Ingredient

Pasta recipes and substitutes

Pasta is a fast base for warm dinners, cold salads, and high-protein pantry meals.

Recipes with Pasta

Pasta salad with tuna, vegetables, and herbs
22 min 3 servings Medium cost

Tuna Pasta Salad

A quick cold pasta salad with tuna, sweetcorn, cucumber, and a lemon yogurt dressing.

no reheatlunchboxhigh protein
Creamy pasta with herbs in a bowl
23 min 3 servings Low cost

Creamy Garlic Pasta

A quick stovetop pasta with garlic, spinach, and a silky lemon cream sauce.

quick dinnervegetarianone pot
Golden baked pasta in a serving dish
40 min 4 servings Low cost

Chickpea and Tomato Pasta Bake

A crisp-topped, weeknight pasta bake with chickpeas, tomatoes, spinach, and melted cheese.

vegetarianpantry dinnerfamily dinner
Pasta with mushrooms and herbs in a bowl
30 min 4 servings Low cost

Mushroom and Spinach Pasta

A weeknight pasta with browned mushrooms, garlic, spinach, and a glossy Parmesan sauce.

quick dinnervegetarianpasta
Tomato pasta served in a bowl
25 min 4 servings Low cost

Tuna Tomato Pasta

A fast, pantry-first pasta with tuna, tomatoes, garlic, capers, and lemon.

quick dinnerpastapantry dinner
Pesto chicken pasta salad
30 min 4 servings Medium cost

Pesto Chicken Pasta Salad

A make-ahead pasta salad with chicken, tomatoes, greens, and pesto.

saladmeal prepchicken

Common uses

  • Toss with sauces, roasted vegetables, beans, or tuna for fast meals.
  • Use small shapes in pasta salad and soups.
  • Save a little pasta cooking water to loosen and emulsify sauces.

Storage and shelf life

Dried pasta keeps for many months in a sealed, dry cupboard. Refrigerate cooked pasta for 3 to 5 days; store sauce separately when possible.

Substitutions and ratios

  • Swap similar dried pasta shapes 1:1 by weight.
  • Use rice, couscous, or noodles in place of pasta, following their own cooking times.
  • For a lower-wheat option, use gluten-free pasta 1:1 and check it earlier for doneness.

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