Easy dinner recipes: Three pasta dishes in 30 minutes or less
Dinner doesn’t get much more simple than a bowl of pasta, but why serve it with a plain old red sauce? Get creative with these recipe options. Each features a handful of ingredients, and the dishes come together in 30 minutes or less!
Napoli’s capellini al gamberetti: Love shrimp? Fresh and bright with large shrimp, tomatoes, mushrooms, garlic and a sprinkling of fresh parsley, Capellini al gamberetti, a pasta dish from Napoli restaurant in Loma Linda, doesn’t get any easier. Make it in less than 30 minutes.
Angel hair pasta with fresh shiso-herb mix: A wonderfully aromatic herb with a bit of a bite, shiso is part of the mint and basil family. For a bright and simple dish, pair shiso with fresh lemon zest, parsley, chives and basil and toss with angel hair pasta. Serve the dish on its own for a vegetarian option, or top with a grilled fillet of salmon or other fish.
QUICK & EASY: Terrific recipes in under an hour
Rigatoni with cauliflower: Love cauliflower? This is a great dish to use up leftover cauliflower, or quickly steam or microwave it while you’re preparing the other ingredients. Cauliflower is tossed with toasted pine nuts, garlic, plumped currants, capers, anchovies, parsley and red pepper flakes for a touch of heat in this quick dish.
You can find the recipes below.
And for more ideas, click through our easy dinner recipes gallery and check out our Dinner Tonight page, devoted to recipes that can be made in an hour or less. Looking for a particular type of recipe? Comment below or email me at noelle.carter@latimes.com.
RECIPES: 99 easy dinner ideas in about an hour or less
NAPOLI’S CAPELLINI AL GAMBERETTI
Total time: 25 minutes
Servings: 4
Note: Adapted from Napoli Italian Restaurant in Loma Linda
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound large (16 to 20 count) shrimp, peeled and cleaned
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1/2 pound sliced mushrooms
1 cup diced tomatoes
1 cup drained jarred artichokes
Salt and pepper
1/2 pound capellini (angel hair) pasta, cooked al dente in salted water
1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley
1. Heat a 12- to 14-inch sauté pan over medium-high heat until hot. Add the olive oil, shrimp and garlic and cook, tossing or stirring frequently until the shrimp is just cooked, about 2 minutes.
2. Add the mushrooms, tomatoes and artichokes and continue to cook until the mushrooms are softened, about 3 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
3. Stir in the pasta and parsley, and toss to combine and warm the pasta. Remove from heat and serve immediately.
Each serving: 519 calories; 29 grams protein; 50 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams fiber; 22 grams fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 168 mg cholesterol; 4 grams sugar; 328 mg sodium.
ANGEL HAIR PASTA WITH FRESH SHISO-HERB MIX
Total time: 25 minutes
Servings: 4
Note: From Donna Deane. Serve this pasta with grilled fillet of salmon or other fish.
4 ounces angel hair pasta
1 tablespoon best-quality olive oil
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup loosely packed torn shiso leaves
1/3 cup snipped chives ( 1/2 -inch pieces)
1/3 cup loosely packed torn parsley leaves
1/3 cup loosely packed torn basil leaves
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil (the water should be as salty as the sea). Add the pasta and cook just to al dente, about 3 minutes or according to package directions.
2. Drain the pasta in a colander, reserving one-half cup of the cooking liquid. Place the pasta in a large serving bowl. Toss the pasta with the olive oil, lemon zest and salt and pepper to taste.
3. Add the shiso, chives, parsley and basil and toss to distribute evenly. Add the cooking liquid to moisten the pasta as needed. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.
Each serving: 142 calories; 4 grams protein; 22 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams fiber; 4 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 0 cholesterol; 6 mg. sodium.
RIGATONI WITH CAULIFLOWER
Active Work and Total Preparation Time: 30 minutes
1/3 cup currants
1/2 cup white wine, such as Pinot Grigio
Salt
1 pound rigatoni pasta
1/3 cup pine nuts
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 large cloves garlic, minced
2 to 2 1/2 cups cooked cauliflower, cut into small pieces
3 tablespoons capers, rinsed and drained
8 anchovy filets, rinsed, patted dry and finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 cup minced fresh parsley
Freshly ground pepper
* Place currants in small bowl, cover with wine and set aside to plump, about 10 minutes.
* Bring large pot salted water to boil for pasta. Cook pasta until al dente, 10 to 15 minutes.
* While pasta is cooking, heat large skillet over medium heat. Add pine nuts and toast, stirring frequently until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Set aside on plate. Add olive oil to skillet, and saute garlic until golden, about 1 minute. Add cauliflower and saute over medium-high heat, stirring often until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Add currants, wine, capers, anchovies, red pepper flakes and parsley. Simmer 2 minutes, add salt and pepper to taste, then remove from heat.
* Drain pasta and place in warm serving bowl. Add cauliflower mixture and pine nuts, toss to combine. Serve immediately.
4 main-course servings. Each serving: 614 calories; 539 mg sodium; 7 mg cholesterol; 16 grams fat; 94 grams carbohydrates; 22 grams protein; 1.70 grams fiber.
ALSO:
Even more: 99 additional easy dinner recipes
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