Pasta recipes

Spaghetti with lentils in a slow-simmered tomato sauce with red wine, basil, oregano, and thyme. A hearty vegetarian pasta dinner with protein-rich lentils instead of meat.

Soupe au pistou, a Provencal vegetable soup with white beans, potatoes, pasta, and a fresh basil-garlic-olive oil pistou stirred in at the table. France's answer to Italian minestrone.

Greek orzo pasta salad with feta cheese, green olives, tomato, fresh dill and parsley in a lemon-olive oil dressing. Bright make-ahead Mediterranean side dish.

Penne with artichoke hearts, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, and lemon, finished with toasty garlic breadcrumbs and romano. A no-cream Italian pantry pasta in 30 minutes.

Hearty minestrone soup simmers Italian sausage with romano beans, spinach, carrots, tomatoes, and small pasta shells in a chicken broth base. Loaded one-pot Italian dinner soup.

Turkey goulash with paprika, caraway seeds, and tomatoes, oven-braised until fork-tender and served over tagliatelle. A lighter take on the Hungarian classic with lean turkey.

Loaded vegetables minestrone packs cannellini beans, zucchini, carrots, celery, cabbage, potatoes, green beans, and elbow macaroni into a beef-stock tomato broth. Classic Italian comfort soup, feeds 10.

Fiery Italian spaghetti with garlic, crushed red pepper, fresh tomatoes, and Parmesan. A spicy twist on aglio e olio that's on the table in 40 minutes with just a handful of ingredients.

Low-fat crab pasta with fresh tomatoes, steamed mushrooms, and peas in a creamy evaporated milk sauce finished with Parmesan. A lighter seafood dinner ready in 25 minutes.

Chili macaroni is a one-pot weeknight dinner combining ground beef, kidney beans, corn, tomatoes, and elbow macaroni in a chili-spiced sauce, topped with melted cheddar. Think homemade Hamburger Helper chili mac, only better.

A slow-simmered marinara built on three layers of tomato, a splash of red wine, Italian herbs, and just enough red pepper flakes to earn the name "zesty." Low-fat, feeds a crowd, and freezes like a champ.

Peasant-style spaghetti with sauteed fresh tomatoes, minced prosciutto, garlic, and oregano tossed together in under 25 minutes. Finished with Parmesan and parsley.

Traditional Mexican meatball soup with mint and cilantro in the albondigas, simmered in rich beef broth with chayote squash, carrots, cabbage, leeks, and small pasta.

Homemade spaghetti marinara with garlic-infused olive oil, simmered tomatoes, basil, oregano, and a kick of red pepper. A from-scratch Italian classic in about an hour.

Hearty three-bean chili con carne with lean beef, roasted peppers, and warm spices for crowd-pleasing game day dinners that serve 12 from one pot.

Minestrone Parmesan: Italian vegetable and pasta soup loaded with smoked ham, chickpeas, spinach, and garden vegetables in a rich beef broth. Finished with grated Parmesan.