Top 7 Unique and Easy Pasta Recipes

There are so many more types of pasta to make than spaghetti and macaroni and cheese, even these are delicious and have many varieties.

The pastas for which I am sharing recipes here include ingredients such as spinach-based pasta (green), walnuts, yogurt, ham, different vegetables, Dijon mustard and some surprises.

I hope you are able to try them and enjoy these delicious dishes.

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

• 1 lb Fettuccine pasta
• Pepper to taste
• 2 White Onions, sliced thin
• 1 cup Sour cream or plain yogurt
• 1/4 cup Olive Oil
• 2 Garlic cloves; peeled and chopped
• 1 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
• 3 Tbsp Butter

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

• 3 1/2 cup Rotini pasta noodles
• 1 cup Frozen peas
• 6 oz Ham or Turkey Ham, sliced thin & juilienned
• 6 oz Light cream cheese or Neufchatel (healthier) at ROOM TEMPERATURE. It needs to be sof.t.
• 1/2 cup Plain Yogurt
• Chopped parsley for garnish

INSTRUCTIONS

• In a large pot, cook pasta al dente, drain half the water, reduce heat to medium, and add frozen peas to cook for 4 more minutes.
• Add ham amd cook for an additional 1 minute. Drain water from the pan and reduce heat to low.
• In a small bowl, mix cream cheese and yogurt well; if too tick, add a little skim milk; and stir into the cooking pot
• Cook over medium-low heat for 90 seconds until heated through.

Serves 2 - 4

INGREDIENTS

• 8 oz. Bow Tie pasta
• 1/2 cup Olive or vegetable oil
• 2 bunches of green onions, trimmed and julienned into short strips, including green tails
• 3/4 cup hot or medium-heat (spiciness) salsa. Mild spiciness will not likely be flavorful enough.
• 1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack or Pepper Jack cheese - use Pepper Jack if you use MILD salsa. Pepper Jack with hot salsa may be too hot.

INSTRUCTIONS

• Using a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta al dente.
• While cooking pasta, heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.
• A quarter of the onions at a time, fry green onion until crisp light brown, about 90 seconds or so.
• Dain water from the pot and return it to the heat; pour in the salsa and cheese, stir briefly and gently to heat through and the cheese begins to melt, and serve.

One of the surprises in this recipe is the impact of Mexican oregano used instead of other oreganos. The Mexican variety is grown in Mexico and has a distinctive, very enjoyable, flavor.

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 lb Thin spaghetti (vermicelli), green if you can get it. Green means spinach is the base.
• 1 1/2 cup chunked tomatoes
• 1 cup seeded and chunked cucumbers
• 1 Haas Avocado, meat sliced
• 1cup of your favorite Salsa
• 1 TBSP Olive oil
• 1/2 tsp Mexican oregano, 1/4 tsp cumin for a smoky flavor, 1/4 tsp chili powder
• cayenne pepper or Red pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
• Garnish - sliced green onions, white and green parts

INSTRUCTIONS

• cook the pasta to al dente, drain waster and rinse quickly with cold water to stop the cooking process.
• Place pasta into a large bowl (serving bowl) and add the tomatoes, cucumber, and avocado on top.
• combine your favorite salsa in mixing bowl with the oil, oregano, chili powder and the amount of cayenne pepper you like, to taste.
• Mix this salsa sauce very well and pour it over yout pasta.
• Add the cilantro on top and gently fold and toss the dish.
• At the table, place a bowl of sliced green onions for garnish.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/2 lb Any Mushrooms you have - different types can be combined. Wash, drain and cut up.
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 1 Tbsp minced garlic (fresh or jarred)
• 1 Tbsp chopped green onions
• 1/4 cup Madeira wine or any read wine you like to use for cooking - If you don;t like to use wine, use ¼ cup red wine vinegar with a tablespoon of sugar or honey stirred into it.
• 1/2 cup Heavy whipping cream
• 8 oz of your favorite pasta noodles
• Grated Romano cheese
• Chopped parsley

INSTRUCTIONS

• Bring 1 gallon of salted water to a boil over medium-high heat. Meanwhile,
• Place olive oil in a skillet over medium heat, warm it, and add the mushrooms, garlic, and onions.
• Cook for 15 minute; add wine and increase heat to high.
• Cook for 2 minutes, add whipping cream, and cook until reduced to a thickness that will coat and cling to a spoon.
• Remove sauce from heat and keep in a warm place.
• Put pasta into boiling water and cook to al dente; drain water and place pasta in a serving bowl.
• Pour sauce over pasta and toss.; serve at the table with container of grated cheese and bowl of chopped parsley for garnish.

Serves 4 - 6

INGREDIENTS

• 1 lb Egg Noodles
• 14-15 oz canned kidney beans (save juices for gravies)
• 14-15 oz canned black beans -- drained (save juices for gravies
• 1/2 Cup frozen Peas
• ½ Cup chunked zucchini, or coarse chopped
• 1 Red onion, chopped
• 1 Yellow bell pepper, chopped
• 3 Tbsp Dijon or Horseradish mustard
• 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 3 Tbsp Red wine vinegar
• 3 Tbsp chopped parsley

INGREDIENTS

• Cook pasta al dente in boiling waster, drain and rinse briefly under cold water to stop cooking processes, drain and place in a large serving Add the beans and vegetables on top of the pasta.
• In a smaller bowl or large measuring cup, mix remaining ingredients, pour these over pasta and toss lightly

Serve 4

INGREDIENTS

• 8 oz Penne
• 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 2 Tbsp Onion, chopped
• 2 Tbsp Flour, all purpose
• Pepper to taste
• 1 Cup fresh or frozen Peas, thawed and drained of any water
• 1 Cup canned Salmon
• ½ Cup small peeled shrimp
• 1/4 Cup Parsley
• 1/4 Cup Parmesan Cheese
• 1 1/4 Cup Milk

INSTRUCTIONS

• In large pot of boiling water, cook pasta al dente, drain, and place in a serving bowl in a warm place if the noodles finish cooking before your sauce is done.
• In a medium-sized pot, heat oil over medium heat, add chopped onion, and cook until just tender.
• Stir in flour, stir very well to dissolve, and cook for 15 seconds. Stir in milk quickly, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer. Keep stirring so as not to burn.
• Add peas, salmon broken up, salmon juices, shrimp, parsley, cheese, and pepper; and stir through to heat..
• Pour mixture over pasta and toss gently to mix.