Tara, I’ve got a box of pasta, what should I make? You ask, I answer! You have come to the right place. This Tuesday is Ingredient Tuesday + we are using one of my favorite ingredients! I know you all have a box of pasta sitting in your pantry waiting to be used. Out of ideas? I’ve got 8 meatless meals that start with a box of pasta. Let’s do this.
Tara’s Tuesday Tips:
Ingredient Idea: Pasta
Pasta can be a blank canvas that will transform you into a suppertime superhero. Did you ever think of using spaghetti as noodles in your Japanese or Thai dishes, or breaking them up into small pieces in your soup? Cold pasta is always a winner in my kitchen, and so is leftover penne for lunch the next day. Sometimes you just must think outside the box.
8 Meatless Meals That Start with a Box of Pasta
1. Cook Pasta in Your Microwave
Hotels, dorm rooms, lazy days when you don’t want to boil water or wash a pot. Microwaving pasta is the answer. Simply toss your favorite pasta in a glass bowl, cover it entirely with water plus one inch, sprinkle with salt, give everything a stir, microwave for 5 minutes. Carefully stir the pasta and test one piece to see if it is cooked to your liking, if not, cook an additional one minute at a time or until your pasta is soft but al dente. Next, drain the water and apply your favorite sauce, oil, pesto, herbs, or cheeses. Easy!
2. Make Pasta in Your Instant Pot
Don’t want to boil water on the stove top? Cook pasta in the Instant Pot. Place dry pasta in your Instant Pot, next add water. For the water, you will need to add double the amount of water per ounce of pasta. For example, if you have an 8-ounce box of pasta, you will need to add 16 ounces of water to your Instant Pot to cook the pasta.
Next, sprinkle with salt and a drizzle a little olive oil. Place the lid on, turn the valve to seal. For rigatoni, penne, or ziti set the manual timer to 4 minutes. For spaghetti or macaroni, you only need 3 minutes. When the timer beeps, allow the pressure to release naturally for 2 minutes and then carefully release the rest of the pressure manually (might have some splattering due to the starches so be careful). Finally, add your sauce, cheese, herbs, or pesto, give everything a good stir and you are done!
3. Let’s Make One Pot Pasta
I LOVE one pot pastas! Super easy without a lot of dishes to wash after! I wrote you an AMAZING one pot pasta recipe here: Dairy-Free One Pot Creamy Mushroom Pasta.
4. Macaroni + Cheese
Vegan, vegetarian, plant-based and everything else on the planet, make them mac and cheese please! I use Tolerant pasta or Jovial pasta for my macaroni and cheese recipes with Violife or Daiya cheeses. I find these are the best combination. I’ve written you a few recipes to choose from: Instant Pot Vegan Pumpkin Mac and Cheese, Sweet Potato Mac N Cheese (dairy free).
5. Pasta Salad
Another favorite around the My Vegetarian Family kitchen! Pasta salad can be a meal all by itself or you can use it as a fabulous summer side dish! So easy to please everyone with a pasta salad. I like to use Tolerant Green Lentil Rotini to up the protein and fiber content. Cook your pasta according to the package directions, pick a dressing, add veggies, olives, avocado, artichokes, such a blank canvas here! The pasta salad recipes on this blog are a few of my most popular recipes on Pinterest. Don’t wait, make one TONIGHT: Avocado Tomato Cucumber Pasta Salad, Oil-Free Vegan Pasta Salad.
6. Pasta Bake
You’ve got 2 options when making a pasta bake. You can cook your pasta in water on the stovetop first (subtract 2 minutes from the cook time on the box), drain it, and then bake it in a casserole dish with sauce, veggies, Beyond or Impossible Meatless Meat, and cheese. Alternatively, you could place a 16-ounce box of dry uncooked pasta in a casserole dish with one 24-ounce jar of pasta sauce and one full jar of water, cover it with aluminum foil, and bake it in a 425-degree oven for 30 minutes. Carefully remove the foil, give it a good stir, add 2 cups of vegan or dairy mozzarella cheese, and bake again for 10 minutes. Done and done! Thank me later. Try this recipe: Meatless Baked Pasta Casserole.
7. Taco Pasta
This might sound weird, but it isn’t, stay with me! Swap out chips or tortillas or rice for pasta! Use your favorite cooked pasta as the base, add a jar of salsa, a can of black beans, crumbled meatless meat or tempeh taco meat, option to add cheese and/or sour cream and there you go … taco pasta! Want to get crazy? Layer cooked spaghetti into taco shells instead of rice and make spaghetti tacos. Winner winner pasta dinner, Mexican style! All the details of my fully veganized version step-by-step here: Easy Vegan Taco Pasta.
8. Hidden Veggies Pasta
Got kids or picky eaters? Need to hide some veggies in their dinner? Make pasta! Simply by starting with a lentil or quinoa-based pasta, you up the protein and the fiber in the meal. Then, take your favorite jarred sauce + toss it in the blender with spinach, cooked carrots, or bell peppers or all of them. The sauce does not change color! Sprinkle some garlic or onion powder, salt, black or red pepper to taste, cheese or nutritional yeast if that is your thing. Another idea is to toss some frozen broccoli florets in their macaroni and cheese. I’ve written a few hidden veggie pasta recipes for you to try: Creamy Vegan Chickpea Tomato Sauce.
Meatless Recipes That Start With a Box of Pasta
How To Host a Vegetarian Pasta Party
Dairy-Free One Pot Creamy Mushroom Pasta
Instant Pot Vegan Pumpkin Mac and Cheese
Sweet Potato Mac N Cheese (dairy free).
Avocado Tomato Cucumber Pasta Salad
Meatless Baked Pasta Casserole
Creamy Vegan Chickpea Tomato Sauce
Food For Thought
Next time you are faced with a box of spaghetti, penne, rigatoni, or fusilli, don’t just grab a jar of sauce, think of my tips + try something outside of the box! Make something you and your family will be excited about eating. A few of the recipes on this page are hands down absolute favorites in my home. Make something you can get excited about! Above all, enjoy a good bowl of homemade pasta in the company of good people + love every single bite. Boun appetito, amici!
All the best,
Tara 🍝👩🏻🍳❤️
⭐️Did you learn a few meatless meals you can make with a box of pasta? Leave a comment below, I love to hear from you! ⭐️
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