, check out our Pasta Collection. Happy Pinching!