Pasta/5 recipes

Vegetarian chunky tomato pasta sauce loaded with mushrooms, celery, and bell pepper, simmered with fresh tomatoes and herbs. Oil-free option available. Ready in under an hour.

Classic three-cheese lasagna layered with ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmigiano-Reggiano. The old-world method: thirds of everything, three layers deep, parmesan crust on top.

Lean chicken tetrazzini using melted cottage cheese instead of cream sauce, with spaghetti, mushrooms, dry sherry, and a Parmesan breadcrumb topping. Lower fat, full flavor.

Old-school Italian tomato sauce simmered with onion, carrot, celery, garlic, and basil, then strained smooth through a food mill. The Sunday-gravy base every cook should know.

Vegan Sicilian lentil pasta sauce simmered with mushrooms, garlic, tomato sauce, and tomato paste. Low-fat, high-protein, and hearty enough to replace any meat sauce over pasta or rice.

Classic Italian-American lasagna with hot Italian sausage, a carrot-and-celery-studded tomato sauce, creamy ricotta filling, and stretchy mozzarella. A peppery weeknight crowd-pleaser.

Lemon turkey stir-fry and pasta: marinated turkey cutlets sauteed with slivered lemon, garlic, scallions, and fresh spinach, tossed over spaghetti. Bright, zesty, and faster than ordering in.

Mustard-glazed ham steak microwaved over cabbage and onion with Dijon, honey, and red wine vinegar. Fifteen-minute weeknight dinner for busy nights.

Spinach lasagne with sauteed mushrooms, tomatoes, garlic, and fresh wilted spinach folded into a three-cheese filling. A vegetarian Italian lasagna with no jarred sauce needed.

Buffalo chicken lasagna layered with hot sauce-spiked tomato sauce, ricotta, and crumbled blue cheese on top. Wing-night flavor in casserole form, no frying required.

Cold peanut noodles tossed in a blended peanut sauce with soy, garlic, sesame oil, and cayenne. Topped with steamed carrots, snow peas, cucumber, and green onions.

Italian-American spaghetti and meatballs with a three-meat blend (beef, pork, veal), a slow-simmered tomato sauce with red wine, and parmesan-bread crumb meatballs browned then finished in sauce.

Egg drop and noodle soup with Parmesan cheese, spinach, and egg noodles in chicken broth. An Italian-inspired twist on classic egg drop soup ready in 30 minutes.

Cincinnati chili: a thin, fragrant ground beef sauce spiced with cinnamon, allspice, and cumin, ladled over spaghetti and topped with shredded cheddar, raw onion, and oyster crackers. The Ohio classic.

Creamy broccoli lasagna layered with Swiss cheese, cottage cheese, and a velvety bouillon-spiked white sauce. A meatless casserole that turns weeknight pasta into something hearty.

A fragrant homemade Chinese ten-spice blend with toasted star anise, Szechuan peppercorns, fennel, coriander, and cumin. Toast, grind, and store for marinades, stir-fries, sauces, and meat rubs.