This time of year, Midwest weather is always a bit of a grab bag. One day the sun is shining and you can leave the house without your hat and scarf, and the next day it’s back below freezing. Despite craving the freshness of spring, all you can bring yourself to eat is a hot bowl of soup. But don’t worry, this creamy one pot parmesan orzo has you covered.

Think all the creamy and cheesy deliciousness of mac and cheese with the bright fresh flavors of spring produce, all made in on pot. This is my magic meal for nights when cooking feels like the last thing I want to do. It’s packed with flavor thanks to the selection of veggies and salty parmesan, but feels light and bright enough for the spring season when the craving for fresh produce begins to take over. So let’s talk about this parmesan orzo recipe…

Ingredients for One Pot Parmesan Orzo

Leeks. Instead of an onion, I wanted to use the slightly sweeter darling of spring time, a leek. To prep, slice into thin pieces and wash thoroughly, as leeks are really good at hiding dirt between the leaves. And yes, you can use a shallot or onion if you need to substitute.

Orzo. Orzo is a type of pasta that is kind of shaped like a long grain of rice. It has the same bite and texture as a pasta, but I like it in this recipe to eat more like a pastina or risotto.

Vegetable broth. Instead of using water, use broth of your choice to add an extra layer of flavor.

Spring vegetables. This is where you can use what you have on hand, but as a nod to the spring season, wanted to stay around a theme of green veggies. I used shredded zucchini, peas, asparagus, and kale, but you could use any greens, chopped carrots, or broccoli.

Heavy cream. Just a splash will add some nice creaminess.

Parmesan. To give this the cheesy mac and cheese vibes, parmesan is our favorite.

How to Make This Spring Parmesan Orzo

This recipe is a winner because it is a one pot recipe. Yes, everything gets done in one pot.

While you caramelize the leeks in the pot, toss in your dry orzo to get it a little toasty, and then add the shredded zucchini. I love hiding extra vegetables in my meals, and by shredding the zucchini, it becomes a similar size to the orzo so blends into the base of the recipe while fitting in an extra serving of vegetables. Then all you have to do is add the broth with the rest of the vegetables and boil to package directions so the orzo soaks up the broth and the veggies cook and become tender.

Once the orzo has cooked and the pot has thickened, add a splash of heavy cream and a generous helping of parmesan cheese. Stir it together and you are left with a thick and creamy mac and cheese/risotto like texture that is equally as cozy as it is delicious.

What to Serve With This Orzo Recipe

While this parmesan orzo is delicious on its own, to make it a full meal, serve with a fresh green salad or protein of choice. Personally to keep this vegetarian, I like to just make a soft boiled egg to serve over the top of my bowl, but you can also use chicken or fish.

Storing and Reheating Tips

Unlike long noodles that I don’t think heat up all that well, because of the small shape of the orzo and the creaminess of the dish, it reheats perfectly.

To store, just keep in an airtight container in the fridge. To reheat, add to a bowl and reheat in the microwave or on the stove with extra broth to thin out the texture. This makes for the easiest lunch box and office lunch because of how well it stays for a few days in the fridge. Your lunch time self will thank you.

Other Spring Recipes You’ll Love:

With all the fresh ingredients at your fingertips, spring is arguably one of the best times of year for inspired cooking. Make the most of the season with more of our favorite springtime recipes.

Lemony Spring Pasta Salad with Olives, Artichokes, and Bacon

Pink Radicchio Salad

Green Goddess Pasta Salad

Pluot Galette with Crème Fraiche

Scroll on for the recipe, and if you make this parmesan orzo, be sure to leave a rating and comment below.

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One Pot Parmesan Orzo

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• 
  Author: Suruchi Avasthi
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  Total Time: 30 minutes
• 
  Yield: 4
• 
  Diet: Vegetarian

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Description

This one-pot parmesan orzo is an easy vegetarian dinner for cozy weeknights.

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Ingredients

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USM

• 2–3 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1 large leek, thinly sliced and cleaned
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 cup orzo pasta
• 1 large zucchini, shredded
• 1 1/2 cups chopped asparagus
• 4 cups of vegetable broth
• 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
• 1 small bunch of kale, chopped
• 1/4 cup heavy cream or milk of choice
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan

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Instructions

1. Add oil to a large stove top pot and bring to a medium heat.
2. Add the leek with a big pinch of salt, pepper, and dried thyme. Stir to combine and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until the leek begins to soften and caramelize.
3. Add the dry orzo to the pot and stir to combine, toasting for about 2 minutes.
4. Add the zucchini and asparagus to the pot with the 4 cups of vegetable broth. Bring up to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer. Cook orzo according to package instructions until cooked through and has thickened.
5. Add the peas and the kale in the last few minutes of cooking.
6. Remove the pot from heat and add the cream and parmesan. Stir to combine until smooth and creamy. Salt and pepper to taste.
7. Top with a squeeze of lemon juice and fresh herbs if desired.

• Prep Time: 10
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Category: Dinner

Keywords: orzo, parmesan, vegetarian

The post This Easy One-Pot Orzo Is the Ultimate Mac and Cheese Upgrade appeared first on Camille Styles.

Ahhh… the sweet taste of a new season is in the air and we’re salivating over all the spring produce we get to play with in the kitchen. Think asparagus, artichokes, arugula, mint, peas, and radishes—there’s so much to explore. But just because it’s getting warmer doesn’t mean we have to take one of our favorite meals off the menu. Enter: spring pasta recipes. Loaded with all the freshest green vegetables and herbs, these delicious dishes will make you feel just as good as they taste.

There’s something about pasta in warm weather that makes us crave a trip to Italy. I think it’s safe to say we’re all feeling the travel bug (and have been for a while), but who says you need to get on an airplane to be transported to the Italian coastline? Why not book a ticket to the food capital of the world via your tastebuds? It’s as simple as that.

Featured image by Michelle Nash.

16 Spring Pasta Recipes to Celebrate Fresh, Seasonal Veg

If, like us, you’re longing for an Italian jaunt, then head to the farmer’s market this week and pack your pasta with all the incredible seasonal ingredients to make these spring pasta recipes. After that, it’s just a matter of closing your eyes and letting your senses take you away. We’ll see you there!

Lemony Spring Pasta Salad with Olives, Artichokes, and Bacon

Why We Love It: While we haven’t ever met a pasta we didn’t like, our favorite recipes are the simple, fast, and delicious ones. This perfect-for-spring pasta is all of that: 30 minutes, a blender dressing, and ingredients you’ll likely have on hand. But… it’s also on our list of top spring pasta recipes because it has plenty of what we love: crispy bacon, briny artichoke hearts, and plenty of peppery arugula. We guarantee you’ll eat it with your eyes first.

Hero Ingredient: Two tablespoons of honey in the dressing might come as a surprise, but it adds the perfect balance of sweetness to this brightly-flavored dressing.

Pesto Pasta Primavera

Why We Love It: I love a good alliteration, especially when it comes to three words that describe my perfect meal. This recipe is always Camille’s answer when the inevitable what should I make for dinner? question strikes. It’s light but satisfying and easy enough to whip up any night of the week. Mondays included.

Hero Ingredient: Frozen peas are the secret weapon of many a simple (but stunning!) weeknight meal.

Green Goddess Pasta Salad

Why We Love It: This deliciously easy vegan option is perfect for spring holiday gatherings because you can make it ahead of time. It’s also loaded with in-season vegetables, chickpeas, and a dressing that’s bursting with fresh goodness (basil, spinach, chives, and green onions). Spring pasta doesn’t get much better than this.

Hero Ingredient: If you’re looking for a plant-based solution to fulfill your cheesy cravings, nutritional yeast is always the answer.

Creamy Vegan Pasta with Tomatoes and Basil

Why We Love It: Creamy and vegan? Better believe it. Inspired by Amy Chaplin’s gorgeous cookbook Whole Food Cooking Every Day, Camille set out to make her own version of the cookbook’s walnut sauce. With zero dairy required, this sauce still manages to coat every noodle with creamy goodness. Oh, and if you needed any more convincing: the sauce can be made ahead of time.

Hero Ingredient: Garnishing your pasta with just a little lemon zest keeps its final flavor bright and balanced.

Green Sauce Pasta

Why We Love It: When it comes to pasta, anything green immediately cues my mind to pesto. But this five-ingredient sauce gets the job done with its own creative take on the classic. The basil and parmesan are to be expected, but peas, asparagus, and spinach send this pasta’s vibrant green hue home. Pasta perfection? You bet.

Hero Ingredient: Throughout spring and beyond, basil is hands down my favorite herb. It’s sweet and slightly spicy while still feeling light. I love how it incorporates seamlessly into this sauce.

Ratatouille-Style Roasted Vegetable Pasta

Why We Love It: With the warmer weather comes outdoor gatherings, and after a few (long) months indoors, we’re ready for a party. While this pasta does require a little more prep than the other spring pasta recipes on this list, we can say without a doubt that it’s totally worth it. If only to see your dinner guest’s eyes light up at every plate’s veggie-filled beauty.

Hero Ingredient: Opt for Italian seasoning or Herbes de Provence. Whichever you choose, it’s the key to tying this dish together.

One Pot Garlicky Mushroom Pasta with Sausage & Arugula

Why We Love It: “Garlicky” is my new favorite adjective. I’m a forever fan of its pungent, borders-on-spicy flavor. It’s a surefire way to bring a bright, punchy flavor to your pasta. Oh, and if you’d prefer a pasta that’s fully plant-based, feel free to omit the sausage. The pound of baby bella mushrooms are meaty enough. Consider your carb cravings satisfied.

Hero Ingredient: Even if it’s not the primary flavor, the lemon juice and zest help enhance all the many flavors this pasta packs.

Summer Veggie Pasta Salad with Feta & Lemon-Tahini Dressing

Why We Love It: Summer or spring, the beauty of this pasta salad is that it’s tasty all throughout the year’s warmer months. At first glance, tahini might seem like an odd addition to a pasta sauce. (We’re not making hummus here, after all.) But it’s thanks to the Middle Eastern condiment that you get an umami-filled, super smooth pasta salad dressing that’s 100% plant-based. And it plays perfectly well with the salty feta and citrus flavors.

Hero Ingredient: The cucumber cools the entire dish down with a lovely refreshing bite.

Miso Tomato Pasta

Why We Love It: Low effort, high reward. This is one of the easiest meals to throw together, but it tastes like a hundred bucks. The trick to filling this pasta with flavor is slow-roasting the tomatoes and garlic in lots of olive oil. You’ll bring out all their sweet, caramelized goodness. Who doesn’t love a soft and succulent tomato that bursts in your mouth?

Hero Ingredient: Miso is the ultimate umami booster.

Tikka Masala Pasta

Why We Love It: If you’re looking for spring pasta recipes that double as comfort food then look no further than this genius pasta that fuses Italian and Indian cooking. For the food purists at heart, you’re missing out. Expect plenty of heat, flavor, and saucy goodness. If you need a shake-up in your spring dinner routine, this is the perfect solution fit for any night of the week.

Hero Ingredient: The spices are unmatched—and each delivers something a little different to the resulting dish. Cinnamon, turmeric, red chili powder, coriander, cardamom, cumin, and garam masala. This is the perfect pasta for those spring snow days that take you by surprise.

Vegetarian Pasta Bolognese

Why We Love It: As you can tell by the “vegetarian” label, this is not your typical bolognese. And while the sauce is easy, it’s far from basic. Tofu, carrots, celery, and mushrooms are the plant-based answer to perfecting this classic Italian pasta. It’s proof that you really don’t need to spend hours in the kitchen to make a delicious meal either. If you want to level up, use freshly sweet, sun-ripened tomatoes. But know that canned tomatoes also work in a pinch.

Hero Ingredient: Use a heavy hand when topping your pasta with (freshly grated) parmesan.

Rigatoni with Brussels Sprouts & Kale Pesto

Why We Love It: Brussels sprouts may lean more toward winter, but the burst of fresh flavors and the verdant color is all spring, baby. The kale pesto infuses this delightful spring pasta recipe with all the flavors of the season, but with a carby, comforty twist. Oh, and it takes just 15 minutes to make from start to finish. Have we convinced you yet?

Hero Ingredient: Rigatoni gives the kale pesto something to grip onto, resulting in perfect, lightly-coated tubes of pasta.

Spaghetti alla Nerano

Why We Love It: After watching Stanley Tucci’s Searching for Italy, Camille Styles food editor Suruchi was prompted to create her own version of the famous Spaghetti alla Nerano—and she did not disappoint. This pasta will transport you to the Amalfi Coast with its delicious Italian-inspired flavors.

Hero Ingredient: While we might think of zucchini as only a stand-in for pasta, pan-frying it with shallots and garlic and tossing with your noodles does the veggie justice.

Easy Caprese Pesto Penne

Why We Love It: Transport yourself to the island of Capri with this spin on the famous caprese salad. Bursting with our favorite fresh flavors, we’ve all made it a part of our weeknight rotations. It literally takes 10 minutes to prep from start to finish. Truly, what’s not to love? (FYI—If you’re looking to build your repertoire of caprese pasta, we’re also obsessed with Half-Baked Harvest’s Caprese Pesto Pasta, too!)

Hero Ingredient: The key to emulating the Italian version is to use the creamiest, most mouthwatering buffalo mozzarella you can find.

Lemony Pasta Carbonara With Peas and Zucchini

Why We Love It: It was during Camille’s first evening in Italy when she twirled a strand of al dente pasta and bit into the most perfect carbonara that this recipe was born. Maybe it was the fact that she was sitting in a vineyard in Italy, or maybe it was actually the perfect spaghetti carbonara recipe passed down from the chef’s Nonna, but she’s been chasing those flavors ever since. Whatever the inspiration, this is the recipe she concocted to replicate that magical pasta.

Hero Ingredient: We recommend you make it with bucatini pasta. It looks like thick spaghetti from the outside, but the inside is hollow, meaning it fills up with sauce. Nope, you’re not dreaming!

Almond-Mint Pesto Pasta

Why We Love It: The secret to taking your pesto to the next level? Blanching the herbs and garlic first before adding to the rest of the ingredients totally enhances the flavor and removes bitterness. I love this recipe’s interpretation of the classic pesto. While the basil helps it retain the original’s recognizable bright bite, the two bunches of mint lend it all a little freshness.

Hero Ingredient: The mint is unexpected but totally brilliant.

This post was originally published on April 15, 2021 and has since been updated.

The post 16 Recipes That’ll Have You Convinced: Pasta Is the Perfect Spring Meal appeared first on Camille Styles.

You could say we have a thing for pasta here at Camille Styles. From long spaghetti noodles to fun and funky cavatappi to layered pasta bakes, the options are endless. My approach to pasta is simple: let both the season and pantry spark my imagination and inspire a little magic. While I love pulling out all the stops, I also know that ingredients should be allowed to shine as they are. And that, dear readers, is why we’re here—to talk about this lemon ricotta pasta recipe that has become one of my weeknight go-to meals.

One of my favorite pasta recipes is this dish inspired by the spaghetti alla nerano from Stanley Tucci’s Finding Italy. A few weeks back, I found myself with some subpar zucchini in the back of my vegetable drawer. Thinking back to the flavors of that dish, I wanted to see if I could upgrade my zucchini into a silky smooth sauce, brightened up with a few extra ingredients I had on hand. And just like that, this magical lemon ricotta pasta was born. Yes—all because of a zucchini.

The Show-Stopping Ingredients

Zucchini. Zucchini is the secret star of this recipe, adding an extra dose of vegetables without anyone ever knowing.

Ricotta. Creamy and silky, it adds a nice richness and clings to the noodles perfectly. Use the full-fat version, always.

Lemons. Lemon pasta is always a favorite combo of mine. The lemon brightens up the flavors in this recipe.

Onions and garlic. The base of all good things: aromatics.

Artichokes. While optional, I like adding something briny to partner up with the lemon. It keeps every bite interesting.

Kale. I’m all about adding greens to my pasta. If I’m going to eat my vegetables, I might as well eat them alongside some carby goodness, right? The kale gives this pasta a nice heartiness. Plus, it’s a good way to use up any wilting greens you might have.

Noodles. I love a bucatini, but use any pasta shape you prefer.

Tips for Success

I know: nowhere in this recipe’s name does it indicate that zucchini plays a key role. But before you think I’ve tricked you, sit tight. Just as some people like to sneak zucchini into their smoothies (yep, it’s a thing), I like hiding it in my pasta. Why? Because zucchini has this magical ability to melt down when cooked. And of course, I love finding ways to incorporate more veggies into my meals (see: green sauce pasta). Bonus: this tricks adds some heft to the lemon ricotta sauce.

Finely chop a bunch of zucchini and toss it in with your oil and aromatics. Let it cook covered, squishing down the zucchini every couple of minutes until you end up with a smooth sauce-like texture. Add the ricotta and lemon and stir into a thick sauce that will cling to every noodle. I like the zucchini here because it adds this subtle sweetness when cooked down that helps balance out the lemon’s acidity and the richness of the ricotta. Trust me, if you’re trying to sneak in veggies—for you or your picky eaters—once you learn this trick, you’ll never go back.

How to Make This Lemon Ricotta Pasta Your Own

While I stayed simple with artichokes and kale, there are lots of options for customizing this recipe with what you have on hand.

• Use any greens you like. Spinach, frozen or fresh, or even a big handful of chopped basil at the end.
• While I stuck with just kale and artichokes, you could also add peas, asparagus, chopped zucchini, leeks, or even some cherry or grape tomatoes.
• Toss in a bit of pesto for an herby kick with the sauce. (This vegan pesto would be perfect.)
• I prefer a long noodle with the sauce to keep it simple, but ziti or cavatappi will have all those crevices for the sauce to sneak into, so use what you have.

While I like eating this pasta on its own, it would be delicious served up alongside salmon or with a fresh green salad.

More Pasta Recipes You’ll Love

Still looking for inspiration? These recipes have you covered.

Camille’s Lemony Spring Pasta Salad

Ratatouille Pasta

Pesto Pasta Primavera

Miso Tomato Pasta

Scroll on for the recipe, and if you make this lemon ricotta pasta, be sure to leave a rating and comment below!

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Lemon Ricotta Pasta

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• 
  Author: Suruchi Avasthi
• 
  Total Time: 35 minutes
• 
  Yield: 2
• 
  Diet: Vegetarian

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Description

An easy weeknight pasta recipe packed with fresh spring flavor.

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Ingredients

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• 2–3 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1 large shallot or 1/2 small yellow onion
• 3 small green zucchini, finely chopped
• 3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup whole milk ricotta
• juice of 2 lemons
• 1 cup artichokes, chopped
• 1/2 bunch of kale, chopped
• 1/2 pound pasta of choice per person (I used bucatini)

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Instructions

1. Sauce. To make the sauce, add a few tablespoons of oil to a large stove top pan and bring to a medium heat. Add the shallot with a large pinch of salt, and cook for about a minute. Add the zucchini, with a pinch more salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes if desired. Cover and cook for about 10-15 minutes, stirring every few minutes and squashing down the zucchini as it softens so it “melts” into a sauce. Once the zucchini is softened and mashed, add the ricotta and lemon juice. Stir to combine. Set aside while you cook the pasta.
2. Pasta. Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Reserve a cup of pasta water.
3. Assembly. Add the kale and artichokes to the ricotta sauce, then add about 1/2 cup of pasta water to the sauce to thin slightly. Add the pasta to the sauce and stir to combine, adding more pasta water if needed.
4. Serve. Serve hot and top with additional lemon juice and herbs if desired.

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Category: Dinner
• Cuisine: Italian

The post Hear Me Out: Zucchini Is the Secret to the Creamiest Pasta Sauce, Ever appeared first on Camille Styles.

We have a thing for one-pot, one-pan, easy-peasy recipes around here. Who’d ever say no to a dish that checks all the boxes of minimal ingredients, easy prep, and quick clean-up? Thanks to my passion for simplicity, I’ve learned just about every cooking shortcut in my adamant attempt to avoid washing more than one dish. In my latest pursuit, I came up with this pesto gnocchi skillet bake that satisfies all my cravings for creamy, delicious dishes.

Here in Chicago at least, the temperatures have dropped and our heaters are on. Taking the place of warm summer weather, we have warming, cozy dinners on deck. Not only does this gnocchi skillet recipe solidify the comfy vibes, but it’s also flavored with pesto’s bright, vibrant deliciousness. The best part? Thanks to a healthy dose of spinach, you’ll get your greens without a salad in sight. (I’m all for clever recipes that do exactly that—though I do recommend a zingy lemon salad on the side, for flavor purposes.)

What goes into this gnocchi skillet bake?

More good news: you only need five ingredients to make this pesto gnocchi skillet.

Pesto. The star of our recipe adds a rich, garlicky flavor to your dish. If you’re like me and prefer the shortcut of a favorite store-bought brand, feel free to pick some jarred pesto. Or if you have connections at your favorite Italian restaurant or deli, ask if they can package up some for you. (You’ll be shocked by how often you’re met with an enthusiastic yes!) And if you’re the Ina Garten we all aspire to be, use your own homemade version—but again, even she agrees: store-bought is fine.

Spinach. Blend fresh spinach for a luscious green sauce. And because this recipe leverages a go-big-or-go-home approach, you’ll throw in more chopped spinach for an extra green kick.

Cream cheese. Cream cheese adds a rich tang to the sauce. You can also use a little whole milk or heavy cream.

Mozzarella. No pasta bake is complete without a cheesy, golden brown top.

Gnocchi. The operative word in this gnocchi skillet. I used a bag of mini gnocchi from the grocery store, but feel free to use your favorite.

Tips for a Seamless and Successful Gnocchi Skillet Bake

While this is an incredibly easy and quick recipe to make, there are a few pointers to ensure success. Start with an oven-safe skillet. If you don’t have one, you can also prep the sauce in a stovetop pan and assemble it in a baking dish. But for one less dish, just use the skillet.

Because we’re not cooking the gnocchi prior to baking, you’ll need to add water to the sauce so the gnocchi has liquid to cook in while baking. To prep the sauce, sauté the spinach in the pesto in the skillet, then add to a blender with water. If the sauce feels too thick, add a little more water. You’re looking for a silky texture to coat the gnocchi.

One more tip! For anything bubbly and cheesy, I make sure to place a baking sheet on the rack below the skillet. This will help minimize the clean-up should there be any overflow.

Serving Tips

While you’re getting a hefty dose of greens in the dish itself, with anything cheesy, I love serving a fresh and zingy salad on the side. It brightens up your whole dinner! My favorites:

• Holiday Jewels Chopped Kale Salad with Mustard-Shallot Vinaigrette
• Roasted Winter Vegetable Salad with Crispy Quinoa
• Kale, Persimmon, & Pomegranate Salad

Whichever you choose, these salads will add a nice contrast to a rich main. If you’re serving this for a special occasion or hosting a date night at home, serve with a crisp white wine to step things up all the more.

Did you make this recipe? Share your thoughts in the comments below or tag us on Instagram with your cozy creation.

The post A Cheesy Pesto Gnocchi Bake for When You’re Craving Comfort appeared first on Camille Styles.

When I first came across Odette Williams‘ book Simple Cake a few years ago, I instantly fell in love with the beautiful ode to simple ingredients that bring nostalgia and deliciousness to the forefront of every cake recipe in the book. Her latest, Simple Pasta, offers that same passion and love letter-like approach to the world of pasta.

One quick flip through the book and it’s easy to fall in love with the effortless elegance that Williams infuses in each recipe. Organized by the seasons, the book brings each part of the year to life through the world of pasta dinners that are anything but boring. And while I know the idea of making pasta from scratch might seem incredibly intimidating, Williams’ breaks down the step-by-step methods and tricks she’s learned along the way. Plus, nothing feels more gratifying than learning to make pasta from scratch… starting with her vegetable lasagna recipe below.

But before we get to the homemade goodness, I sat down with Williams to get her thoughts on all things cooking—tips to make from-scratch pasta less intimidating, the three recipes she thinks everyone should master, and what she loves most about creating and sharing recipes with the world.

What is your cooking philosophy and how has it influenced your new cookbook, Simple Pasta?

I’m all about keeping it simple. I’m Australian, and I think the Aussie, laid-back approach to cooking is very much my style. I don’t sweat it in the kitchen. I just want to cook and eat delicious food that makes you happy. Simple Pasta was such a joy to make, that I hope between the mood of the beautiful photography, and recipes, people get a great deal of pleasure from these pages.

Some people (like myself!) can feel intimidated by making pasta from scratch. What three tips would you share with someone who’s never made pasta at home?

I get it! I’d never made fresh pasta until I was forty (even though I had eaten it nearly every night of the week). Now I religiously make it. You are going to be amazed at just how simple it is.

1. Give yourself time. Plan ahead. A lot of it can be made in advance. Try making it on the weekend, when you have time and can relax and enjoy the process. 
2. The first time you make the three doughs in the book, you’ll be getting a feel for them. The next time you make them, you’ll be off to the races. 
3. Call a friend, open a bottle of wine, and share the experience!

Tell us about this amazing vegetable lasagna recipe. Any tips our audience should know when making it?

It’s hard to top a meat lasagna, so I wanted a vegetable one that rose to the occasion. I slice the vegetables thinly and sauté them in oil, butter, and garlic so they get full of flavor. This way, the flavor-packed vegetables glide right in between the thin layers of pasta. No chunks! I also use vegetables that are available during the cooler months. The pesto packs in a lot of flavor and jazzes up the béchamel. You can also use store-bought if you want to cut a corner. But try Cavolo Nero, Parmiginao and Pistachio Pesto in winter. It’s delicious on any noodle. 

The trick to lasagna is to give yourself plenty of time. So catch up on your podcasts while you prepare it. It’s going to get messy, and yes, there will be dishes, but you’ll be able to feed many! Or freeze some for a rainy day. For assembly, don’t sweat the layering, remember it’s just pasta. As long as you include all the elements, it’s going to be delicious!

Anything we can make ahead of time for the lasagna?

You can prepare all the vegetables, the béchamel, and pesto the day before. If using fresh pasta, that can be made the day of, or just use store-bought. But make the fresh stuff, it really makes a lasagna hum. 

Which three recipes from the book should someone cook first?

Sophies Choice!!! Besides the Wicked, White Bolognese…. 

Potato Gnocchi with Luxurious Pomodoro, the Butter Lettuce with Celery, Pistachio & Pecorino Toscano is a great salad that goes with so many of the pastas, and the Peppery Pappardelle, Pancetta & Mushroom. That was painful to choose… can I squeeze in a fourth? Can’t cook without a cocktail, San Pellegrino 75!

What is your favorite part of creating recipes? What do you hope people experience or learn when they make one of your recipes?

Getting to eat pasta every day! I put a lot of work into the recipes and the curation of them, so you’ll find it simple to succeed when making them. These recipes have been put through their paces, they work, are approachable, and are bloody delicious. I can’t wait for folks to discover the Luxurious Pomodoro, Wicked White Bolognese, or just experience the difference of homemade gnocchi versus store-bought. I loved the way I was able to create seasonal menus so it’s not just about pasta. I love teaching people how to put a killer meal together. Cocktails, salads, deserts… they’re all there.

Keep scrolling to get Williams’ vegetable lasagna recipe from Simple Pasta.

Reprinted with permission from Simple Pasta by Odette Williams, copyright (c) 2022. Published by Ten Speed Press, a division of Penguin Random House, LLC.

Simple Pasta by Odette Williams

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Simple Pasta: Pasta Made Easy. Life Made Better.

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The post A Vegetable Lasagna That Proves—You CAN Make Pasta From Scratch appeared first on Camille Styles.

Few things are more delicious than a tomato pasta during peak tomato season. With the season’s best produce on hand, it takes relatively little effort to assemble a big bowl of silky, veggie-flecked noodles for dinner. (A crisp, crunchy green salad and crusty bread—not optional.) Summer is the season of simple food, and it’s with that approach that this miso pasta recipe became a staple in my low-effort/max flavor repertoire.

I’m adamant about making the most of these last few golden hour evenings. That intention extends to the late-summer meals I’ve been serving up. And while I love the flourish and awe that comes with an unexpected, special ingredient, the surprises that come with cleaning out my fridge have made for some of the most delicious dinners—this miso pasta recipe included.

A few weeks ago, I discovered some subpar baby tomatoes in the fridge and… not much else. And sure, tomatoes and pasta are a confirmed match made in heaven, but I’ve been looking for ways to upgrade the classic. So, in the spirit of ingenuity and innovation, I developed this five-ingredient, one-pot miso pasta recipe—featuring an ingredient that’s close to my heart. Get ready to meet your new go-to weeknight dinner fave.

Pro Tip: Roast Your Tomatoes and Garlic

Tomatoes and garlic are two of the main flavor components in this dish. My favorite way to get the most bang for your buck out of these two ingredients is to roast them slowly in lots of olive oil. I pour a whole tin of tomatoes onto a sheet tray and tuck sliced heads of garlic, cut-side down, between the tomatoes. Drizzle with a good glug of olive oil (more than you think!), and let the oven make its magic. The tomatoes will become succulent and soft while the garlic gets caramelized and sweet. In other words, totally addicting.

And now for the best part! The tomatoes release some of their juices when mixed with the oil, contributing to the sauce that will coat the noodles. If you’re craving some extra veggies (zucchini, onions, and asparagus are all great options), simply toss them onto the sheet tray with the tomatoes. Roasty, toasty deliciousness awaits.

How to Build a Flavorful Sauce For This Miso Pasta Recipe

Calling this a saucy pasta might be a bit of a stretch, but I’ve been enjoying pasta recipes that lean more minimal in terms of sauce, saving the heavier sauces for winter. This sauce, while still creamy and cheesy, gently coats the noodles and brings everything together in one beautifully luscious and silky sauce.

Scrounging the depths of my bare fridge for the makings of this recipe inspired a revelation: miso would be the perfect salty, sweet, and umami-filled flavor boost for this sauce. Adding miso to everything from savory eats to sweet treats is always a good idea. Paired with ingredients like caramelized garlic, parmesan, and roasted tomatoes (all considered easy umami boosters), this recipe is an easy dinner delight.

To make the sauce, you’ll crush the soft caramelized garlic into a paste, add some miso, the parmesan, a little olive oil or melted butter, and whisk in pasta water a bit at a time until the sauce is smooth and silky. The result? A perfect pasta where every bite keeps you going back for more.

What to Serve With This Miso Pasta

Like most pasta recipes, you’ll whisk the sauce together, then add the hot pasta from the pot into the sauce where it will finish cooking. This will help the sauce cling to the noodles and cook down a bit. Toss in the roasted tomatoes and all their juices, finish with some parmesan, fresh black pepper, and basil, and dinner is served.

I like to serve this pasta with a fresh lemony green salad or creamy kale salad, alongside some bread and a crisp glass of wine. This pasta is sure to keep you satisfied on hot summer nights, and it’s also perfect to make for a crowd. Cook a giant pot of pasta and pre-roast all your tomatoes and dinner will come together in a snap. Trust me, you’re going to be making this one on repeat.

The post A Surprising Ingredient Gives This Simple Tomato Pasta Big Energy appeared first on Camille Styles.

One of my favorite parts of creating a new recipe is the element of surprise that occurs when my first attempt turns out differently than expected. Occasionally, the alchemy of combining ingredients and bringing them to life yields something even better than what I’d imagined—and it makes cooking an adventure that never gets old for me. Today’s pasta was born from one such happy accident—I set out to make the perfect ratatouille recipe, and in the process realized that for me, it lacked main course energy. So I started experimenting, and my ratatouille-style roasted vegetable pasta was born.

For me, this is the perfect end-of-summer and into September recipe for those weeknights that become a blur of back-to-whatever your schedule includes. It uses the best of late-summer bounty (eggplants, zucchini, bell peppers) that are actually at their best just before autumn bursts onto the scene in all her golden glory. And because those vegetables are slowly cooked together to an almost stew-like consistency, this dish has that coziness that I start to crave this time of year, right along with cozy socks and pumpkin bread.

Traditional ratatouille ingredients

For the uninitiated, let’s start by pointing out what gives this roasted vegetable pasta it’s ratatouille vibes (and no, it has nothing to do with a rat.) Ratatouille is a summer vegetable stew that originated as a French dish from Provence. It features the humble yet delicious vegetables that typically grow in late summer-early fall gardens: zucchini, eggplant, tomatoes, peppers, onions, garlic, and herbs.

In traditional ratatouille, all the veggies are cut into chunks and cooked together with lots of olive oil until they meld together and get a bit mushy. So, as I began my quest to make the perfect ratatouille recipe, that’s where I started, serving it simply with crusty bread for sopping up all the juices. It was good, but for me, it was missing something.

How to make ratatouille roasted vegetable pasta

What I really felt my ratatouille needed to make it not just good, but crave-worthy, was pasta. Specifically, chunky rigatoni cooked to al dente that would be perfect for sopping up all those juices into its crevices. So, after cooking all my ratatouille vegetables, I simply tossed them together with cooked rigatoni, added a little more olive oil and lots of parmesan shavings, and the end result was an incredibly simple summer pasta that is so much more than the sum of its parts. Each forkful is the perfect ratio of veg plus pasta—and the presentation is gorgeous enough for a dinner party, too.

What makes this roasted vegetable pasta so easy?

I’m not exaggerating when I say that this dinner only requires about 15 minutes of hands-on cooking time. Other than the pot you use to boil the pasta, all the vegetables, herbs, and spices for this dish are baked together on a single sheet pan. You’ll want to stagger the baking time a bit as reflected in the recipe, since the eggplant, zucchini, and garlic need to cook a little longer than the tomatoes, peppers, and onions. By letting everything cook down to that ratatouille-like consistency, the vegetables create a sauce that lightly coats each piece of pasta and makes the final dish so satisfying.

I also use high-quality canned tomatoes here, which (call me crazy) are just as good as fresh tomatoes in this dish. I don’t know about you, but I absolutely detest the chore of cutting fresh tomatoes into chunks, so I’m always looking for opportunities to take a canned tomato shortcut. I love San Marzano tomatoes if you can find them, but a good-quality canned fire-roasted tomato always does the trick, too.

Tips for making it ahead and storing leftovers

One of the beautiful things about ratatouille is that it’s even better the next day—and the same holds true for this roasted vegetable pasta. Just pack it up in an airtight container in the fridge, then gently reheat on the stove or at half-power in the microwave tossed with a little extra olive oil to keep it from drying out. Perfect lunch leftovers are served.

This is also a beautiful make-ahead dish, since it’s just as good served at room temperature as it is hot from the oven. If you’re having friends for dinner, go ahead and transfer this roasted vegetable pasta to your biggest serving bowl, place it in the center of the table, then embrace that Provence-style ease and let it hang out while you sip rosé and mingle around a pre-dinner snack or two. After all, summer’s not over yet.

Scroll on for the recipe for this Ratatouille Roasted Vegetable Pasta, then leave a rating and review so we can hear how it goes, and tag me on Instagram if you give it a try.

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Ratatouille-Style Roasted Vegetable Pasta

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  Author: Camille Styles

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This roasted vegetable pasta is inspired by ratatouille. Eggplant, zucchini, peppers, tomatoes, and garlic cook together on one sheet pan and get tossed with rigatoni for a simple, satisfying supper.

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Ingredients

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• 6 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 small eggplants, cut into half moons
• 1 medium zucchini, cut into 1/2” thick rounds
• 1/2 yellow bell pepper, cut into 1/2” strips
• 1/2 medium yellow onion, sliced
• 6 large garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
• 1 (14-ounce) can fire roasted diced tomatoes, drained
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil (plus more for serving)
• 1 teaspoon italian seasoning or herbes de provence
• 3/4 tsp sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• pinch red pepper flakes
• 1/2 pound rigatoni, penne, or other short pasta, cooked to al dente and drained
• parmesan, for serving

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Instructions

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment or foil, then add the eggplant, zucchini, and garlic.
2. Drizzle over one tablespoon olive oil, plus a generous pinch of salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Toss well, and pop in the oven.
3. After 10 minutes, remove baking sheet and add peppers, onions, and tomatoes, with another tablespoon olive oil, red pepper flakes, pinch of salt, and basil.
4. Cook another 20 – 30 minutes until vegetables are very tender and lightly browned at the edges, tossing halfway through.
5. Transfer to a serving bowl, add cooked pasta, drizzle with more olive oil and a pinch of salt. Toss together, then top with parmesan and fresh basil. Eat!

The post This Roasted Vegetable Pasta Is Inspired by Ratatouille—But IMHO, It’s So Much Better appeared first on Camille Styles.

This spaghetti with shrimp recipe comes courtesy of my love for Italy. I’ve been several times now, and I’ve pretty much decided that it’s my favorite place on Earth. For one thing, there are so many different destinations within that one country that you could probably take 20 trips to various areas of Italy and none of them would feel like the others. The rolling hills of Tuscany, rich history of Venice, glamorous Capri, and bustling Rome —they each have their unique aesthetic and culture, and I’m endlessly inspired by them all.

The other reason I’ve officially declared Italy as my favorite destination is that you really cannot beat the food. While I can think of little else besides views of the Amalfi coast and exploring the charming pockets of Rome, I’m mostly dreaming of pasta. And these days, this spaghetti with shrimp recipe is in frequent rotation.

Featured image by Lily Young.

When I’m there, I eat Italian food for every single meal and never get tired of it. And you know what’s funny? Even though I feel like I eat my way through Italy, freely enjoying pasta, fresh mozzarella, gelato, and wine, I come home feeling just as good (if not better) as when I left Austin. I’ve thought a lot about the reason for this secret of the Italians, and I have a couple of theories.

For one thing, I believe that when we’re fully present at our meals, enjoying the flavors of every bite the way they do in Italy, our bodies can metabolize and digest our food properly. When we slow down and truly savor our meals, those fullness signals can reach our brains to let us know we’re satisfied. We’ve taken such pleasure in the experience that we don’t need more. Their other secret? In general, Italians follow the principles of the Mediterranean Diet.

What is the Mediterranean Diet?

The 2022 U.S. News and World Report once again ranked the Mediterranean Diet as the healthiest diet in the world, citing benefits like weight loss, heart and brain health, cancer prevention, and warding off chronic disease. It includes healthy fats like extra virgin olive oil, legumes, lean proteins, vegetables, and (hallelujah!!), pasta. It’s really less of a diet than it is a lifestyle, since staying physically active and gathering with people you care about are key components of the plan.

One of my favorite aspects of the Mediterranean diet is that it doesn’t ban entire food groups. Because for a food lover like me, I’m all about staying healthy without sacrificing a single ounce of my enjoyment in life. And pasta is meant to be enjoyed! It’s perfectly OK in reasonable quantities, and it’s the ideal blank slate to get creative in the kitchen and incorporate all kinds of colorful, healthy, and seasonal ingredients.

At home, I’m loving this simple spaghetti with shrimp for a light summer pasta that’s equally delicious for lunch or dinner (or a little midday nibble!).

How do you cook spaghetti perfectly?

Spaghetti is arguably the most “pasta” shaped noodle, which means it can’t be too hard to perfect, right? Right. All it takes is some salty water and dried noodles and you’re cooking! I could tell you a suggested water-to-pasta ratio (which is about four quarts per pound), but who’s really measuring? A large pot of water at a full, rolling boil and salt is all you need to cook the perfect spaghetti—and don’t even think about swirling oil in the water. Contrary to popular belief, it doesn’t prevent noodles from sticking together and will prevent your delicious sauce from sticking.

As a general rule, you should salt your water with one and a half tablespoons of salt per pound of pasta and cook spaghetti for about eight to ten minutes until it’s al dente. “Test noodles” are encouraged, so be sure to fish some out along the way if you’re feeling snacky. Boiling water + salt = the perfect spaghetti.

What makes this spaghetti with shrimp recipe perfect for summer entertaining?

I created this spaghetti with shrimp recipe with the Mediterranean Diet in mind, as it features exactly those delicious and wholesome ingredients that the diet is built on. This particular recipe is perfect for summer entertaining, too. It’s light but so satisfying, and feels a little bit elevated even though it comes together 20 minutes. It’s one of those “set it in the middle of the table and watch your friends dive in” kind of dinners, served family-style with a good bottle of crisp white wine.

Scroll on for the recipe, and I’d love to hear in the comments if y’all have hopped on the Mediterranean Diet train. For me, it’s a lifestyle that’s feeling (and tasting) really good for my body and soul these days.

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Spaghetti with Garlicky Shrimp, Asparagus, & Tomatoes

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  Author: Camille Styles

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This Garlic Shrimp Spaghetti is My New Favorite Pasta for Summer. 

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Ingredients

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• 1 box Barilla Whole Grain Spaghetti
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, divided
• 4 cloves chopped garlic
• 12 ounces medium shrimp, shelled and deveined
• 1 cup asparagus, sliced on the diagonal
• 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
• 4 green onions, sliced lengthwise into long ribbons
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano
• 1/4 cup fresh basil

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Instructions

1. Cook spaghetti one minute less than package directions. Drain; reserve 1/2 cup pasta water.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add chopped garlic, cook until softened.
3. Increase heat to medium-high. Add shrimp, asparagus, tomatoes, and reserved pasta water; cook, stirring frequently until shrimp is cooked through and veggies are softened.
4. Add cooked spaghetti and green onions; cook 2 – 3 minutes until heated through. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.
5. Remove skillet from heat. Add grated Parmigiano Reggiano, then drizzle with the remaining olive oil and garnish with whole basil leaves.

This post was originally published on May 29, 2019, and has since been updated.

The post This Garlic Shrimp Spaghetti is My New Favorite Pasta for Summer appeared first on Camille Styles.

While I love to see what my favorite foodies make when they want to pull out all the stops and “wow” their guests, I find it even more interesting to learn what dishes they whip up on an average weeknight at home. The go-to meal in question today? It’s one of my own (and very favorites): Pesto Pasta Primavera.

The tried-and-true recipes I rely on throughout the workweek usually lean lighter, quicker, and require fewer ingredients, meaning they’re the perfect inspiration to answer the question, “What should I make for dinner?” whenever it strikes. I make this Pesto Pasta Primavera at least once a week through the entire warm-weather season.

This fresh summer pasta never fails to satisfy my carb cravings, while filling my plate with loads of veggies that can be varied based on what’s in my fridge. Even better? It comes together in one pan, meaning less time scrubbing dishes and more time soaking up those long summer nights.

Scroll on to see how easily this Pesto Pasta Primavera happens, plus ideas for swapping in whatever veggies you’ve got on hand, ’cause let’s be honest: you’re going to want to make this one tonight.

(Psst… if you’re in need of more easy and inspiring weeknight recipes, our series My Go-To Meal asks the chefs and passionate home cooks we love to spill the standout, but simple meals that are on constant rotation at their house.)

I love a one-pot pasta, especially when I need to get dinner on the table fast. Okay okay, technically you need another pot to cook the actual noodles, but I’m not counting that one because it’s such an easy clean. The real magic happens in the one big pan where you toss it all together. The technique is simple: Basically, you chop up all the veggies, throw ’em in a pan, and then toss in the cooked pasta with some pesto and goat cheese. Then top with lots of parmesan, of course.

What kind of pasta is pesto good on?

For this one-pot pasta, I used Casarecce pasta—I love how the twisty shape catches the olive oil and garlic sauce and gives each bite so much flavor. Other pasta shapes that work well here are anything that’s short and bite-sized, mimicking those chopped veggies (think penne or fusilli.) Pesto knows no bounds, it’s delicious on all noodles.

What veggies can be swapped into this Pesto Pasta Primavera?

One of my favorite things about this recipe is that it’s infinitely customizable based on what’s at the farmer’s market. I’ve thrown in red bell peppers, zucchini, eggplant, tomatoes, and even kale, all with great success. For this version, I wanted to lean into an all-green palette that just feels as fresh as the season. I used asparagus, sugar snap peas, green onions, frozen green peas, fresh basil, and lots of garlic. YUM. I chop up all my veggies to be about the same size so they cook evenly and quickly—you want the veggies to be crisp, tender, and not at all mushy.

So, you may be wondering how to swap other veggies into this Pesto Pasta Primavera. Here’s my cheat sheet to answer the question: How long do different vegetables take to cook when you’re sautéeing them?

• 2 minutes: Sugar snap peas, frozen peas, and spinach
• 3 minutes: Heartier leafy vegetables like kale, bok choy, and chard
• 7 minutes: Firmer vegetables like bell peppers, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts
• 12 minutes (when cut small): Hardest vegetables like carrots, parsnips, and sweet potatoes

How do you cook the veggies without getting mushy?

This isn’t an exact science since a lot depends on the size of your chop and the heat of the pan, but the idea is that you’ll want to add your veggies into the pan starting with the hardest, so they have a little more time to cook, and gradually layering in the veggies that cook quicker, so they don’t end up mushy. Feeling out the exact times comes with experience, but the good news is that when you’re working with seasonal summer produce, you don’t have to cook them much for them to be really delicious. So err on the side of undercooked and snappy!

Scroll on for the recipe to my quick and easy, (almost) one-pot Pesto Pasta Primavera, and if you make it, leave a comment and tag us @camillestyles on Instagram!

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Pesto Pasta Primavera

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  Author: Camille Styles

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Pesto Pasta Primavera is the ultimate one pot pasta recipe. It’s quick and easy, so delicious, and brimming with all the fresh summer vegetables.

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Ingredients

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• 12 ounces dried short pasta (penne, fusilli, gemelli, casarecce, etc.)
• extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 large cloves garlic, peeled
• 1 bunch asparagus, tough ends discarded, cut into 2-inch pieces
• 1 cup sugar snap peas
• 1/2 cup frozen peas
• 5 green onions, outer skin peeled and sliced into 1-inch pieces (I discard the last 2-inches of green)
• kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/3 cup basil pesto, store-bought or homemade (you may need a little more, to taste)
• 1/3 cup goat cheese crumbles
• For garnish: lemon zest, fresh basil and/or mint, parmesan, and flaky salt

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Instructions

1. Bring a big pot of salted water up to boil, then cook your pasta according to package directions.
2. Meanwhile, heat 1/4 cup olive oil in the biggest sauté pan you have.
3. Thinly slice garlic, then sauté for about 30 seconds. Add sugar snap peas and asparagus and stir. Cook for about 2 minutes.
   Add peas and green onions, and cook for about 1 minute. If pasta isn’t quite ready, turn heat off.
4. When pasta is ready, use a large slotted spoon to transfer the pasta directly from the boiling water into the sauté pan with veggies. If some of the pasta water comes along with it, no worries: the starch in the water is great for helping the sauce cling onto the noodles.
5. Give everything a liberal pinch of salt to taste, and several grinds of black pepper.
6. Add about 1/3 cup pesto to the pan, and use a big spoon to stir everything around and coat the noodles.
7. Drizzle with a little olive oil and the goat cheese, then toss it all together and transfer to a serving bowl.
8. Garnish with lemon zest, basil and/or mint if using, grated parmesan, and a big pinch of flaky salt. Eat!

This post was originally published on May 27, 2021, and has since been updated.

The post Pesto Pasta Primavera Is the Summer Dinner I Make At Least Once a Week appeared first on Camille Styles.

When a former cook from the Williams-Sonoma test kitchen offers us a recipe exclusive, we automatically accept. And when that dish happens to be a super simple, healthy one pot pasta recipe that anyone can make… well, call us happy campers. One pot pastas are the foolproof solution to cooking tasty, satisfying food without surrendering the rest of your night to dishes. They’re hearty enough to feed the family, simple enough to come together quickly, and above all, minimal on the dishes!

Summer comes around, and we have salads, ceviche, and even pizzas packing in all the colorful produce on our mind. But pasta? Perhaps not the first thing on your list of dishes to cook. A rich bolognese or creamy vodka sauce calls to mind winter comfort more so than a refreshingly light summer supper. We probably don’t associate pasta with all the things we love about the warmer months because it can be rich, indulgent, and heavier than your typical summertime fare.

But this healthy one pot pasta recipe feels completely different. Think: afternoon in Italy, sipping a glass of white, savoring each and every bite of a masterfully crafted handmade pasta. It’s light, refined, and perfect in every way. You get the best of both worlds with a dish that’s easy but amounts to so much more than you’d expect.

“I love this pasta dish because I am always shocked by how simple and tasty it is,” says professional cook and creator of this lusciously light pasta, Amanda Frederickson. “Inspired by a Martha Stewart recipe, all of the ingredients are cooked together and dinner comes together in less than 15 minutes. It’s light but still hearty and is filled with all the flavors we love in summer.” What more could we ask for?

Read on to discover Amanda’s favorite healthy one pot pasta recipe below and get to cooking!

What makes this pasta healthy?

Packing pasta dishes with veggies is the best way I know to get my recommended serving in for the day. In addition to the variety of vegetables and flavors, this healthy one pot pasta recipe uses ingredients like sun-dried tomatoes, which have a high amount of lycopene and fiber, and in-season summer ingredients. Using vegetables and fruit at their peak (like fresh summer tomatoes and corn) means you’re eating these ingredients at their tastiest and most nutritionally dense.

Key tips for making this healthy one pot pasta recipe:

1. Salt your water properly. We’re all used to salting our pasta water until it tastes like the ocean, but even in one pot varieties, you’ll want to make sure to adequately salt at the beginning. My philosophy with cooking is to cook as you go, and it’s a bit harder when you’re tossing everything together at one time and only tasting at the end. Be sure to salt properly first and adjust as needed.
2. Don’t overcook your vegetables. While most one pot pastas work well with any vegetables you have on hand, you might not want all of them to cook the entire time. Some green vegetables like asparagus and broccoli hit their peak flavor and texture when they turn bright emerald green. But when overcooked, they become a dull (and a less visually-appetizing) green. So add vegetables that cook for the longest first and whose flavor and texture won’t be impacted if they cook a bit longer than needed. Add smaller pieces (think peas, corn kernels, and fresh greens) near the end.
3. Use a larger pan/pot than you think you might think you need. Like tossing a salad, the larger the bowl, the easier it is to make sure everything cooks evenly and that the flavors and ingredients get properly incorporated. Plus, since everything is cooked in one pot, giving all of the ingredients plenty of space will ensure the pasta cooks properly and nothing gets mushy or overcooked.

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One Pot Summertime Pasta

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  Author: Jenn Rose Smith

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Stunningly simple and utterly delicious, this one-pot pasta is the perfect comfort food for relaxing on long summer days.  

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Ingredients

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• 1 lb. dried pasta
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes, cut in half if they are large
• 1 red onion, thinly sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, roughly chopped
• 1 jalapeno chili, thinly sliced
• 2 Tbs. basil, plus more for garnish
• 2 Tbs. olive oil
• 1 cup fresh corn kernels
• 1 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
• Flaky sea salt

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Instructions

1. In a large pot, place pasta, tomatoes, onion, garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, pepper, and basil.
2. Pour in 5 cups of water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 9 minutes or until the pasta is cooked and the water has mostly evaporated.
3. Top with olive oil and fold in corn, cheese, and a big pinch of sea salt.

This post was originally published on August 23, 2017, and has since been updated.

The post This One Pot Pasta Will Help You Discover the Beauty of Simple Meals appeared first on Camille Styles.

One of the most memorable meals of my life was eaten under a grove of lemon trees at Paolina on the island of Capri. Though the food there is honestly pretty standard, the magic of the setting was enough to carve the experience into my dreams—I can still hear the laughter and clinking glasses, with the scent of fresh lemon and jasmine blossoms carried on the breeze. Since psychologists say that food memories are usually most evocative, it’s no surprise that the taste of lemon immediately makes me think of balmy nights in Italy. And that’s exactly the flavor profile I set out to create when developing this incredibly simple, made-for-summer lemon pasta recipe.

What is pasta al limone?

When creating this lemon pasta recipe, I wanted to capture the simplicity of the Italian pasta dish called pasta al limone. It’s creamy and decadent, but thanks to the profusion of lemon, feels light enough for summer. Most of all, it’s so simple that you can make the sauce in the time it takes your water to boil. The creamy lemon sauce gently coats each strand of pasta, and it’s one of those recipes that’s great to have in your back pocket for when you’re having people over but don’t have a ton of time.

What makes this lemon pasta recipe different?

In typical fashion, I couldn’t stop at a monochromatic plate of creamy pasta—I always balance a rich pasta dish with some fresh herbs, chili pepper heat, and zingy zest. Not only does it brighten up the flavor of the final dish, it also adds much-needed color and visual vibrancy. Use whatever fresh herbs you have on hand. Basil, mint, flat-leaf parsley, and chives all work beautifully with the creamy lemon pasta.

A few tips for success:

This recipe is as easy as it gets, but there are a couple things to keep in mind for the silkiest, smoothest sauce:

1. Warm the cream, zest, and butter gently–once it barely simmers, turn off the heat. You don’t want it to boil and curdle.
2. When you transfer the pasta into the skillet with the sauce, allow some of the pasta water to come with it. This will not only loosen and lighten up the cream sauce, but the starch from the pasta water will help the sauce coat each strand of pasta.
3. Add the parmesan gradually while tossing the pasta. The first time I tested this recipe, I added all the parmesan at once and ended up with clumps in the final dish. You want to grate a little, toss, then grate a little more, so that it’s evenly distributed and incorporated into the sauce.

Can you make this pasta dairy-free?

I know, I thought it was impossible too: this creamy lemon pasta is built on cream and butter. However, one of our recipe testers is dairy-free and tried it using vegan butter and oat milk, and she said it was delish! The lemon and herbs are so flavor-forward that the essence of the final recipe was intact even with the dairy-free swaps. Give it a try and let us know what you think.

Scroll on for the recipe, and if you make it, be sure to leave a comment and tag us on the ‘gram so we can see and share your creation!

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Creamy Lemon Pasta

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This creamy lemon pasta recipe tastes like the coast of Italy. Showered with herbs, it’s the perfect simple summer dinner.

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Ingredients

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• 2 tablespoons butter, cut into 4 pieces
• Zest and juice from 2 large lemons, plus more for serving
• 1/2 pound fresh or dried spaghetti, linguine, or bucatini
• 4 tablespoons heavy cream
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra cheese to serve on the side
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Fresh herbs like mint, basil, and chives, leaves left whole, and red pepper flakes for garnish.

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Instructions

1. Bring a pot of salted water to boil.
2. Drop the spaghetti into the boiling water. Cook pasta according to package directions.
3. Meanwhile, warm the cream in a skillet over medium, and add the lemon zest. Add the butter to the cream mixture.
4. As soon as the pasta is cooked, lift the pasta out of the water with tongs, and add to the sauce. You want just a little of the pasta water to come with it. Add the lemon juice, then cook for one minute, stirring vigorously and adding pasta water to the sauce if needed to loosen it up.
5. Add salt and pepper, then add the parmesan a little at a time while tossing.
6. Top with basil and red pepper flakes, plus more grated parmesan and lemon zest.

The post Dreaming of Italy? This Creamy Lemon Pasta Will Satisfy All Your Cravings appeared first on Camille Styles.

First, a disclaimer: I’m usually not one to jump on the Tiktok food trend train. I personally find that most social media-driven food trends tend to not live up to the hype. Pasta chips? Pass. Bell pepper sandwich? It’s a no from me. Custard toast? Absolutely not. (Camille’s version that doesn’t involve eggs is way better, IMO.) However, there was one trend over the last year that I absolutely embraced. The green goddess salad. And with a few tweaks and hacks thrown in, this (vegan) green goddess pasta salad was born.

After Baked By Melissa’s take on the salad went viral last year, I heard over and over again from friends who were swearing by the salad. I had to admit after trying it, it’s really good. So good, that I started playing around with green goddess everything. And in my never-ending quest to eat vegetables without eating just a giant bowl of salad, I turned to my bin of pasta in the back of the pantry. And as it turns out, green goddess dressing paired with tender pasta is a match made in heaven. Enter: the best green goddess pasta salad that (wait for it) also happens to be vegan.

What is green goddess dressing?

If you’re not already familiar with the bright green and refreshing dressing, green goddess is traditionally made with a creamy base, a heaping of fresh herbs, and vinegar. I’ve had lots of green goddess dressings over the years, and some are better than others. I edited my go-to tahini dressing recipe into a green goddess version, making this version completely vegan. I also prefer the blend of both lemon juice and apple cider vinegar for the acidity in this version. While you could use one or the other, I find that lemon and ACV hit different flavors on the acidity scale. Used together, the result is magic.

What kind of herbs can I use?

The best part of a green goddess dressing is using any soft herbs you have on hand. Think cilantro, parsley, basil, chives, mint, and tarragon. While each herb hits a different flavor profile, a blend is always nice. And to get an extra serving of greens in here, I took a note from Melissa’s version and added spinach to the blender as well to really amp up the green here.

What vegetables can I use for green goddess pasta salad?

Clearly, I have a thing for the green-on-green combination when it comes to pasta. Visually, I kept all of my vegetables in the green family for this recipe. Peas, artichokes, cucumbers, avocado, and celery. You can use any vegetables you like, but especially with cold pasta salads, I like to think about how the flavors of the vegetables all marinate together.

For this version, I liked the crunch and freshness of the cucumbers and celery. The peas add a nice pop of sweetness that helps balance everything out. The marinated artichokes add a little tang and savoriness to the salad. And the avocado adds this nice mild creaminess that really brings everything together. Baby corn, radishes, edamame, and any other fresh veggies you have on hand would also be delicious!

Tips for making the best green goddess pasta salad

I’ve also been an avid fan of this pasta salad. It’s perfect for warmer days and is packed with freshness that’s still satisfying and hearty. So for this green goddess pasta salad, here are a few tips and tricks I’ve learned over the years:

1. The shape of your pasta matters. And don’t use fresh pasta. Boxed and dried is the way to go here. Shorter pastas with texture will hold onto more sauce which means more flavor per bite. I used farfalle for this version, but I also love macaroni and the classic fusilli for pasta salads.
2. Add part of the dressing to your pasta while it’s still warm. Previously, I’ve either waited until the pasta is completely cooled before dressing, or used up all my dressing while the pasta is still warm. I find that a half-half approach allows the warm pasta to marinate and soak up the flavors of the dressing while it cools. Adding the rest of your dressing at the end finishes your green goddess pasta salad off with an extra punch of flavor.
3. How you cook your pasta matters. Because pasta firms up as it cools, I like to err on the side of cooking just past al dente.

Pasta salad is a perfect blank canvas for your creativity in the kitchen! Use this recipe as your guide for a creamy vegan version, and assemble as you like.

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Green Goddess Pasta Salad

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  Author: Suruchi Avasthi

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The Green Goddess Pasta Salad You’ll Make All Spring (and Summer) Long

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Ingredients

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• 1 1/2 tbsp nutritional yeast
• 1 bunch basil
• Handful of any other soft herbs you like (chives, green onions, parsley, cilantro, etc.)
• 1/3 cup tahini
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar (I ended up adding a little more to make it more vinegary but start here and adjust!)
• juice of 1 1/2 lemons
• big squeeze of honey (use vegan alternative sweetener to keep vegan)
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1–2 tbsp of water to thin the dressing as needed
• 8oz fresh spinach
• 16oz pasta (two servings of any shape you like)
• Prepped fresh vegetables: cucumbers, artichokes, avocado, peas, etc.

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Instructions

1. Fill a large pot with water and set on the stove to bring to a boil.
2. While the water begins to heat up, add the nutritional yeast, basil, fresh herbs, tahini, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, honey, and salt and pepper to a blender.
3. Once the water is boiling, add the spinach and blanche quickly until the leaves turn bright green. Using a spider strainer, take the spinach from the pot and run under cold water. Add the the blender. ****This step is optional. You can also just add the raw spinach to the blender as is, but I prefer blanching mine first.
4. Add the pasta to the water and cook according to package instructions.
5. While the pasta cooks, blend the dressing ingredients together. Taste and adjust as needed to your own liking. Set dressing aside.
6. When the pasta is finished cooking, drain from water. Add half of the dressing to the pasta while it’s warm, and toss to combine. Let pasta cool to room temperature.
7. While the pasta cools, prep the vegetables. Chop any veggies as needed into small cubes. Reserve part of the vegetables for topping if desired.
8. When ready to assembly, add the dressed pasta to a large serving bowl. Add the vegetables and remaining dressing to the pasta and toss to combine. Top with lemon juice, salt and pepper.
9. Either serve right away, topping with additional vegetables, or let sit in fridge until completely cold and serve. Enjoy!

The post The Green Goddess Pasta Salad You’ll Make All Spring (and Summer) Long appeared first on Camille Styles.

Don’t know about you, but I’m always looking for ways to get my leafy greens without actually eating salads. I know, I sound like I’m five years old. But it’s my stubborn approach to veggies that’s led to one of my favorite recipes to date: green sauce pasta.

Don’t get me wrong, I love vegetables and the bounty of flavors they deliver. The textures and colors boast a rainbow of visual inspiration. But I don’t like my vegetables to taste “healthified” and boring. So many of my kitchen experiments involve finding ways to upgrade my vegetables or make them so exciting that I can’t help but eat a whole bucket full of them. This green sauce pasta recipe is one of those recipes.

A few years ago, I got Joshua McFadden’s book, Six Seasons. It spoke to my life philosophy of making vegetables wildly interesting and delicious. No more boring salads filled with guilt-driven obligation. One of his recipes that I came to love was this kale sauce pasta. It was the first time I had come across the idea of blending a vegetable into a silky smooth sauce and using it as an elevated accompaniment rather than an afterthought of tossing in some leaves. I’ve edited and adjusted the sauce a little over the last few years, making some tweaks here and there. It’s my absolute favorite way to incorporate more leafy greens into my meals without eating a salad.

What is green sauce pasta?

Some refer to this as a kale pesto, I prefer calling it a sauce. When I think of pesto, my thoughts go to a chunkier and more textured sauce. This green sauce is silky, luscious, and rich. It’s smooth and clings to the pasta like a warm blanket. In short: it’s heavenly, and I much prefer to eat my greens this way because it doesn’t feel like eating greens at all! The best part? You only need five ingredients. Spinach, olive oil, lemon, parmesan, and basil.

You want to use a good quality olive oil here, as it really elevates the flavor. Blend until the texture is silky smooth, then toss with butter over the pasta. Absolutely divine.

Can I use a different leafy green?

I’ve made McFadden’s original recipe with lacinato kale many times. It’s richly green in color with a nice bitter flavor from the greens. Over the years though, I’ve slowly switched over to using spinach. I almost prefer the milder flavor of spinach and how much smoother it blends up than the more fibrous kale. I also love how well it pairs with the lemon. But know that you can absolutely use any dark leafy green you have on hand! From kale to spinach to arugula, they all function similarly here. Just taste as you go and adjust the sauce as you need. You can even make a half-half blend with spinach and kale.

Do I have to use fresh greens?

I made this recipe using fresh kale and spinach that’s very quickly blanched in boiling water. You can also use frozen spinach because the greens will get blanched and cooked anyway.

One pot + one blender = green sauce pasta

I’m all about a one-pot meal. Luckily, all you need for this green sauce pasta recipe is one extra-large pot of boiling water and a blender. *I will note, if you want to toast some garlic for the sauce, you’ll need a pan. But the clean-up is still easy!

This method is perfect for those of us who want to minimize dishes. Set your pot of water on the stove and bring to a boil. First, blanch your greens then transfer those to the blender. Blanch your vegetables and set aside. After that, cook the pasta in the same pot as you just did the vegetables. Once you drain the pasta, everything gets tossed and coated in that same pot. If like me, you decide to eat dinner straight out of the pot, you’ve saved yourself a plate, too!

Can I use a different kind of pasta?

Any pasta you have will work! I used bucatini from Trader Joe’s and loved the sauce getting stuck in the hole in the middle. But this would also be delicious with fettuccine or penne and even classic spaghetti. I also think it would be delicious over ravioli for a yummy cheesy dinner.

What kind of vegetables can I serve with this pasta?

Welcome spring into your kitchen with the season’s best vegetables. I love the sweetness of peas with the green sauce and the savory fresh asparagus. Both of these vegetables also become nice and tender with a quick blanch in the boiling water, saving you time and effort. You could also blanch green beans or broccoli florets to go with this recipe. I think the veggies’ green hue just looks so lovely with the green sauce. But feel free to get creative and use what you like!

The post This 5-Ingredient Pasta Sauce Delivers an Entire Serving of Green Veggies appeared first on Camille Styles.

It’s no secret that pasta is a weeknight staple at our house–and lately I’ve been leaning on recipes that rely on loads of veggies that can be quickly sautéed in one pan for a satisfying, plant-based dinner with easy clean-up. However, I’m also a fan of everything in moderation, and while I have been eating less meat, I like to use meat in small amounts, almost like a side dish or condiment to add flavor and protein to a meal. And to pacify my husband if he’s had one too many salads in a week.

Enter this one pot pasta recipe with sausage, mushrooms, loads of garlic, and arugula. The key to this one is that it uses a small amount (just 1/3 of a pound for 4 people!) of Italian sausage to impart a satisfaction level that feels way more indulgent than it actually is. My vision for this pasta was to capture the flavor combo of a classic sausage and mushroom pizza. It gets topped with parmesan, red pepper flakes, and basil, and may I just say? Mission accomplished.

This pasta is equally perfect for a quick weeknight dinner as it is for a Saturday night gathering with friends. Since it comes together so quickly (yes, in the time it takes your water to boil!) you can easily whip it up in 20 while your guests pour the wine and light the candles. Scroll on to see how this one pot pasta recipe comes together…

How to make mushrooms crispy

While your pasta water heats up, you’re going to cook the mushrooms–and buckle up, because I’m about to teach you the absolute best way to cook mushrooms for this pasta recipe or (IMHO) for any recipe at all.

It’s all about searing your mushrooms instead of steaming them, so they get that satisfying golden brown layer on each side, no mush in sight. To do this, you’re going to add mushrooms in even layer to a very hot skillet coated in olive oil. If your mushrooms are overlapping due to a lot of mushrooms or a small pan, you’ll want to do it in two or even three batches. The single, even layer is key to preventing your mushrooms from steaming, and making sure that each part of the mushroom is coming into direct contact with the heat of the pan.

Once you add them, immediately give the mushrooms a stir to coat them lightly in oil, then cook undisturbed for 3 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, then stir well and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate and just try not to eat them all before you finish the recipe. I dare you.

Use sausage as a condiment, not the main course

This is my approach to meat lately–it’s about using small amounts to add richness and flavor, but viewing it as more of a flavor additive rather than a hunk of meat as the main course to your meal. It should go without saying that I support each and every person’s approach to their diets–this is just what’s working for me lately!

So, this recipe uses just 1/3 of a pound of sausage for 4 people, and with something as spicy and flavor packed as Italian sausage, a little goes a long way. All you do here is sauté for about 5 minutes over medium-high, breaking up with a fork and stirring occasionally, until cooked through. Then you’re going to add the sliced garlic and sauté until golden. Return mushrooms to pan, toss well, and turn off heat while your pasta cooks.

How to make it a one pot pasta–with easy cleanup

Instead of draining your pasta and then adding it to the pan, I opted for one less dish to clean by using a pasta scoop to transfer noodles directly from the boiling water into the pan with mushrooms and sausage. You actually want a little of the pasta water to come with it, as the starch in the water will help to create a delicious sauce that coats every strand.

Grate a bunch of parmesan over the top, along with lemon zest and juice, arugula, and a little butter. Toss well for a minute or two — put some muscle into it — until all the pasta is coated with a light layer of delicious, flavorful sauce. YUM.

Make this one pot pasta vegetarian

I initially tested this recipe without the meat, and it was still super delicious. I added a few pinches of Italian seasoning to give some of those spices (like oregano and fennel) that Italian sausage adds to the dish. Try swapping the sausage with a flavor-packed vegetable like roasted red pepper strips, green olives, or drained and chopped artichoke hearts to capture the old-school pizza vibes of the original recipe.

Tips on doubling this recipe

You can easily double this recipe to feed a crowd–just use your largest skillet, and definitely sauté the mushrooms in batches (see section above on How to Make Your Mushrooms Crispy.) Otherwise, just double all the ingredients and pass the parmesan, red pepper flakes, and basil at the table so everyone can garnish their own.

Looking for other easy weeknight pasta recipes?

We’ve got so many delicious and easy pasta recipes in our recipe files that are perfect for weeknight dinner. A few of my favorites:

Creamy Vegan One Pot Pasta. This crowd-pleasing pasta has tomatoes, basil, and the most addictive vegan walnut sauce–and it comes together in 15 minutes.

Rigatoni with Brussels Sprouts, Kale Pesto, and Lemon. This is one of our most popular recipes of 2022 so far–and it even made it onto our Plant-Based RE:SET menu.

Half-Baked Harvest’s Pesto Pasta Alla Vodka. It continues to be a fan favorite for a reason–and is perfect for those nights when you want to dig into something truly indulgent.

Simple Pasta Recipes with 10 Ingredients or Less! You’ll definitely want to bookmark this one.

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One Pot Garlicky Mushroom Pasta with Sausage & Arugula

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★★★★★

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  Author: Camille Styles

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This Garlicky Mushroom Pasta with Sausage & Arugula is a 10 out of 10 weeknight dinner that comes together in 30 minutes.

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Ingredients

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• 1 pound fettucine, papardelle, or tagliatelle
• 1 pound sliced baby bella mushrooms
• extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/3 pound ground Italian sausage
• 5 garlic cloves, sliced
• Chunk of parmesan, for grating
• 1 lemon, zest and juice
• 4 cups arugula
• 3 tablespoons butter, sliced
• garnish: red pepper flakes, basil, and parmesan

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Instructions

1. Put a large pot of pasta water on to boil.
2.  In a large skillet, heat 3 tablespoons olive oil and add mushrooms in even layer (you may need to do this in two batches.) Stir to coat mushrooms in oil, then cook undisturbed for 3 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, then stir well and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
3. Add sausage to the pan and sauté for about 5 minutes over medium-high, breaking up with a fork and stirring occasionally, until cooked through. Add the sliced garlic and sauté until golden. Return mushrooms to pan, toss well, and turn off heat.
4. Meanwhile, add pasta to boiling water and cook according to package directions. Use a pasta scoop to transfer pasta into pan with mushrooms and sausage, allowing some of the pasta water to come with it. Grate a bunch of parmesan over the top, along with lemon zest and juice, arugula, butter. Toss well for a minute or two — put some muscle into it! You want everything to coat the pasta in a light layer of sauce.
5. Serve with more grated parmesan, red pepper flakes, and basil

Scroll on for the recipe for this one pot pasta with sausage and mushrooms, and don’t forget to leave a comment and tag us on Instagram if you make it!

The post This Garlicky Mushroom Pasta with Sausage & Arugula Comes Together In The Time It Takes Your Water to Boil appeared first on Camille Styles.

Before we talk about this creamy vegan pasta with tomatoes and basil, we’ve got to start with the sauce. I’ve been making a version of the nut sauce in Amy Chaplin’s Whole Food Cooking Every Day cookbook nearly every week lately, and it’s totally upped my meal prep game. There are lots of variations using different nuts and herbs, but recently I made a few tweaks to her walnut sauce and was struck by how rich and creamy it was… without the use of any cream (or dairy) at all.

That night, I tossed some penne and roasted peppers in the sauce and loved the way it coated each noodle to give the pasta that satisfying taste that usually comes with an alfredo but in a completely healthy, nutrient-packed way. And so this creamy vegan pasta with tomatoes and basil was born, and not only is it incredibly delicious—it’s also simple enough to throw together in the time it takes your pasta water to boil. Especially if you’ve prepped your walnut sauce in advance (highly recommend.)

I used bucatini for this recipe—it’s hard to beat those slightly chewy long noodles with a satisfying-to-slurp hole in the middle. However, any long-strand noodle-like spaghetti or linguine works great too, and even a short noodle-like penne or rigatoni would be delicious, although a different take.

One thing to call out is that, in order to coax the silky creaminess out of your walnuts, you’ll need to soak them for a couple of hours (and up to overnight) in a jar of water—so don’t forget to plan. I prefer to soak walnuts before toasting them to use in any recipe anyway, so I typically throw them in water the minute I get them home from the grocery store, then pop the jar in the fridge until I’m ready to use them.

The creamy vegan sauce uses an unusual yet very cool method: you sauté onions and garlic until golden brown to get that caramelized flavor, then add a splash of water to deglaze the pan before transferring it all to a blender. The heat of the water helps the other ingredients (walnuts, lemon juice, and zest) incorporate into a smooth sauce that tastes so much more complex than the sum of its parts.

While your pasta is cooking, all that’s left to do is sauté an entire pint of cherry tomatoes in olive oil, just until they start to burst. Into the same pan goes the pasta, scoops of creamy vegan walnut sauce, and a little pasta water to bring it all together. The crowning glory? Showers of lemon zest, chopped basil, and red chili flakes for a just-right amount of heat.

Healthy swaps for this creamy vegan pasta with tomatoes

For this recipe, I used bucatini—one of my personal favorite pasta shapes thanks to its chewy al dente bite, along with the satisfying hole that runs through the center of each noodle, perfect for sopping up the sauce in every strand.

This recipe can easily be made gluten-free by swapping in a gluten-free pasta like Banza. Even though I’m not gluten-free, I frequently make their pasta that boasts 20 grams of protein and 8 grams of fiber per serving, thanks to the fact that it’s made from chickpeas.

A few twists on this recipe

Like most of my pasta recipes, this one is super customizable—you can swap in other seasonal veggies for the tomatoes depending on what’s in season. Sautéed broccoli, peas, and asparagus would make an incredible green springtime pasta, and Brussels sprouts would be great in the wintertime—if you want to introduce some meat, a handful of crumbled bacon wouldn’t hurt, either.

For the creamy vegan sauce, feel free to experiment with other nuts. Almonds or cashews? Delicious—just make sure to soak them first, as with the walnuts. Or, you can throw in a handful of pine nuts, which are already tender and creamy enough to not need a pre-soak at all.

Try leveling up the flavor of the sauce with a squeeze of miso paste, which adds that umami that you might get from anchovy in a more classic Italian sauce.

How to double this recipe to feed a crowd

Most pasta recipes, this one included, are super simple to double for a crowd. Just double your pasta and tomatoes, and use a big pan when sautéeing the tomatoes so that you can fit in all that pasta with enough room to give it some generous tosses when you add the sauce. That’s really it! The sauce already makes extra, so you should have plenty of that as-is.

Want more healthy, delicious, and easy pasta recipes?

If you’ve been around here awhile, you know we’ve GOT you. Pasta lovers for life. Here are some of our other most-loved pasta recipes of all time:

• Rigatoni with Brussels Sprouts, Kale Pesto and Lemon
• Half-Baked Harvest’s Pesto Pasta Alla Vodka (okay maybe this one’s not healthy per se, but if you haven’t made it yet, you must.)
• Skillet Eggplant Lasagna
• Vegan Spaghetti and Meatballs

Scroll on for the recipe for this Creamy Vegan Pasta with Tomatoes and Basil, and don’t forget to rate and review, and tag us on Instagram if you make it!

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Creamy Vegan Pasta with Tomatoes and Basil

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  Author: Camille Styles

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This creamy vegan pasta with tomatoes and basil is a simple and delicious pasta dinner–it comes together in 15 minutes!

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Ingredients

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• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes
• 1 pound bucatini, spaghetti, or linguini
• for garnish: lemon zest, fresh basil, red chili flakes, flaky salt

Creamy Walnut Sauce:

• 1 cup walnuts, soaked in water for at least 2 hours and up to overnight
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 5 garlic cloves, chopped
• pinch of kosher salt
• 1/3 cup water
• zest and juice of one lemon

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Instructions

1. Put a big pot of salted pasta water on the stove and bring to a boil.
2. Meanwhile, make the creamy vegan walnut sauce: In a medium skillet, warm a tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, and salt, and sauté until softened and golden. Add water to the pan, and deglaze, using a wooden spoon to scrape the pan. Stir for a couple minutes.
3. Transfer onion mixture to a blender, and add walnuts, lemon juice, and zest. Blend until smooth, adding more salt to taste. Set aside (or store in a jar in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.)
4. Make the pasta! Add pasta to boiling water and cook according to package directions.
5. Meanwhile, warm a tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Add the cherry tomatoes, and cook, stirring frequently, until tomatoes just start to burst (about 3 minutes or so.) If the pasta isn’t yet ready, turn off the heat so they don’t overcook.
6. When the pasta is cooked to al dente, use a slotted spoon to transfer noodles directly into the pan with tomatoes. Add a few big scoops of sauce, along with 1/4 cup of pasta cooking water. Use tongs to toss it very well until the sauce lightly coats each strand of pasta. This may take a little while–just keep tossing!
7. Divide between bowls, making sure each bowl gets topped with some of the burst tomatoes. Top with more lemon zest, torn basil, red chili flakes, and a big pinch of flaky salt. Eat!

The post Warning! This Creamy Vegan One-Pot Pasta Is Highly Addictive (and Ready in 15 Minutes!) appeared first on Camille Styles.

I’ve got a pasta recipe that’s a strong contender to become one of your new favorites, so get excited. I whipped up this Rigatoni With Brussels Sprouts, Kale Pesto, and Lemon on a recent weeknight as part of my recipe testing for the Plant-Based RE:SET, placed two bowls on the table in front of Adam and me, and then… silence. It was one of those moments when we were so swept away by the perfection of the dish, there simply were no words. All we could do was chew and swoon. Since then, we’ve already made it several times and even tried it with a few different ingredient tweaks (hello, cauliflower!)

I personally love pasta that packs a high vegetables-to-noodle ratio. Not only do the veggies add tons of flavor, nutrition, and interesting texture, but it’s a great way to get my pasta fix on a weeknight without feeling like I’m carb loading. I think that sometimes, pasta has a reputation for being “indulgent” when it actually can be a regular part of a really healthy diet, especially when treated as a canvas for loads of delicious veggies. I’ll continue my pasta campaign below (lol), but first, what makes this rigatoni with Brussels sprouts so delish?

For starters, the sprouts are cooked with lots of garlic and shallots until caramelized and crispy, just how I like them. Once you add the pasta, it all gets tossed with the most luscious, silky kale pesto, which is the sneakiest way to pack in so many nutrient-rich greens. (It’s my new secret weapon for converting kale haters.) The shower of salty parmesan and crunchy walnuts at the end is what takes this whole dish over the top.

Read on for everything you need to know about this Rigatoni with Brussels Sprouts, Kale Pesto, and Lemon, and grab the recipe at the bottom of the page. And don’t forget to sign up for our free Plant-Based RE:SET! The full 5-day plant-based menu will drop in your inbox on January 21st.

Is Pasta Healthy?

One thing I’ve noticed when we travel to Italy is that everyone eats Italian food for every single meal. Like, we’re not going to sushi or grabbing Mexican food when we’re in Rome. And you know what’s funny? Even though I have eaten my way through Italy on numerous occasions, freely enjoying pasta, fresh mozzarella, gelato, and wine every day—I have never gained weight on any of those trips. How can that be?

Well, for one thing, I believe that when we’re fully present at our meals, enjoying the flavors of every bite the way they do in Italy, our bodies can metabolize and digest our food properly. When we slow down and truly savor, those fullness signals can reach our brains to let us know we’ve had enough and it’s time to put down our fork. We’ve taken such pleasure in the experience that we feel satisfied. Europeans, in general, are so much better at this than most Americans, and when I’m in Italy, I more easily fall into this mode of slowing down and savoring.

The 2022 U.S. News and World Report once again ranked the Mediterranean Diet as the healthiest diet in the world, citing benefits like weight loss, heart and brain health, cancer prevention, and warding off chronic disease.  It includes healthy fats like extra virgin olive oil, legumes, lean proteins, vegetables, and (hallelujah!!) pasta. It’s really less of a diet than it is a lifestyle, since staying physically active and gathering together with people you care about are key components of the plan.

One of my favorite aspects of the Mediterranean diet is that it doesn’t ban entire food groups which, for a food lover like me, is a balanced way to stay healthy without sacrificing a single ounce of my enjoyment in life. Pasta is meant to be enjoyed, in reasonable quantities, and it’s the perfect blank slate to get creative in the kitchen and incorporate all kinds of colorful, healthy, and seasonal ingredients. 

How to Make This Rigatoni With Brussels Sprouts Gluten-Free

For this recipe, I used my favorite rigatoni, which is the Collezione Rigatoni from Barilla. It has that perfect al dente texture that almost makes it taste homemade, and gives the kale pesto something to grip onto so that it lightly coats each piece of pasta.

I know that many of you guys avoid gluten, so this recipe can easily be made gluten-free by swapping in a gluten-free pasta like Banza. They have a solid rigatoni, and I do love that it boasts 20 grams of protein and 8 grams of fiber per serving, thanks to the fact that it’s made from chickpeas.

A Few Twists on This Recipe

One of the best things about vegetarian pasta is that it’s infinitely customizable. Here are a few substitution ideas:

• Swap the Brussels sprouts for cauliflower. Last week I wanted to make this pasta, but I didn’t have any Brussels sprouts on hand. That’s when I realized that just about any other cruciferous vegetable could get the job done nicely, especially that beautiful head of cauliflower I’d picked up at the farmer’s market. I cut it into florets that were about the same size as the rigatoni, and prepared them just like the Brussels.
• Instead of Rosemary, add any sturdy herb. Think fresh oregano, thyme, or sage… and if all you’ve got an hand is a jar of dried Italian seasoning, that works too—just add half the amount the recipe calls for.
• Try a different nut. I love the rich, almost creamy texture of walnuts, but this recipe would be great with chopped toasted almonds, hazelnuts, or even pine nuts! If you use a different nut as the final topping, I’d stick with that same nut when making the pesto, too.
• Add golden raisins. If you like a little sweetness in your pasta like I do, try adding a bonus ingredient of golden raisins that is such a delicious foil for the briny olives. Yum.

How to Double This Recipe to Feed a Crowd

Most pasta, this one included, are super simple to double for a crowd. The main factor to consider here is that you want to avoid crowding the pan when sautéeing your Brussels sprouts so that they caramelize and are crispy, instead of steaming. You have two options here:

• Sauté your double batch of sprouts in two batches, then add them all back into the pan with the pasta.
• OR, make things really easy on yourself by throwing the Brussels sprouts in a 450 degree F oven for about 25 minutes until golden brown, then toss them into a pan with your sautéed garlic and shallots. It’s a little different process, but more hands-off with a similar result.

Scroll on for the recipe for this Rigatoni with Brussels Sprouts, Kale Pesto, and Lemon, which is part of our Plant-Based RE:SET, a new 5-day meal plan coming to your inbox on January 21st! Packed with delicious breakfast, lunch, and dinner recipes, this is a week’s worth of meals that’ll leave you feeling lighter, brighter, and energized. Sign up here! 

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Rigatoni with Brussels Sprouts & Kale Pesto

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  Author: Camille Styles

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Description

This rigatoni with Brussels sprouts and kale pesto is a healthy pasta that packs plenty of vegetables while satisfying your cravings.

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Ingredients

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USM

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• 1/2 pound brussels sprouts, halved lengthwise
• 6 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 shallots, sliced
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Red chili flakes
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary (or 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning)
• 12 ounces rigatoni (or other tube-shaped pasta, like penne)
• 1/3 cup chopped green olives
• 1/3 cup kale pesto (recipe follows)
• 1/3 cup toasted walnuts, chopped
• Optional toppings: grated parmesan and torn basil

For the Kale Pesto 

• 3 cups kale, torn and ribs discarded
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled
• kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast (or sub 2 tablespoons parmesan if not making vegan)
• 1/4 cup toasted walnuts
• juice of 1 lemon or lime
• squeeze of honey
• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

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Instructions

1. Bring a stockpot of water to a boil, and cook rigatoni according to package directions. Drain, reserving ½ cup pasta water.
2. Meanwhile, warm 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add brussels sprouts, garlic, and shallots. Sauté until brussels sprouts are cooked through and caramelized, 8 – 10 minutes. Season with salt and red chili flakes (to taste), then stir in rosemary. 
3. Add drained rigatoni to the skillet, along with olives, pasta water, and kale pesto. Toss, allowing sauce to fully coat the pasta. 
4. Transfer to bowls and top with another drizzle of olive oil, chopped walnuts, parmesan, and basil. Add a pinch of salt and eat!

For the Kale Pesto 

1. In a large pot of boiling salted water, blanch the kale and garlic cloves for 3 minutes. Remove to ice water bath and let cool. Use your hands to squeeze some of the water from the kale, then add kale and garlic to blender, along w/ nutritional yeast, walnuts, lemon juice, honey, and olive oil. Pulse until smooth, adding some of the kale water as needed to thin. Add kosher salt to taste.

The post This Rigatoni With Brussels Sprouts, Kale Pesto, and Lemon Is So Good I Literally Have No Words appeared first on Camille Styles.