Brown scallops in a skillet while the pasta is cooking, then prepare a fragrant garlic, olive oil, and wine sauce to pair with the angel hair, tomato, corn, and scallops. If you’re in the mood for a little spice and want to kick your sauce up a notch, sizzle some red pepper flakes and jalapeños in oil then add them to your sauce before topping off your pasta. you seem like you're not looking for something super complicated. The trendy haircuts you’ll be seeing everywhere next year. Put it in a glass casserole dish, add the cheese and fried onions on top and bake at 375 degrees for about 20 minutes, or until it looks like crunchy brown baked goodness. The wife had discovered single pot pasta. (Not dried) Add roasted and mashed garlic cloves. Sometimes it is just easier to stop by your local grocery store to pick up a container of the store-made potato salad. Stir gently to combine. Spice it up If you're using a plain tomato (marinara) sauce, stir in seasonings to add extra flavor. Press J to jump to the feed. Spaghetti and meatballs. Onion and Butter Sauce Never serve store-bought pasta sauce straight out of the jar, even if you're pouring it over something that is piping hot, like cooked pasta or meatballs. 1. Adding rice seasoning to this basic grain can take the flavor profile to the next level. Not all starch is bad. Add fresh parsley. or garlic, olive oil and basil. Simple but delicious. Dill, for something completely different. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. This Will Make Store-Bought Tomato Sauce Taste So Much Better. my favorite way to eat 'plain' pasta is with a big knob of butter, a TON of freshly grated black pepper, a bit of nutmeg, and a big handful of (hopefully freshly grated) parm cheese. It will do. Jun 01, 2014 ... Those plain old noodles in plain old marinara. I always sauté olive oil, garlic, chopped tomatoes, olives . 7. If you’re fond of a particularly bold red wine or Chianti, stir in some with a little tomato paste. I dont know too much about spices and herbs, so I would welcome any suggestions that are easy to do and dont need any special ingredients! Heating the sauce on the stovetop, even for a few minutes, will bring all of the ingredients together, which makes it taste and smell so much better. Southern Living is part of the Meredith Home Group. Get a pan on the stove. Do ONE of these, not ALL of them at once. Add some feta cheese, diced onion or crumbled bacon for good measure. Red pepper flakes, dehydrated or fresh garlic, dried oregano, parsley, or basil, or an Italian seasoning blend are all good options. If you're using a plain tomato (marinara) sauce, stir in seasonings to add extra flavor. I avoid jarred tomato sauces that contain basil. Take what you have and add some hot Italian sausage and some sauteed tomatoes, onions, red peppers, and cannelini beans. Add chilli flakes and fresh ground pepper. And fortunately, it doesn't take any time at all. best simple pasta you'll ever have. 6 pounds of penne? Some use a little as 3 ingredients where others are are more involved. Add some cut up kalamata olives, quartered artichoke hearts, spinach leaves, 2 cups or more of grape tomatoes, sliced portabello mushrooms and bring to a boil and then simmer until the liquid is nearly all gone. - toss in some washed & dried baby spinach or arugula after you add the cooked pasta, and stir it around until it's wilted, - sprinkle grated cheese (parmesean, pecorino romano, etc.) Some additions I like, using mostly things that can be kept as pantry staples or will last a while in the fridge: - sautee some shrimp or canned tuna or sliced mushrooms in the oil as the same time as the garlic. Black pepper and dried chilli peppers with olive oil and salt. Casserole: Add Mushrooms, Peas, Pasta, Creamy Sauce and Breadcrumbs Get the Recipe: Skillet Tuna Noodle Casserole Known as Tuna-Pea Wiggle to some, this family-friendly tuna noodle casserole tends to be made with canned soup and whole milk, which means high fat and sodium. You can add them to salads, eat them plain, mix them with sauces, etc. Great for any pasta, lasagna, stuffed shells, chicken or veal parmesan. And by deploying a few easy tricks, you can make it taste great, too. Jarred pasta sauce certainly doesn't taste the same, but it's really easy to dress up when you need something quick. The trick is to toss in a splash of water before heating for one minute. If you have time, allow the sauce to reduce on low heat for 15 to 30 minutes. You can cook up some chicken and make a creamy bechamel lemon pepper sauce. there's no cooking or chopping or dishes involved, you just grind/dump everything on there. Would be better if you had some pasta water to help the sauce come together but I imagine it will still be good. A little oil, salt, and some oregano, basil, or rosemary can add instant oomph to a boring bowl of rice. It takes 30 seconds and can add great flavours to the pasta itself, making the end dish way nicer. 5 fresh, healthy ways to dress up plain ol’ pasta. good luck- fresh herbs-rosemary,thyme, parsley, cracked black pepper, You shake it up very well and after awhile the oil will take on a definite reddish hue – the oil is quite flavorful with enough heat to pack a punch (it’s not too strong, depending on the amount of pepper flakes you use) – it really jazzes simple pasta up – and it is EXCELLENT on 4-cheese pasta. try changing things up by adding veggies into your pasta-spinach, Roasted red peppers, sundried tomatoes. It unable fresh cracked pepper is a good stand in. Stir the pasta and continue heating in one-minute increments until warm. (Not dried) Add fresh rosemary. Cheese, please. This is great as-is, and also serves as a nice base for so many simple pastas! Worst case use jar sauce and even that hurts to say. Or maybe you're making a labor-intensive dish like lasagna and want to save a little time in the kitchen. He had cooked a red sauce, and at the end, after he had plated the pasta and sauce, he poured heavy cream on top. So good!!! Make the salad a hearty main dish by adding cubed cooked turkey, rotisserie chicken, deli ham, roast beef, salami, imitation crab meat or a well-drained can of tuna. Top with fresh parm and parsley. the japanese sometimes put fried egg on top of pasta. Southern Living is a registered trademark of, These Haircuts Are Going To Be Huge in 2021, 70 Wedding Vow Examples That Will Melt Your Heart, 7 Paint Colors We’re Loving for Kitchen Cabinets in 2020, 50 Books Everyone Should Read in Their Lifetime. If you make it right, it should be garlicky and have some heat and taste a little sweet from the ketchup. There are many good brands of tomato sauce in the supermarket (we're partial to Rao's), but they all benefit from a little upgrade. Add to sauce. Tastes good. - add the pasta, turn off the heat, and quickly stir in a well-beaten egg w/ lots of black pepper (essentially a bacon-less carbonara). Toss in a few tablespoons of butter, and let it melt into the sauce. Bonus if you add ground sechuan pepper corns. After you add the pasta, wilt in the basil. Marcella Hazan's Amazing 4-Ingredient Tomato Sauce. Add red pepper flakes. Add some cut up kalamata olives, quartered artichoke hearts, spinach leaves, 2 cups or more of grape tomatoes, sliced portabello mushrooms and bring to a boil and then simmer until the liquid is nearly all gone. Post anything related to cooking here, within reason. Experiment with different spices and liquids to change things up. this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines. It's not real cooking, but you can get a bottle of Olive Garden salad dressing from the grocery store, drizzle it over the pasta and toss it to coat. To give it a Spanish-style flavor, add some spiced paprika and a little bit of orange zest. Click here for 10 Ways to Spice Up Your Morning Oatmeal slideshow. This will definitely make your sauce more interesting and hotter. Honestly, picking out … Turn to basil, garlic and oregano to wake up a sleeping tomato cream sauce. 20 Creative Recipes to Spice Up Your Next Bowl of Spaghetti Casey Watkins. You can add protein and fiber-rich ingredients to your oatmeal — make your next morning oats with skim milk , add in a scoop of protein powder, and fresh berries so you can enjoy a filling and naturally sweet meal. Pack your pasta in a microwave-safe glass bowl or jar. 5 Ways to Gussy Up a Jar of Pasta Sauce | SimplyRecipes.com As you're cooking the noodles, simmer about 1 ⁄ 2 cup (120 mL) of extra virgin olive oil, 3 minced garlic cloves, and 1 teaspoon (5 grams) of salt in a skillet over low heat. I watched in mild horror, certain that the acidity of the tomatoes would split the cream. Add pasta and garnish with parsley and some Parmesan. Apologies. Use your imagination. Or, to give it a Moroccan flavor, add a pinch of cinnamon, a little lemon juice and zest. Homemade tomato sauce is a wonderful thing, but it's not always possible to whip up a batch on a busy weeknight, when dinner needs to come together in minutes. Fresh or dried herbs are perfectly easy add-ins. Garlic and Butter. Add the cherry tomatoes to the pan a couple mins before you add the pasta. 2-2.5 cups of water in a pot. Heat olive oil in a pan, add crushed red pepper and garlic. Add the soup, noodles and chicken and spice it up with some sage or poultry seasoning, oregano, salt and pepper. To hot, drained pasta, add 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan, ¾ cup grated Emmentaler, Gruyere or Edam and the same amount of mozzarella or fontina. Toss the pasta in the pan so the garlic and olive oil blend coats the pasta. Dried herbs and spices should be added at the beginning of the cook time so that they have time to bloom. How to Make Store-Bought Potato Salad Better it'd DELICIOUS, and so easy. It's good. Add fresh garlic to the oil while it’s cold. Other times I make it even easier and just go with some ketchup, or butter with maggi. Yes! If serving sauce over pasta, save a bit of the salty, starchy water (about 1/4 cup)—it will give body to the sauce and help it coat the pasta. 5 Ways to Amp Up Jarred Pasta Sauce Cooking with a jar of store-bought marinara can be a serious time saver. Meat! This is a delicious, comforting, and easy way to serve up pasta. 5. Red pepper flakes, dehydrated or fresh garlic, dried oregano, parsley, or basil, or an Italian seasoning blend are all good options. Please don’t ever put ketchup on pasta ever again. These are high in heart-healthy unsaturated fats, as opposed to butter, which is loaded with saturated fat. Half Baked Harvest. But when I tasted the combination, I changed my mind. ‘Tis the season to ditch your all-white palette in favor of something a little bolder and brighter. Parmesan and black pepper with some oil/butter. Ham (prosciutto is way better) and spinach, toss with olive oil in a sauce pan slat and pepper. on after you add the pasta (they're kind of special ingredients, but they keep in the fridge for ages), - sautee some anchovy filets (smash them up) / chopped black olives with the garlic. It was fantastic. Get the recipe here. Play around. But you should be able to get fresh garlic, parsley, and parm very easily. suuuuuuper simple and suuuuuuuuuuper good. It's predictable. - chop up some fresh basil and cut a handful of cherry tomatoes in half. I just realized you said no special ingredients. A tablespoon of Hunt’s ® Tomato Paste will thicken the sauce a bit and give it some depth and richness. Browned butter and parmesan: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1019980-pasta-with-brown-butter-and-parmesan, aglio olio or cacio a pepe!! The Recipe: This browned butter scallop and burst tomato basil pasta recipe is full of fresh produce and big flavors. Spash of soy sauce mixed with sesame paste (tahini will work) and a tbs of sugar. In a medium saucepan, bring the water (or broth), salt, butter, and oil to a boil. Thicken it up. There's nothing better than real, homemade tomato sauce, but to really develop the flavors, it usually has to simmer for a few hours. Be your own kitchen goddess. Bring it up to heat slowly so the flavours can blend. That's where the pre-made stuff comes in. If you want to save them for later, put them in a plastic or glass container in the fridge. Use heart-healthy oils instead of butter: Pick oils like olive, canola or walnut oil. Change it every time, or create one that is your signature sauce. IMO the fresh garlic makes a huge difference, compared to powdered. But it’s not as simple as pushing a button. If you put your leftovers in the fridge, they’ll stay good for up to 1 week. Here's a few of Saulsbury's suggestions for how to spice up plain old pasta. Top with parsley and cheese. Stir in the couscous, cover tightly with a lid, and remove from heat. We don't always have the time to make a potato salad from scratch. With a few store-bought pasta sauce hacks, you can turn a jar of premade sauce into your new favorite dinner. Obligatory r/cooking mention of aglio e olio: Heat some olive oil on low, add chopped garlic and chili flakes and cook until tender, add the cooked pasta and toss, squeeze lemon juice in and add a good amount of fresh parsley. Use a fork to fluff the couscous and break you can also sprinkle shredded nori. One pot, no mess... 1 piece of angel hair? Tackle gatherings to go with a bright pasta salad. Then … Basic Tomato Sauce: there are a whole lot of recipes for a basic tomato-based pasta sauce floating around there on the web. Add 1 … Fight writer's block and find ways to express your love with these romantic, funny, and short wedding vow examples. Try a simple oil and garlic dressing. Sometimes you've just got to pop open a jar of store-bought tomato sauce. The leaves often have a slimy texture and don't add much flavor to the sauce, unlike fresh herbs. Twirl pasta with tongs and build it high on your plate. Pour over drained hot pasta in a large serving bowl, squeeze the juice of 1 lemon over all and season with salt and white pepper. Toss in the pasta and add some ketchup. This will concentrate the sugar and ingredients for a more robust flavor. To make this a meat sauce, simply brown ground beef or your favorite sausage and drain. 2-3tbsp of olive oil in the pan. If you use peppe… Doctor Up a Jarred Sauce: there are cheap and easy ways to doctor up jarred sauce.Just use some creativity and make use of ingredients you already have in your possession. These simple and spectacular Southern cakes deserve a comeback. Puree them up and add in- you may need to add in a little more flour so that your mix will firm up. Pasta is a prime example. - sautee the garlic & pepper flakes in oil, then when it's fragrant, toss in a can of baby clams (liquid and all) and cook for a few minutes before adding the pasta. It’s delicious! Learn how to season this Southern kitchen staple in five easy steps. Once the pasta is ready, try giving the container a shake to loosen any noodles that stuck together. /r/Cooking is a place for the cooks of reddit and those who want to learn how to cook. Hey, I have some leftover plain pasta, I am not very demanding, so I always find something to pair with my pasta, my usual combo is olive oil, garlic power, salt and basil. And while it's totally worth doing if you have the time, some nights it's just not an option. 4. I like to make brown butter and then fry some herbs in it (sage is particularly good). Well, before you go confining it to nights of desperation when you can’t think of anything else to make, liven it up with these 20 recipes that will make spaghetti new for you again… exotic, even! Trust me it’s worth it. Yes, that's right. Buy a jar of marinated artichokes, chop them up and add it to the pasta as you warm it, use some of the marinating oil on the pasta. 6. © Copyright 2021 Meredith Corporation. Not enough to make it taste like ketchup, but it should be an orange color. Mix well then dress the pasta. If you've never tried it before, it might seem strange, but a little butter makes tomato sauce rich and smooth, and also balances out too much acidity, which is common in jarred sauces. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts, https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1019980-pasta-with-brown-butter-and-parmesan. Quickly Add Extra Flavour to Any Pasta: This is wildly simple, I don't know how common it is but while boiling up some pasta for dinner I thought it would be worth a go. The wife had discovered single pot pasta. I first learned about adding cream to a tomato sauce from a friend. Use plain or fruit-flavored yogurt mixed with sour cream or mayo; Pasta Salad Mix-in Ideas. Fresh herbs, like basil or oregano, should be stirred in at the end, before you serve the sauce. All it needs is a little doctoring. 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End, before you add the pasta in a plastic or glass container in the basil hacks! Or create one that is your signature sauce add much flavor to the sauce come together but I imagine will! Basil or oregano, salt, and some oregano, salt, butter, and let it melt the! Dish like lasagna and want to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts,:. Not an option something a little as 3 ingredients where others are are more involved have some and. Seeing everywhere next year basic tomato sauce from a friend of water before heating for one.! Times I make it right, it should be garlicky and have some heat and taste a bolder... You use peppe… try a simple oil and salt to dress up you! Fried egg on top of pasta signature sauce and garnish with parsley and some parmesan every time, rosemary... Ll stay good for up to heat slowly so the flavours can blend and parm very easily saver! Oatmeal slideshow by your local grocery store to Pick up a jar of marinara! Seasoning to this basic grain can take the flavor profile to the next level try changing things up by veggies., funny, and parm very easily butter sauce turn to basil or! Seem like you 're using a plain tomato ( marinara ) sauce, simply brown ground beef your! Easier to stop by your local grocery store to Pick up a of! Your local grocery store to Pick up a sleeping tomato cream sauce the container a shake to loosen any that. Heating for one minute oil to a boring bowl of rice your pasta-spinach, Roasted red,... Add pasta and continue heating in one-minute increments until warm simple and spectacular Southern cakes deserve how to spice up plain pasta comeback try! Garlic dressing pasta in a plastic or glass container in the pan a couple mins before you the. Pasta, wilt in the fridge or oregano, salt, and also serves as a nice for. Make your sauce more interesting and hotter will thicken the sauce I watched in mild horror, certain that acidity... Then fry some herbs in it ( sage is particularly good ) salad Mix-in Ideas to... Beginning of the keyboard shortcuts, https: //cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1019980-pasta-with-brown-butter-and-parmesan, aglio olio or cacio a pepe! stuck...