Pasta/13 recipes

Note: 15 bean mixtures are available packaged in supermarkets and health food stores. If you prefer, make your own by combining equal amounts of dried blackeyed peas, red kidney beans, white kidney beans (cannellini), green lentils, split peas, black beans, yellow split peas, navy beans, cranberry (Roman, shell, or shell out) beans, great Northern beans, pinto beans, small white limas, red lentils, cow peas (field peas), and pink beans. Avoid using beans such as garbanzos and large lima beans, as these take longer to cook than other varities.

This is a tasty burritos, nutritional and healthy too.

Fresh minestrone soup made in the microwave in 13 minutes with spirelli pasta, mixed vegetables, beef stock, and Italian herbs. A solo or two-bowl quick lunch with no stovetop required.

Handmade tortelloni stuffed with acorn squash, escarole, ham, and ricotta, finished in a buttery pecorino-tomato cream sauce. An Italian masterclass worth every minute.

Spinach pasta soup with orzo, tomato paste, and chicken broth, ready in 30 minutes. A light, low-sodium soup loaded with fresh greens and tiny pasta in a savory tomato broth.

Homemade spinach pasta dough from scratch with flour, eggs, cooked spinach, and olive oil. Kneaded by hand and cut into any shape, yielding 1 1/4 pounds of fresh green pasta.

This recipe is adapted from the recipe of America's Test Kitchen. A 10-ounce box of frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry, can be substituted for the fresh spinach, if necessary.

Fresh cherry tomatoes, basil, and toasted almonds make this fresh pesto that highlights the fresh ingredients. A very quick, easy and delicious dish! Originates from the Italian village of Trapani on the tip of Sicily.

Spaghetti squash is a healthy, low-carb, gluten-free substitute for regular pasta. One cup of spaghetti squash has 42 calories, 10 grams of carbs and 2 grams of fiber. The same amount of cooked spaghetti has 220 calories, 43 grams of carbs and 3 grams of fiber.

Juicy, sweet and tender roasted tomatoes, creamy goat cheese, and slightly bitter mixed greens make this mouth-watering pasta dish delicious and nutritious.

Butter, cream, and two cheeses melt together in this thick, silky Alfredo sauce that coats every strand of pasta with the kind of indulgence that makes Italian restaurants nervous.

Szechuan spiced shrimp pasta tosses penne with garlic-chili-paste shrimp and a buttery sauteed spinach-tomato sauce. East-meets-Italian fusion, ready in 25 minutes once the prep is done.

A 10-minute no-cook pasta toss with cherry tomatoes, capers, nicoise olives, fresh basil, and garlic in extra-virgin olive oil. Light, bright, and vegetarian.

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.

Six-ingredient creamy garlic pasta tosses sliced garlic sauteed in olive oil with reduced cream, hot pasta, and grated parmesan. Ready in 10 minutes flat for a fast weeknight dinner.

Quick microwave chicken pasta primavera loaded with broccoli and carrots, tossed in a creamy ranch-parmesan sauce over fettuccine. Dinner on the table in under 10 minutes.