My top 5 simple pasta recipes you can make in no time every day!

If like me, you have a busy day, you are always looking for simple pasta recipes you can make in no time. Well, look no further! I’ve selected 5 pasta recipes for you, that are easy and quick to make.

Italians eat pasta almost every day (some actually every day…), but how can you find the time to make tasty recipe every day? The answer is quite simple, pasta sauces are usually simple, made of two or three ingredients and do not take much time to cook.

When I was a child, both my parents worked full time, but we always have some sauce in the fridge or a bottle of tomato passata that can be used to make simple pasta sauces. Your cupboard can  be a great source of inspiration for simple pasta recipes.

Simple pasta recipes: grocery list to ease things up

When you go grocery shopping you can buy certain food that will help you save money and time.
There are a few items you can keep in your cupboard to whip up a pasta dish in no time, here are some:

• canned tuna/mackerel/salmon
• canned tomatoes
• olives
• capers
• pesto sauce
• anchovies
• garlic
• extra virgin olive oil

There are also things you can keep in the freezer or fridge ready to use when you need them:

• grilled vegetables (eggplants, bell peppers, mushrooms)
• home made tomato passata
• home made pesto sauce
• cheese
• butter
• parsley

Easy cupboard pasta recipes

A lot of everyday pasta recipes are made with simple ingredients. The easiest is surely “spaghetti aglio e olio”, garlic and oil. This is a very classi dish when you are in a hurry. Cook the spaghetti and in the meantime heat up some extra virgin olive oil with garlic and chili flakes. That’s it.

Another simple pasta recipe is pasta with tuna and olives. While the pasta cooks, heat up some olive oil in a pan, add the tuna and the olives and cook for a couple of minutes. As soon as the pasta is done, put it into the pan, sauté for a minute and season with some pepper and parsley. You can also add some capers if you like or either fresh tomatoes or passata.

The very basic pasta that does not even involve cooking the seasoning is for sure “pasta in bianco“. Although many think of it when they have digestive issues, pasta in bianco, especially if made with whole wheat, is still a nutritious dish you can prepare in less than 15 minutes. If you use high quality butter and parmigiano, it is actually very very tasty. You only need butter and parmigiano. Pepper is ok to garnish if you like it. Once the pasta is cooked add the butter, the parmigiano and some of the cooking water to melt the cheese and create a creamy texture.

Tips for preparing simple and quick pasta

• Use a pressure cooker
  When you use a pressure cooker you save at least half the time and also you will reduce washing up in the end. A simple way to cook tasty meals with no time. I basically use my pressure cooker everyday. The only type of pasta I cannot cook in that pot is spaghetti. They’re too long so I use the traditional method.
• Prepare ahead
  while pasta is usually best if freshly cooked, you can actually cook it in batches and keep it in the fridge if you have very little time to cook. Simply reduce the cooking time by a couple of minutes. For example, if your pasta needs to be cooked for 10minutes , cook it for 8. Then cool it down. season with a bit of olive oil to prevent it from sticking and keep in the refrigerator in an air tight container. When you’re ready prepare the sauce and stir-fry the pasta in it for a few minutes.
  You can also prepare the sauces ahead of time. For example you can make your tomato sauce in a large batch and keep it in the freezer or in the fridge. When you’re ready, take it out and stir fry the pasta with the sauce.
• Keep it simple
  Pasta recipes do not need to be fancy, super rich or made with expensive or ingredients difficult to find. Every vegetable work with pasta. Got boiled broccoli? Stir fry the broccoli in a pan with olive oil garlic and some anchovies. Cook the pasta and season it with your broccoli stir-fry. This works with cauliflower, zucchini, bell peppers, eggplants, leafy greens or whatever you have on hand.
• Use leftovers
  Leftovers are a great way to prepare pasta dishes. When you make a vegetables stir-fry for example, you can eat it as a side, but the leftovers can be used on pasta. When I cook stewed beans or lentils, I usually make more and keep some in the fridge for a mid-week hearty and warming soup.

My top 5 simple pasta recipes

1. Pressure cooker tuna, olives and capers pasta

Super easy and quick, you can make this dish in a pressure cooker.
A super flavorful option for a quick, tasty and healthy meal.

2. Cacio e pepe

Cacio e pepe is a classic, you only need pecorino cheese and pepper. A simple dish you can make in less than 15 minutes.

3. Amatriciana

From the Roman tradition, amatriciana is one of the best recipe if you want to treat yourself with something special. Three simple ingredients to  make an amazing sauce. I always keep guanciale in the fridge for those days when I have little time to cook what a hearty and fulfilling meal. Don’t be fooled by the fat content. You only need a small amount of guanciale, and when you buy a very high quality one, the fat is also healthier than regular guanciale.

4. Pasta with zucchini

Eggs and zucchini are the prefect pair for a pasta recipe. While the pasta is boiling you can cook the zucchini and in less than 15/20 minutes your pasta is ready. HEALTHY TIP: want to reduce the carbs content? add more zucchini and reduce the pasta amount. The fibers will help making you feel full even if you have eaten less pasta.

5. Penne all’arrabbiata

This is sheer simplicity. Garlic, tomato and oil. I’m pretty sure everyone has those three ingredients at home. If you want to cook it very quickly you can use the pressure cooker. Otherwise you can boil the water in the kettle before adding it to the pot, to speed up a bit the process.