Skillet Breakfast Potatoes

Ready in just 30 minutes, these crispy, spicy skillet breakfast potatoes are the perfect dish to add to your dining table. This simple recipe uses fork-tender potatoes and a variety of veggies and spices to create a flavorful, filling, and nutritious b…

Ready in just 30 minutes, these crispy, spicy skillet breakfast potatoes are the perfect dish to add to your dining table. This simple recipe uses fork-tender potatoes and a variety of veggies and spices to create a flavorful, filling, and nutritious breakfast or brunch dish. Saying no to a second serving will be difficult! There...

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Gaby’s Pasta with Peas and Pesto

Bookmark this simple pasta dish with peas and pesto! It is perfect for busy weeknights and you’ll be glad to have it. I’m so glad to have…

The post Gaby’s Pasta with Peas and Pesto appeared first on Cookie and Kate.

Pasta with Peas and Pesto

Bookmark this simple pasta dish with peas and pesto! It is perfect for busy weeknights and you’ll be glad to have it. I’m so glad to have found this recipe in Gaby Dalkin’s latest book, Take It Easy. She sent me the book when it came out last fall and this recipe has saved us from ordering take-out several nights since then.

This pasta with peas and pesto comes together in under 30 minutes with basic ingredients and minimal fuss. It’s designed for frozen peas and it’s great with store-bought pesto. I can make this recipe with a toddler running around the kitchen, which really says something, if you know what I mean. Grace enjoyed the leftovers for lunch today.

pasta with peas ingredients

I love how this recipe comes together with just one pot and one bowl. To make it, you’ll bring a large pot of salted water to boil for the noodles. In the meantime, you can quickly defrost frozen peas in a colander by running cool water over them in the sink.

The peas taste so fresh and nice because they are not cooked. Gaby simply instructs us to whisk together a sauce of olive oil, lemon, garlic and Pecorino Romano cheese. Then we mash up about half of the peas into the sauce, leaving the rest whole. Add the warm pasta to temper the garlic, stir in some pesto, and your dinner is almost ready to go. Thank you for this one, Gaby!

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Tuna Pasta Salad

This classic tuna pasta salad is the perfect dish for a summer picnic or potluck. It’s easy to make, cool, creamy, and perfect for a crowd.

The post Tuna Pasta Salad appeared first on Budget Bytes.

It’s officially H.O.T. outside, so I’m leaning into my cold pasta salads hard these days! This Tuna Pasta Salad is an easy classic that is cool, creamy, inexpensive, and it keeps me full. This one is seriously simple and it’s the perfect salad for summer BBQs, potlucks, to pack for lunches, or to have a quick cold meal when you’re sweating it out in this heat. So bookmark it now because you’ll want to revisit it, again and again, this summer!

Close up overhead view of a bowl full of tuna pasta salad.

What’s In Tuna Pasta Salad

This classic recipe is really simple and most of the ingredients are fairly inexpensive. To make this tuna pasta salad you’ll need:

  • Pasta – We used small shells, but you can use any small shape. Bowtie pasta is another great option.
  • Tuna – Canned tuna is probably the most expensive ingredient in this pasta salad, but a little goes a long way! We used two 5oz. cans to span all six servings. If you want to reduce the price even further, drop down to one can and increase the amount of peas for more protein!
  • Onion – A little onion adds depth of flavor and a lot of great crunch to this salad. We used red onion for color, but a sweet onion also works!
  • Dressing – This tuna salad uses a super simple homemade dressing made with mayonnaise, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and dried dill. Simple but good!

what Kind of Tuna to Use

I prefer chunk light tuna for this pasta salad because it’s a good balance between affordable and having a good texture for the salad. Tuna labeled “solid” will have larger prettier pieces, but usually fetches a higher price. Albicore or white tuna will have a lighter color and a milder flavor. …but I kind of like the stronger taste of tuna for this salad!

Variations on Tuna Pasta Salad

Tuna pasta salad has been a classic for decades and everyone makes it a little different. If you want to branch out from the recipe below, here are some other ingredients you can try:

  • Add diced cheddar for more richness
  • Substitute half of the mayonnaise with plain Greek yogurt for a slightly lighter flavor
  • Substitute the onion with shallots for a milder onion flavor
  • Add diced celery for more crunch
  • Add diced hard-boiled egg for more inexpensive protein
  • Add a couple tablespoons of dill or sweet relish for more flavor
  • Try canned salmon in place of the tuna
  • Add fresh herbs (dill, parsley, tarragon, green onion)

Can You Make Tuna Pasta Salad Ahead?

You can make tuna pasta salad ahead of time, which can be helpful for potlucks and BBQs, but it’s definitely best when eaten on the same day it’s prepared. I would advise against making it more than one day ahead because it will begin to dry out the longer it stays in the refrigerator. Luckily, this pasta salad is a snap to make, so it’s easy to whip up on the day of!

Close up side view of a bowl full of tuna pasta salad.
Close up side view of a bowl full of tuna pasta salad.
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Tuna Pasta Salad with Peas

This classic tuna pasta salad is the perfect dish for a summer picnic or potluck. It's easy to make, cool, creamy, and perfect for a crowd.
Course Dinner, Lunch, Side Dish
Cuisine American
Total Cost $4.83 recipe / $0.81 serving
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 6 about 1 cup each
Calories 478kcal

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup mayonnaise $0.92
  • 2 Tbsp lemon juice $0.12
  • 1/4 tsp dried dill $0.03
  • ¾ tsp salt $0.05
  • 1/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper $0.02
  • 1/2 cup diced red onion $0.11
  • 1 cup frozen peas $0.47
  • 12 oz. mini shell pasta $1.13
  • 2 5oz. cans chunk light tuna, drained $1.98

Instructions

  • Make the dressing first. Combine the mayonnaise, lemon juice, dill, salt, and pepper in a bowl, then set the dressing aside.
  • Finely dice the red onion and measure out the frozen peas.
  • Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, add the pasta and continue to boil until it's almost fully tender (about 5-6 minutes), then add the frozen peas. Continue to cook the pasta and peas together for the last minute or two, or until the pasta is fully tender. Drain the pasta and peas well in a colander, allowing them to cool.
  • Once the pasta and peas are well drained and mostly cooled, transfer them to a large bowl. Add the diced red onion, drained tuna, and prepared dressing. Fold the ingredients together until everything is evenly combined and coated in dressing. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to eat.

See how we calculate recipe costs here.

Nutrition

Serving: 1Serving | Calories: 478kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 22g | Sodium: 598mg | Fiber: 3g

 

How to Make Tuna Pasta Salad – Step By Step Photos

Ingredients for tuna pasta salad dressing in a bowl, not stirred together.

Make the dressing first. Combine ¾ cup mayonnaise, 2 Tbsp lemon juice, ¾ tsp salt, ¼ tsp pepper, and ¼ tsp dried dill. Stir everything together, then set the dressing aside.

Diced red onion and a measuring cup full of frozen peas.

Finely dice about ½ cup of red onion. Measure 1 cup of frozen peas.

Boiled pasta and peas in a pot full of water.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Once boiling, add 12 oz. small shell pasta (or any other small shape) and boil just until tender. When the pasta is almost cooked through, add the frozen peas and let them cook with the pasta for the last two minutes. Drain the pasta and peas well in a colander, allowing them to cool.

Ingredients for tuna pasta salad being combined in a bowl.

When the pasta and peas have drained well and cooled down (slightly warm is okay), add them to a large bowl with two drained 5oz. cans of tuna, the diced red onion, and the prepared dressing.

Finished tuna pasta salad in a bowl.

Gently fold the ingredients together until everything is evenly mixed and coated in dressing.

Close up side view of a bowl full of tuna pasta salad.

Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to eat!

The post Tuna Pasta Salad appeared first on Budget Bytes.

summer pea salad with unexpected dressing

A little catch-up: Two days ago, our kids boarded a bus to sleepaway camp while dozens of parents waved like (I’d like to think adorable but also value self-awareness) lunatics as it pulled away. I learned a few years ago when my son wen…

A little catch-up: Two days ago, our kids boarded a bus to sleepaway camp while dozens of parents waved like (I’d like to think adorable but also value self-awareness) lunatics as it pulled away. I learned a few years ago when my son went to camp for the first time that I become unmoored — who am I if nobody demands things and interrupts my thoughts all day?! — without the presence of my adorable but exhausting offspring. Last summer, I ran out of cooking steam while waiting for my daughter to request anything but noodles for dinner. This summer, despite the fact that she’s a baby who was just born (don’t tell me otherwise), my daughter also wanted to go to camp, mostly because she wants to be wherever her brother is and I’m not crying, you are. Fortunately, from the photos I refresh, refresh on the camp app all day — in lieu of doing anything more productive or even hedonistic with my time — show them to be having a blast and how could they not be when the first night ended with whipped cream pies in the faces of the counselors on the losing team and nobody challenges their palates beyond pizza, chicken nuggets, and waffles?

summer pea salad-2

This is still a cooking blog, I promise. But if the structure of my cooking life for the last 13.75 years has been shaped to the needs of people who need to be fed multiple times a day, what is left? The reality is that when my kids are away for one night or three, we just go out. We live in New York City; why on earth would we be washing dishes if we could be getting queso fundito and the Caeser-y tomatillo salad at Yellow Rose, as we did Sunday night, or meeting friends at Win Son, as we will later this week, or sweeping sourdough through the garlic-chile butter puddle left behind by the prawns a la plancha while drinking vermouth at Cervo’s, as I’m sure we will weekly?

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Green Goddess Tortellini Salad

Add this fresh tortellini salad recipe to your weekend menu, stat! It features cheesy spinach tortellini tossed in my all-time favorite green goddess dressing, layered with lemony…

The post Green Goddess Tortellini Salad appeared first on Cookie and Kate.

springtime pasta salad recipe

Add this fresh tortellini salad recipe to your weekend menu, stat! It features cheesy spinach tortellini tossed in my all-time favorite green goddess dressing, layered with lemony fresh greens and seasoned spring or summer vegetables.

This pasta dish manages to be light yet hearty at the same time, which is a real feat. It’s quick to make, but looks impressive. It’s versatile, too—you’ll see quite a few vegetable options below. Choose raw vegetables for the simplest preparation, as I did for these photos, or incorporate some quickly blanched vegetables, like asparagus, to expand your options.

green goddess tortellini salad ingredients

My healthy homemade green goddess dressing comes together quickly in the blender or food processor. I suggest doubling the ingredients so you can serve the extra as a veggie dip or refrigerate it for upcoming green salads. It’s really delightful to have on hand.

Choose spinach tortellini over basic cheese tortellini to incorporate even more greens. I hope you’ll give this recipe a try. This vegetarian pasta salad is a real crowd pleaser!

Continue to the recipe...

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Pasta Primavera

Pasta Primavera is the perfect Spring dish packed with fresh seasonal vegetables tossed with pasta in a light lemon and butter sauce.

The post Pasta Primavera appeared first on Budget Bytes.

For me nothing says Spring quite like a big serving of Pasta Primavera! This dish is full of fresh seasonal vegetables tossed with pasta in a light lemon and butter sauce. Now I know I’m not the only one who struggles getting their daily veggies, which is why I love this recipe. It incorporates lots of colorful vegetables, is simple to toss together and the leftovers are just as good the next day!

Overhead shot of a bowl full of pasta primavera.

Pasta Primavera

Although the name Primavera stands for “Spring” in Italian, Pasta Primavera is actually a popular American dish that was first introduced in the 1970s. It includes lots of fresh Spring and Summer vegetables that are sauteed and tossed with pasta in a light cream sauce. In this recipe we opted for a fresh lemon and butter sauce.

Ingredients for Pasta Primavera

Pasta Primavera is such a simple and fresh recipe, you’ll only need a few ingredients to make this impressive dish. Here are the ingredients you’ll need to make Pasta Primavera:

  • Pasta Choose your favorite medium-sized pasta like penne, rotini or bow-tie pasta.
  • Lots of Veggies – The variety of fresh vegetables is what gives this pasta recipe lots of color, flavor and texture. Here we use a combination of Zucchini, Yellow Squash, Carrots, Grape Tomatoes, Red Onion and Peas.
  • Fresh Lemon Juice – The fresh lemon juice helps bring out the flavor of the vegetables.
  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil & Butter – Olive oil to saute the vegetables and a little bit of butter to help make the light sauce.
  • Salt, Pepper & Dried Oregano – A simple seasoning combination.
  • Parmesan Cheese – A little bit of fresh parmesan cheese added at the end helps finish the sauce.

Can I Use Different Vegetables?

Absolutely! Pasta Primavera is extremely versatile. You could mix and match with other vegetables like broccoli, mushrooms, asparagus, green beans or any fresh vegetables that are in season that will cook in relatively the same amount of time. This is also a great recipe to use up any leftover veggies that may be hanging out in your fridge to help reduce food waste in your kitchen.

What to Serve with Pasta Primavera

This Pasta Primavera is certainly hearty enough to eat on its own as a main dish, but you can also serve it with some of our favorites like:

Overhead shot of pasta primavera in a skillet.
A bowl of pasta primavera with a fork in the center.
Print

Pasta Primavera

Pasta Primavera is the perfect Spring dish packed with fresh seasonal vegetables tossed with pasta in a light lemon and butter sauce.
Course Dinner, Lunch
Cuisine American
Total Cost $5.96 recipe / $1.49 serving
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 4 about 1.5 cups each
Calories 318kcal

Ingredients

  • 8 oz. penne pasta $0.63
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil $0.32
  • 1 zucchini $0.75
  • 1 yellow squash $0.85
  • 1 carrot $0.14
  • 1/2 red onion $0.38
  • 1/2 cup frozen peas $0.21
  • 1 cup grape tomatoes $1.00
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced $0.24
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan $0.89
  • 1 tsp dried oregano $0.10
  • 1/2 tsp salt $0.02
  • 1/2 tsp Freshly cracked black pepper $0.02
  • 2 Tbsp Fresh lemon juice $0.13
  • 2 Tbsp butter $0.28

Instructions

  • Start by prepping your vegetables. Wash the vegetables, then cut and slice each vegetable into equal size pieces. Cut the zucchini and yellow squash into half moons, slice the carrots into thin rounds, cut the grape tomatoes in half and slice the red onion into strips.
  • Next bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to the package instructions, or until al dente. Reserve some of the starchy pasta water before draining the pasta in a colander.
  • While the pasta is boiling, saute the vegetables. In a large deep skillet add olive oil and saute carrots and onion over medium heat for 1-2 minutes. Next add zucchini and yellow squash and saute for an additional 1-2 minutes.
  • Next add the minced garlic, grape tomatoes and frozen peas. Season the vegetables with salt, pepper and dried oregano. Saute for an additional 1-2 minutes, then turn the heat off.
  • Add the butter to the skillet along with the fresh squeezed lemon juice and stir well to combine. Either add the cooked and drained pasta to the skillet, or transfer the pasta and vegetables to a large bowl. Add grated parmesan cheese and some of the reserved pasta water. Stir the vegetables with the pasta until well combined. Serve with fresh chopped parsley (optional garnish) and enjoy!

See how we calculate recipe costs here.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 318kcal | Carbohydrates: 55g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 5g | Sodium: 532mg | Fiber: 5g
Close up side view of Pasta Primavera in the skillet.

How to Make Pasta Primavera – Step by Step Photos

Chopped vegetables on a cutting board.

Start by prepping your vegetables. Wash the vegetables thoroughly then cut and slice each vegetable into equal size pieces. Cut the one zucchini and one yellow squash into half moons, slice one carrot into thin rounds, thinly slice half of a red onion, cut one cup of grape tomatoes in half, and mince three cloves of garlic.

Pasta water being removed from a pot of boiling pasta.

Next bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to the package instructions to al dente. Reserve ½ cup of pasta water before draining the pasta in a colander. Transfer drained pasta to a large bowl.

Sautéed vegetables in a skillet.

While the pasta is boiling, start sautéeing the vegetables. In a large deep skillet add olive oil. Sauté carrots and onion over medium heat for 2 minutes. Next add zucchini and yellow squash and sauté for an additional 2 minutes. Now add the minced garlic, grape tomatoes and frozen peas. Season the vegetables with 1 tsp salt (or to taste), 1/2 tsp pepper and 1 tsp dried oregano. Sauté for an additional 1-2 minutes then turn your heat off. 

Lemon being squeezed over the vegetables in the skillet.

Add 2 Tbsp butter to the skillet along with about 2 Tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice. Stir the vegetables well to combine.

Parmesan added to the skillet and pasta water being drizzled over top.

Either add the cooked and drained penne to the skillet and stir to combine with the vegetables or transfer both the pasta and vegetables to a large bowl. Add 1/2 cup grated or shredded parmesan cheese and about ¼ cup of the reserved pasta water. Stir until well combined. Add more of the reserved pasta water if needed to create a light sauce.

Finished pasta primavera in the skillet.

Serve with fresh chopped parsley and enjoy!

Overhead image of pasta primavera in the skillet.

The post Pasta Primavera appeared first on Budget Bytes.

Creamy Orzo with Asparagus and Peas

This delicious, creamy orzo pasta dish with asparagus and peas is fresh, bright, and lemony – the perfect spring dinner. Plus, it’s vegan and dairy-free. Creamy Orzo with Asparagus and Peas This quick orzo pasta is a great back-pocket weeknight recipe …

This delicious, creamy orzo pasta dish with asparagus and peas is fresh, bright, and lemony – the perfect spring dinner. Plus, it’s vegan and dairy-free. Creamy Orzo with Asparagus and Peas This quick orzo pasta is a great back-pocket weeknight recipe when you want to skip the meat and dairy. It has the same creamy

Ground Turkey with Potatoes and Spring Peas

Ground Turkey with Potatoes and Spring Peas, cumin and cilantro makes a quick and easy weeknight dinner. Ground Turkey with Potatoes and Spring Peas Don’t you love it when you whip up something with random leftover ingredients, and it turns out incredi…

Ground Turkey with Potatoes and Spring Peas, cumin and cilantro makes a quick and easy weeknight dinner. Ground Turkey with Potatoes and Spring Peas Don’t you love it when you whip up something with random leftover ingredients, and it turns out incredible? That’s exactly what happened here. This Ground Turkey with Potatoes and Spring Peas

Vegan Chicken and Dumplings

This thick and creamy vegan chicken and dumplings are packed with chewy king oyster mushrooms, nutritious veggies, and natural flavors that will make you crave for seconds before you finish the first bowl! It is also easy to make and ready in 40 minute…

This thick and creamy vegan chicken and dumplings are packed with chewy king oyster mushrooms, nutritious veggies, and natural flavors that will make you crave for seconds before you finish the first bowl! It is also easy to make and ready in 40 minutes, perfect for a filling and satisfying weeknight dinner. A warm, hearty...

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Vegan Chicken Noodle Soup

Ready in just 30 minutes, this vegan chicken noodle soup is a perfect one-pot lunch or dinner. It is packed with nutritious veggies, flavorful herbs, and tasty king oyster mushrooms in place of chicken pieces. Making a delicious meal that satisfies the…

Ready in just 30 minutes, this vegan chicken noodle soup is a perfect one-pot lunch or dinner. It is packed with nutritious veggies, flavorful herbs, and tasty king oyster mushrooms in place of chicken pieces. Making a delicious meal that satisfies the entire family could not be any easier! We love vegetable soups because they...

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