Pasta recipes

Baked pasta shells with mushroom cream: a lightened chicken-and-pasta casserole with peas, mushrooms, pimentos, and Parmesan breadcrumb topping. Cornstarch-thickened sauce means no heavy bechamel.

Lentils and spaghetti tossed with sauteed kale, ham, cumin, and red pepper flakes in chicken broth. A hearty, high-protein pasta loaded with greens and earthy lentils.

Sardinian fregula with clams, prosciutto, saffron, and chili flakes cooked to a risotto-like consistency in white wine and tomato broth. A rustic Italian seafood pasta.

Crock-Pot chicken cacciatore slow-cooked in tomato paste, red wine, mushrooms, and Creole seasoning until the meat falls off the bone. A set-it-and-forget-it Italian-Cajun fusion served over pasta.

Box mac and cheese transformed into a quick chicken cacciatore with seasoned canned tomatoes, green pepper, and cooked chicken stirred right in. A 40-minute shortcut dinner kids will devour.

Hearty Italian minestrone packed with beans, eggplant, zucchini, spinach, cabbage, and pasta, topped with a bright homemade basil pesto. A one-pot vegetable soup that eats like a meal.

Homemade cream of chicken noodle soup with shredded chicken, elbow macaroni, mixed vegetables, and a sage-and-thyme-scented cream base. A hearty one-pot soup that beats anything from a can.

Kelly's Asian chicken: bone-in chicken pieces braised with a whole bulb of garlic, dried chiles, soy, vinegar, and honey. Vietnamese-style stovetop dinner that serves six.

Try this succulent dish that brings a variety of different flavors to your dinner table.

Silky oyster corn chowder loaded with smoky prosciutto, sweet corn, and plump oysters in a creamy chipotle-spiked broth. Orzo pasta makes this elegant soup hearty enough for dinner in just 25 minutes.

Ron Santo's linguine with clam sauce pairs the Chicago Cubs legend's red clam sauce with diced tomatoes, mushrooms, white wine, and a pinch of cayenne for a quick Italian pasta dinner.

Quick spaghetti with shrimp, asparagus, and ginger-lemon sauce ready in 20 minutes. Light, bright flavors perfect for easy weeknight elegance.

Mix-and-match meatballs you build your way, choosing the meat, broth, herb, and creamy finish. Baked, then simmered in a mushroom gravy enriched with sour cream, yogurt, or cream cheese, served over noodles, rice, or spaetzle.

Kreplach with four filling options: chicken, chicken liver with schmaltz, seasoned ground beef, or cottage cheese. Homemade Jewish dumplings for chicken noodle soup or served with sour cream.

Handmade pumpkin ravioli filled with ricotta and pumpkin, served in a creamy pumpkin seed sauce with green chiles. A from-scratch fall pasta project.

Fettuccine tossed with melted goat cheese, roasted red and yellow peppers, sun-dried tomatoes, kalamata olives, and capers. A Mediterranean pasta ready in 25 minutes.