Pasta recipes

Pasta with beans, the Italian-American take on pasta e fagioli, with elbow macaroni tossed into a brothy tomato base loaded with cannellini beans, garlic, and Parmesan. Rustic one-pot comfort food.

Pasta with smoked mozzarella: bow-tie pasta with sun-dried tomatoes, fresh asparagus, thyme, and melty smoked mozzarella. A light pasta dinner that works hot or as a next-day salad.

Toasted cumin, chili powder, enchilada sauce, beans, and corn simmered into a bold Southwestern sauce served over pasta with melted cheddar on top.

A rich Italian meat sauce with Italian sausage, ground beef, pancetta, porcini mushrooms, and red wine simmered with tomatoes and a hint of nutmeg. Worthy of your Christmas Eve pasta course.

Butternut squash pasta sauce with melted Monterey Jack, vegetable broth, and sun-dried tomatoes tossed with ziti. A creamy, lighter fall pasta without heavy cream.

Pasta with kielbasa and sauerkraut brings smoky Polish sausage, tangy kraut, red bell pepper, and Dijon together over ziti with a splash of white wine. A hearty Eastern European pasta dinner.

Jumbo pasta shells stuffed with ricotta, Parmesan, and egg, baked in a homemade basil tomato sauce and topped with melted mozzarella. Classic Italian comfort food.

Quick Italian pasta tossed with steamed broccoli, carrots, celery, and three-cheese blend. Fresh tomatoes and herbs make this healthy 15-minute vegetarian dinner satisfying and flavorful.

Slow cooker rosemary chicken with tomatoes, mushrooms, and garlic served over pasta. A set-it-and-forget-it Italian-inspired weeknight dinner.

Sun-dried tomato pasta sauce with no canned tomatoes. Dry-packed tomatoes rehydrate in boiling water, then split between a blended puree and chunky halves for real texture. Vegan, 20 minutes.

Tri-color pasta with a simple tomato sauce simmered with garlic and onion, tossed with fresh basil, olive oil, and Parmesan. Italian comfort food from pantry staples.

Tuna stuffed jumbo pasta shells baked in a creamy dill sauce made with cottage cheese, yogurt, and Parmesan. A lighter take on stuffed shells using low-fat cottage cheese instead of ricotta.

Lentil pasta soup with orzo, Italian green beans, tomatoes, and four dried herbs in a chicken broth base. A hearty one-pot soup finished with vinegar and croutons.

Quick creamy basil pesto pasta topped with pan-fried chicken breast, ready in under 30 minutes. Homemade pesto blended with cream coats every strand for a rich, herbaceous weeknight dinner for two.

Here is a kind of throw together recipe I came up with: If you are entertaining you can garnish with fresh parsley and serve with a caesar salad, garlic bread and a nice chablis. The vegetables can vary. I've used mushrooms, spinach, cauliflower etc. Grouper works well with this because it has a lot of flavor. I've used fresh tuna and halibut but prefer grouper.

Crockpot beef stroganoff casserole with ground beef, mushrooms, and sour cream over elbow macaroni. A slow cooker comfort meal with a red wine gravy base.