These recipes are for those who get bored of the same old tomato sauce. I still love tomato sauce but sometimes I like to change it up and take my taste buds on an adventure.

Barilla figured out the perfect pasta-to-water ratio to cook without draining! All I had to do was cook a box of pasta in 3 cups of cold water for 10 minutes, or until all the water is gone. And BAM, done. Just needed to stir a couple times and that’s it. Toss in you sauces or seasoning and you’re good to go.

Basil Pesto Spaghetti

The first recipe is stupidly easy if you buy a jar of basil pesto. Cook a box of Barilla Pronto Half Cut Spaghetti, pour in the pesto, mix it up, devour. But if you like to make things from scratch, follow this basil pesto recipe!

 

Cook & Prep Time: 15-20 minutes  |  Feeds: 3 people

Ingredients

1 box Barilla Pronto Half Cut Spaghetti
3 cups cold water
2 cups packed fresh basil
2 cloves garlic
¼ cup pine nuts
2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
salt/pepper
½ cup grated Pecorino or Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. In a pot or saucepan, combine pasta and cold water. Cook on high, uncovered for 10 minutes.

2. While the pasta is cooking, blitz basil, garlic, and pine nuts in a food processor along with salt and pepper. While it’s still blending away, add the oil. Blend until evenly incorporated.

3. Pour into a bowl and stir in the cheese.

4. When almost all of the water has been cooked off, stir in the basil pesto mixture. And it’s ready to eat!

Roasted Tomato & Sausage Penne

This second recipe is perfect for summer and it’s sauce-free. A lot of flavour will come from the roasted cherry tomatoes and Italian sausages.

Cook & Prep Time: 40 minutes  |  Feeds: 3 people

Ingredients

Roasted Cherry Tomatoes
2 boxes cherry tomatoes
salt/pepper
1 tbsp dried Italian herb seasoning
2 tsp smoked paprika

1 box Barilla Pronto Penne
3 cups water
2 boxes cherry tomatoes
5 Italian sausages, casings removed OR a package of sausage meat
2 cups fresh spinach
salt/pepper

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400F. Prep the cherry tomatoes by slicing them in half and seasoning it with oil, salt, pepper, thyme, and smoked paprika. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and evenly spread out tomatoes. Bake for 30 minutes or until wrinkly.

2. While you have the tomatoes in the oven, cook the pasta. In a pot or saucepan, combine pasta and cold water. Cook on high, uncovered for 10 minutes.

3. If you’re a beast and can multitask in the kitchen, saute the sausage meat on medium-high while the tomatoes and pasta are cookin’ away. Break it up with a spatula or wooden spoon as it cooks. Remove and set aside.

4. When most of the water has been soaked up or the pasta is al dente, turn off the stove and keep it on the heat. Toss in roasted tomatoes, cooked Italian sausage, and spinach. Mix well and pop a lid on it for 2-3 minutes for the spinach to wilt.

Some of the products used were provided by Barilla, opinions expressed are my own.