Pasta & Noodles
1283 recipes found
Angel Hair Pasta With Peppers and Tomatoes
This simple pasta celebrates the end-of-summer harvest and is perfect for a light lunch or supper, or as part of a buffet. Bell peppers and other sweet peppers — like Corno di Toro and many other varieties of peppers of every hue — ripen in late summer, the same time as long-awaited flavorful (and multicolored) tomatoes, making their pairing seem almost preordained.
Pasta With Cauliflower, Spicy Tomato Sauce and Capers
This dish is made with perciatelli, hollow long noodles that also go by the name bucatini. Their texture is robust, supporting a robust sauce like this one. Because the noodles are hollow, they cook much more quickly than spaghetti, so keep your eye on them so they don’t get too soft. If you can't find perciatelli, spaghetti makes a fine substitute.
Breakfast Udon
This bowl of udon is inspired by the delicate noodle dishes often served as the first meal of the day in Japan. A light, savory broth of dashi, soy sauce and mirin provides a gentle kickstart to your morning. Dashi, a simple seaweed-based stock, is foundational to many Japanese dishes, bolstering the umami flavors of the ingredients and providing balance to the overall dish. If you have 10 minutes and a piece of dried kombu in your pantry, make a quick kombu dashi (see Tip), but in a pinch, a lightly seasoned vegetable stock works, too. The jammy seven-minute egg and wilted spinach are enough to make this dish feel substantial, though you could also add slices of pan-fried tofu, tempura vegetable, seaweed or other hearty toppings to transform this into a complete weeknight dinner.
Exciting Noodle Kugel
This savory kugel, a Jewish baked noodle pudding, comes from a 1950 spiral-bound cookbook that was compiled by the women of a synagogue in suburban Larchmont, N.Y. They called it Exciting Baked Noodles, and it included what were then considered secret ingredients: Worcestershire and Tabasco sauce. To update it, use high-quality pappardelle egg noodles, which add richness. A sprinkling of chives brings flecks of color to the finished casserole.
Crunchy Noodle Kugel à la Great-Aunt Martha
The genius of this sweet noodle kugel — the rich, custardy casserole that is a staple of Jewish cooking — is that its top is designed to offer maximum crunch while its interior remains creamy and luscious. The secret: use a jellyroll pan, which means that there is a greater amount of kugel surface area to brown in the oven, and bake it at a slightly higher temperature. Soaking the raisins in sherry or orange juice adds flavor, and also keeps them from burning in the extra-hot oven.
Jamie Oliver’s Pappardelle With Beef Ragu
This wonderful recipe from Jamie Oliver is hearty and uncomplicated with a surprising pop of flavor thanks to the addition of rosemary and orange zest. Mr. Oliver prepares his in a pressure cooker, but if you don't have one, it can be cooked in a covered Dutch oven on the stove over low heat, or in a 275 degree oven, for about 3 hours. Stir occasionally.
Spaghetti and Meatballs
There’s little more comforting on a weeknight — or any night — than spaghetti, tossed in marinara sauce and paired with savory meatballs. This hearty recipe features three kinds of meat — ground pork shoulder, veal and beef chuck, along with minced bacon — rolled into small balls, which are then browned in a sauté pan, and baked until cooked through. Serve the whole thing with a bowl of grated Parmesan, ready to be heaped on.
Pasta With Meatballs
Carbohydrate avoidance be damned: pasta with meatballs is the perfect culinary counter to the cruel world. Just looking at a slippery, tomato-sauced tangle of spaghetti topped with juicy toothsome meatballs makes you feel better; eating it is the instant antidote to whatever ails you. The recipe here makes more sauce, perhaps, than you'd normally want to use to dress a pound of pasta, but when I sit down to eat with the children I want to make sure I'm not going to have to get up and make them anything else to eat before they go to bed. (Of course you can freeze a portion of little meatballs in sauce for easy access in meals ahead. They need not accompany a bowl of pasta. My children like them just as much with a mound of plain white rice. Who wouldn't?)
Spam Macaroni and Cheese
This decadent yet simple recipe pairs creamy macaroni and cheese with crispy, salty-sweet diced Spam for a dish that bridges Puerto Rico and the South. It’s much quicker than most homemade macaroni and cheese recipes (which often require making a roux and cream sauce), without sacrificing texture or flavor. It is also incredibly adaptable, because it will work with most cheeses. If you have the time and the will, sprinkle the finished macaroni with extra cheese and bake under a low broil for 5 to 10 minutes until toasted. During tough times, a box of instant mac and cheese and a can of Spam will also yield delicious results.
Baked Ziti With Sausage Meatballs and Spinach
Baked ziti is meant to feed a crowd, and this one surely does. “Cheater” meatballs made with uncased Italian sausage are strewn throughout the sauce for heft, and baby spinach lends a pop of color. Because ricotta has a tendency to dry out when baked, crème fraîche is added to ensure a more velvety texture, but sour cream thinned out with a little heavy cream works just as well. The whole dish can be assembled and baked ahead the day before. Bring it to room temperature before warming, then broil right before serving for crisp edges.
Cheesy Chicken Parmesan Meatballs
This one-dish dinner takes inspiration from chicken Parmesan, but eliminates the fuss of breading and frying chicken cutlets. Instead, chicken meatballs are the star, delivering an equally comforting and satisfying meal. The unexpected secret to these tender meatballs is tofu, which keeps them juicy. Simply press pieces of tofu between your fingertips to create small crumbles that resemble ground meat. The addition of ricotta creates a creamy texture, as well as great flavor. The meatballs are simmered in marinara sauce with red bell peppers, which infuse the sauce with fresh flavor and natural sweetness. Sharp and tangy provolone completes the dish, although mozzarella could be used for milder flavor. Enjoy over buttered egg noodles, or with crusty bread to sop up the sauce.
Beet Pasta With Vodka Vinaigrette And Osetra Caviar
French Onion Macaroni and Cheese
This outrageously good macaroni and cheese fuses two classic comfort foods into one dish. Caramelizing onions can be a time-consuming affair, but here, the process is sped up by using high heat and and a little water to prevent scorching. The sauce is made with a combination of Gruyère, to remind you of French onion soup, and white Cheddar, to make it melty and smooth. Instead of topping the dish with a dusting of diminutive bread crumbs, it’s dotted with Gruyère toasts that become melty and crisp after a few minutes under the broiler. (You’ll want to slide a sheet pan underneath before baking, in case some of the sauce bubbles over.) This is over-the-top richness at its best.
Hot Pepper Fettuccine With Roasted Butternut Squash
To contrast with the sweetness of butternut squash, look to something salty and something spicy. This dish features hand-cut homemade red pepper pasta, no more difficult than making ordinary egg pasta. The dough contains three kinds of dried red pepper — sweet paprika, cayenne and a bit of smoky pimentón — which give it its rusty red hue. You can prep most of the components in advance, so it’s easy to finish at the last minute.
Potato Noodles
Here’s a grandmother’s recipe related to gnocchi but from a grandmother who was not Italian. In this recipe from my mother, Annette Gertner, a potato-based dough is formed into small noodle shapes, which are tossed with bread crumbs and onions, Austrian-style. Another way to serve the noodles is to gently fold them with warm sour cream and chives.
Linguine With Smoked Bacon, Leeks and Clams
Briny clams come together with smoky bacon and sautéed leeks in this showstopper. Quick to prepare, this weeknight recipe is decidedly sophisticated. First, sauté the bacon, add the garlic and leeks and add some good white wine and tomatoes. Toss with al dente linguine and top with clams and lemon juice. Finish with it with parsley and pine nuts, and pour yourself a glass of that wine. With this simple, elegant meal, you’ve earned it.
Morels With Ruffled Pasta
Stuffed Shells
Of all the baked pasta dishes, stuffed shells are beloved for good reason: The fluffy ricotta filling, punchy tomato sauce, melted cheese and oversize noodles creates the ultimate comfort food, and the make-ahead aspect is equally compelling. The tomato sauce can be made and refrigerated five days ahead, or you can save time by swapping in three cups of your favorite store-bought marinara sauce. The shells can be assembled a few hours ahead, then baked from the refrigerator an hour before it’s time to eat. While some versions add frozen spinach, herbs or lemon, you really don’t need anything beyond the basics; this classic version is pure comfort. If you're craving greens, serve with a Caesar salad or a side of braised broccoli rabe.
Baked Artichoke Pasta With Creamy Goat Cheese
This cheese-filled pasta bake gets its sweet and crunchy topping from a layer of canned fried onions and Parmesan cheese sprinkled on top. Canned artichokes give it a savory depth, while a combination of goat cheese, cream cheese and mozzarella make it wonderfully gooey. Make sure to use plain — not marinated — artichokes, which will be too sharp and acidic here. You’re looking for a mellow richness in this comforting casserole.
Lasagna With Spicy Roasted Cauliflower
Now that I’ve discovered how delicious roasted cauliflower is and how easy it is to do it, that’s the only way I want to cook it. It might be difficult to abstain from eating the cauliflower before you’ve gotten it into your lasagna.
Baked Alfredo Pasta With Broccoli Rabe and Lemon
One of the great things about baked pastas is that you can get two different textures in one dish. Take the typical pasta Alfredo that's prepared in a skillet: It’s delightfully creamy and lush, but the same, bite after bite. But add a green vegetable to that Alfredo pasta, pile it into a dish, top it with melty cheese and a crunchy bread crumbs, then bake it, and you get a vegetarian dinner that's got it all. If broccoli rabe isn't your thing, you can substitute cut asparagus or broccoli florets.
Baked Ziti
This baked ziti is layered almost like a lasagna to ensure every bite has enough creamy ricotta, stringy mozzarella and tangy tomato sauce. But the key to its success comes from undercooking the pasta during the initial boil so it stays perfectly al dente, even after a trip to the oven. Heavy cream is added to prevent the ricotta from becoming grainy or dry during baking, letting it be its most luscious self. While this baked ziti is meatless (there’s plenty of richness from the cheese — three types, to be exact), you could always incorporate a bit of sausage, ground meat or pancetta, if you like. Simply add 1/2 pound to the onions while sautéeing and proceed with the recipe.
Handmade Lasagna Sheets
There’s nothing quite like lasagna made with thin, silky sheets of fresh pasta. The noodles absorb the sauces as the dish bakes, and everything separate becomes one. Each bite will melt in your mouth. When rolling out the dough, sprinkle generously with flour to prevent sticking. And if you can’t cook the pasta right away, make sure to spread flour abundantly between each sheet because the longer it sits, the more it will threaten to stick back together. If after assembling the lasagna you are left with uncooked sheets of pasta, cut them into noodles, toss with flour, and freeze on a baking sheet in a single layer before transferring into a freezer bag. Freeze for up to a month, and to cook, just drop into boiling, salted water.
Stuffed Shells Filled With Spinach and Ricotta
These are comforting and easy to put together. You can make them ahead and heat them in the oven when you’re ready for dinner.