Pasta/6 recipes

Classic Italian lasagna with homemade meat sauce from Italian sausage and ground beef, ricotta filling, mozzarella, and Parmesan. A from-scratch Sunday dinner.

Warm cheese tortellini salad with broccoli, Havarti cubes, roasted red peppers, and Dijon vinaigrette. A quick, cheesy Italian pasta salad ready in 30 minutes.

Vegan spinach lasagna with tofu ricotta, miso, and nutmeg in a mushroom tomato sauce. A dairy-free lasagna with fresh blanched spinach and nutritional yeast Parmesan topping.

This deep mahogany sauce with snow peas, mushrooms and carrots turns soba noodles, fettuccini or ravioli into a delicious Asian pasta primavera.

Chicken Ya-Hah simmers chicken breast with jalapenos, water chestnuts, Szechwan chili sauce, curry, cumin, and red wine in tomato sauce. A spicy fusion stew over cornbread or rice.

Mom's German meatballs: hearty egg-sized meatballs seasoned with celery seed, mustard seed, and garlic water, rolled in flour and pan-browned. Old-world German-American home cooking.

A hearty vegetarian version of my favorite soup. It's easy to make it vegetarian by using roasted vegetable stock instead of beef stock. By adding a leftover parmesan rind (I save them in the freezer for this soup) it adds extra flavor. (optional)

Chicken marinara made with a fast homemade tomato sauce of diced tomatoes, tomato paste, red wine, and basil spooned over cooked chicken pieces. A 25-minute weeknight Italian dinner with pantry staples.

Fragrant Asian pesto with peanuts, fresh basil, mint, cilantro, green chilies, and ginger. A bold, herbaceous sauce for noodles that's ready in 15 minutes. Vegetarian-friendly.

Low-carb lasagna swapping noodles for sliced zucchini, layered with a slow-simmered beef and red wine meat sauce, creamy ricotta, melted mozzarella, and Parmesan. All the comfort, none of the pasta.

A crispy vermicelli-Parmesan crust topped with mixed seafood, broccoli, mushrooms, and a rich sherry cream sauce under bubbly mozzarella. Part pasta, part pizza, all comfort.

Cheesy broccoli tuna noodle bake with egg noodles, cream of cheddar soup, and melted cheddar on top. A comforting layered casserole made with pantry staples.

Stir-fried chicken strips tossed with mushrooms, garlic, and marinara sauce, then smothered in melted mozzarella and Parmesan. Served over spaghetti, this 30-minute cheesy chicken marinara is a weeknight winner.

Spaghetti with a rich simmered ground beef sauce loaded with mushrooms, scallions, garlic, and tomatoes. Inspired by the Italian port city of Brindisi, ready in 45 minutes.

Chicken livers browned in bacon drippings, simmered in dry sherry and tomato sauce with mushrooms, onions, and herbs. Served over rice, polenta, or pasta with grated Parmesan. Ready in 20 minutes.

Parmesan noodles Alfredo tosses egg noodles in a quick sauce of butter, half-and-half, and grated Parmesan. Five-ingredient Italian-American comfort dinner ready in 30 minutes.