If you’re looking for something that will satisfy even the biggest appetite, pasta is the way to go! Branch out from the traditional spaghetti or mac ’n’ cheese dishes with these easy, tasty pasta variations and toppings from some of our favorite LDS chefs.
Pesto Pasta with Roasted Tomatoes
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes
3 cups mushrooms, sliced
3–4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
4 cups (8 oz.) uncooked bowtie pasta
1/4 cup pine nuts
1/2 cup pesto
1/3 cup freshly shredded Parmesan cheese
Preheat oven to 425° F. At the same time, bring large pot of water to a boil. Place tomatoes and mushrooms on foil-lined baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Toss with fingers, making sure everything is coated with olive oil. Sprinkle lightly with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. Cook in oven for 12–15 minutes or until tomatoes look plump and some skins start to split.
When water comes to a boil, add pasta and 2 teaspoons kosher salt to water and cook according to package directions. While pasta is cooking, place pine nuts in small skillet over medium heat. Stir frequently until nuts turn golden brown and look slightly glossy, about 7–9 minutes. To assemble, toss hot, drained pasta with pesto and Parmesan cheese. Top with tomatoes and mushrooms and sprinkle with toasted pine nuts and additional Parmesan cheese, if desired.
Cook pasta as directed on package; drain and set aside until cool. Mix dressing and mayonnaise in large mixing bowl. Add pasta and onions and mix gently until evenly coated. Fold in oranges and strawberries. Refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving.
5–6 cloves garlic, peeled and either crushed or halved
1/4 cup white flour
1½ teaspoons kosher salt, divided
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts or chicken breasts and thighs, trimmed of fat and cut into bite-sized pieces
1 cup apple juice or white grape juice
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 (6 oz.) can tomato paste
1/4 teaspoon thyme
1/4 teaspoon marjoram
1 bay leaf
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
1 (16 oz.) package linguine, cooked per instructions
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, to taste
Heat olive oil in skillet over medium heat. When oil is hot, add onions and garlic and stir frequently until onions are tender and garlic is fragrant. Remove with slotted spoon (this is why you need to keep onion and garlic pieces big). Transfer onions and garlic to blender. Increase heat on stove top to medium-high. In large zip-top bag, combine flour, 1 teaspoon salt, and black pepper. Add chicken pieces, seal bag, and shake to coat pieces with flour. Place all chicken from bag into hot pan and stir quickly to prevent pieces from sticking together. Sauté until chicken is golden. Remove chicken with slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Remove pan from heat.
While chicken is draining, add juice, vinegar, broth, tomato paste, thyme, and marjoram to onions and garlic in blender. Blend until smooth. Place chicken and bay leaf in medium or large stockpot and pour blended mixture over chicken. Cover and simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 60–90 minutes.
During last 15 minutes of cooking, add mushrooms and green peppers. When peppers and mushrooms are tender, remove bay leaf and serve over hot linguine or rice and garnish with Parmesan cheese, if desired.
1 cup sour cream or 1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese
Cook fettuccine according to package directions. Drain and drizzle with olive oil. In separate bowl, combine salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Coat meat with seasoning mixture then lightly dust with flour. Heat large skillet over medium-high heat. Combine olive oil and butter in pan until melted. In heated pan, brown meat 3–4 minutes. Remove meat to plate and cover with foil. Add onion and mushrooms to pan drippings. Sauté for a few minutes until onion is tender. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon flour. Return meat to pan.
Add beef broth and mushroom soup. Cover skillet and cook over medium-low heat for about 15 minutes. For last few minutes, stir in sour cream. Serve over fettucine.
Preheat oven to 350° F. Spray 9×13-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain and set aside. While pasta is cooking, place milk and spinach in blender and process until smooth; set aside. In large saucepan over medium heat, melt butter until foamy and whisk in flour, stirring 2–3 minutes, until mixture has rich, nutty smell. Slowly whisk in spinach and milk mixture and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cook 3–4 minutes, until sauce begins to thicken, whisking occasionally. Add water and shredded cheese and whisk until melted. Stir in pasta, broccoli, and peas. Transfer sauce and noodles to prepared baking dish and bake 20 minutes, or until cheese is bubbling.
