Best Pantry Pasta Recipes

PANTRY PASTA WITH GARLIC, ANCHOVIES, AND PARMESAN

Steps:

• Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until very al dente, about 3 minutes less than package directions.
• Meanwhile, cook garlic and 1/4 cup oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until garlic is golden, about 4 minutes. Add anchovies (if using) and red pepper flakes and cook, smashing anchovies with a wooden spoon to break them up, until anchovies begin to dissolve, about 1 minute.
• Add 1 1/4 cups pasta cooking liquid along with 1 cup Parmesan to pot with anchovies and garlic and cook, stirring, until cheese is melted, about 1 minute. Using tongs, add pasta to pot, then add butter and lots of black pepper. Cook, tossing energetically and adding more cooking liquid if needed, until pasta is al dente and sauce is thickened and coats pasta, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat; add parsley, lemon zest, and lemon juice.
• Divide pasta among bowls; drizzle with oil and top with more Parmesan.

PANTRY PASTA PUTTANESCA

Steps:

• Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Drain pasta, reserving 1 cup pasta cooking liquid; return pasta to pot.
• While pasta cooks, pour tomatoes into a fine-mesh sieve set over a medium bowl. Shake to release as much juice as possible, then let tomatoes drain in sieve, collecting juices in bowl, until ready to use.
• Heat 1/4 cup oil in a large deep-sided skillet over medium-high. Add capers and cook, swirling pan occasionally, until they burst and are crisp, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer capers to a paper towel-lined plate, reserving oil in skillet.
• Combine anchovies, tomato paste, and drained tomatoes in skillet. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes begin to caramelize and anchovies start to break down, about 5 minutes. Add collected tomato juices, olives, oregano, and red pepper flakes and bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce is slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Add pasta, remaining 1/4 cup oil, and 3/4 cup pasta cooking liquid to pan. Cook over medium heat, stirring and adding remaining 1/4 cup pasta cooking liquid to loosen if needed, until sauce is thickened and emulsified, about 2 minutes. Flake tuna into pasta and toss to combine.
• Divide pasta among plates. Top with fried capers.

PANTRY PULL PASTA PUTTANESCA

Steps:

• Melt the butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Once the butter is melted, add the breadcrumbs and toast until golden brown and crispy, 2 to 3 minutes. Set aside.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Season aggressively with salt. Add the pasta and cook to al dente, 1 to 2 minutes less than the package recommends. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the pasta cooking water.
• Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the anchovies and cook, using a wooden spoon to break them up, until the anchovies begin to dissolve into the oil, 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to low. Add the garlic and chile flakes and cook, stirring, an additional 1 to 2 minutes, taking care not to burn the garlic. Stir in the tomatoes, olives, capers, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook until thickened, 10 to 15 minutes. Increase the heat to medium-high, then add the spaghetti and 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup of the pasta water. Cook, tossing, until the pasta is coated and the sauce begins to thicken, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the parsley. Top with the toasted breadcrumbs and serve immediately.

PANTRY PASTA

Steps:

• Add the onions into a skillet with the olive oil over medium heat. Saute for a few minutes, and then add in the diced tomatoes, chicken stock, olives, artichoke hearts and garlic. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir and simmer over low heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Add the cooked pasta to the skillet and stir to combine with the sauce. Mix in the pesto. Toss in the feta and top with the pine nuts.

PANTRY PASTA SALAD

Steps:

• Combine garbanzo beans, artichoke hearts, frozen peas, black olives, and red onion in a large salad bowl.
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook the bow tie pasta at a boil, stirring occasionally, until cooked through but firm to the bite, about 12 minutes; drain.
• Mix still-warm pasta into garbanzo bean mixture. Fold queso blanco cheese into salad; add Italian salad dressing and toss to coat. Season to taste with cracked black pepper. Set salad aside until peas thaw and flavors blend, about 5 minutes.

PANTRY CAESAR CHICKEN & ARTICHOKE PASTA SALAD

Steps:

• Gather and prep ingredients.
• Bring 2 to 3 quarts water to boiling; add about 1/2 to 1 teaspoon salt. Add the package of rotini pasta; return to boil, reduce heat to medium-high and gently boil pasta for 12 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
• While pasta is boiling, mix together 1 tablespoon water and the seasoning packet from the salad kit. Add 1/3 to 1/2 cup mayonnaise, stirring to blend well. Set aside.
• Drain cooked pasta (do not rinse if you want a warm salad, rinse with cold water for cold salad.)
• Add drained pasta to bowl with seasoned mayonnaise mixture; mix gently until pasta is evenly coated.
• Add chicken and artichokes, mixing gently until evenly coated with the mayonnaise mixture. Add more mayonnaise if needed, especially after refrigerating.
• Just before serving, lightly sprinkle with crushed seasoned croutons and grated parmesan cheese.

PANTRY PASTA

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
• In a large saute pan over medium heat, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add the bacon and cook until it just starts to get a little crispy, about 5 minutes. Add the crushed red pepper, garlic and shallot and cook, stirring, until tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the beans and artichokes to the pan and cook for another 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
• Meanwhile, cook the orecchiette in the boiling water for the amount of time specified on the box, minus 2 minutes. Reserve 3/4 cup of the pasta water, then drain the pasta.
• Add the pasta to the pan with the artichokes and beans and toss over medium heat. Add the pasta water and continue to cook until the pasta achieves an al dente texture and the sauce is coating the pasta. Remove from the heat and add half of the Parmesan. Mix in the butter and half of the parsley. Season with more salt and pepper. Transfer to large serving bowl and garnish with the remaining Parmesan, parsley and 2 tablespoons olive oil.

"PANTRY FIND" PASTA FOR TWO

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook pasta in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until tender yet firm to the bite, about 12 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a skillet and saute shallot until soft and translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Add olives, chopped tomatoes, and capers. Mix well and remove from heat.
• Drain pasta, add to the skillet, and toss to coat. Mix in tuna in chunks. Top with Romano cheese and serve.

FROM THE PANTRY: CREAMY MUSHROOM PASTA

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta, and cook according to package directions. Strain and set aside.
• Meanwhile, bring the evaporated milk, chicken broth, oil, flour, mustard, garlic, 3/4 teaspoon salt, Worcestershire and paprika to a boil in a large skillet. Reduce the heat and simmer, whisking constantly, until the sauce is just thicker than heavy cream, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the mushrooms, vinegar and several grinds of pepper, and simmer for 1 minute. Stir in the pasta. Divide among 4 shallow bowls, and sprinkle each with a little paprika, dill and pepper.

PANTRY PASTA WITH ROMESCO SAUCE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to the package directions, until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta.
• Meanwhile, combine the red peppers, whole almonds, breadcrumbs, vinegar, granulated garlic and paprika in a food processor and process until the texture is coarse but uniform. With the motor running, slowly pour in the oil and process until the sauce is thickened and emulsified. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.
• Transfer the sauce to a large bowl. Add the pasta and enough of the reserved pasta water so that the sauce is loose enough to pour but smooth enough to stick to the pasta. Divide the pasta among individual bowls, and sprinkle with the chopped almonds.

PANTRY PASTA TEX MEX STYLE

Steps:

• Bring water to a boil and cook pasta until almost completely cooked; add corn and boil for another minute or so to heat through.
• Meanwhile, in a bowl combine ham and salsa. When pasta and corn are done, drain and pat dry and toss with ham and salsa. Toss to combine and serve with grated cheese or other toppings.

PANTRY PASTA FAZOOL (PASTA E FAGIOLI)

Steps:

• 1. In large soup pot on medium to low heat, add oil. Then add onions, carrots and celery. After a minute or two add bay leaves, salt, pepper, Old Bay, crushed red pepper and garlic. Cook on low, covered, until vegetables are soft (about 6-8 minutes). Don't brown the mixture, you just want them to sweat.
• 2. Add beans, tomato sauce, chicken broth and water. Increase heat and bring to a rapid boil. Add pasta, reduce heat to medium, simmer uncovered and cook 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add spinach and cook another 3 minutes.
• 3. Fish out the bay leaves and serve with a dusting of cheese and a crusty loaf of bread.

EASY PANTRY PASTA SAUCE

Steps:

• 1. Blend tomato sauce, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, sugar and garlic in a bowl until smooth. Set aside.
• 2. Saute onions with olive oil until halfway cooked, add diced tomatoes.
• 3. If adding meat to the sauce, fry in pan with onions until brown then add diced tomatoes.
• 4. Let simmer for about 5 minutes, then add mushrooms.
• 5. Simmer until the sauce is at the consistency you desire.

CHERRY TOMATO AND OLIVE PANTRY PASTA

Steps:

• Heat 2 Tbsp. oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Cook sausage, breaking up with a wooden spoon, until cooked through, browned, and crisp in places, 5-8 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl with a slotted spoon. Reduce heat to medium; add onion and olives to skillet. Cook, stirring often, until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, increase heat to medium-high, and cook, mashing tomatoes lightly and stirring often, until juices are slightly thickened, about 3 minutes.
• Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pot of lightly salted boiling water, stirring occasionally, until very al dente, about 6 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup pasta cooking liquid.
• Add pasta and 3/4 cup pasta cooking liquid to sauce and cook, tossing, until pasta is al dente and sauce coats noodles. Mix in peperoncini, cooked sausage, and another 1/4 cup pasta cooking liquid. Then, tossing constantly, gradually add all but 1/2 cup cheese, followed by butter. Once incorporated, remove from heat and mix in basil. Divide pasta among bowls. Drizzle with oil; top with remaining cheese.

QUICK PANTRY PASTA WITH SUN-DRIED TOMATOES AND BURRATA.

Steps:

• 1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente. Just before draining, reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water. Drain.2. Meanwhile, drain the sun-dried tomato oil out into a large skillet. Reserve the tomatoes. 3. Set the skillet over medium heat. When the oil shimmers, add the garlic, oregano, crushed red pepper flakes, 1/4 cup basil, and lemon zest. Cook 2-3 minutes, until the garlic is fragrant. Add the tomato paste, cook another minute. Stir in 3/4 cup of the reserved pasta water and bring to a simmer. Add the sun-dried tomatoes and pasta, tossing to coat. Stir in the parmesan and a pinch of pepper. Cook until warmed through, 1-2 minutes. Add the parsley and remaining 1/4 cup basil, toss until the herbs are wilted and the sauce coats the pasta, about 2-3 minutes, adding in more pasta water if needed to thin the sauce. Remove from the heat. 4. Transfer the pasta to serving bowls and top each with burrata. Drizzle with olive oil, dill, and season with salt and pepper. Enjoy!

PANTRY PASTA

Steps:

• Cook pasta in boiling water with bouillon cubes for flavor. Add salt to water if omitting bouillon. Cook until "al dente".
• Heat 2 tablespoons oil in saute pan, add onions and then garlic. Add cauliflower (or other vegetables in pantry), for 2 to 3 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste. Add your tomatoes and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes. Add half and half or milk, grated cheese and red pepper flakes to taste and simmer for 45 minutes. Adjust seasonings. Ladle over pasta or toss together and serve