Orecchiette with Chicken Sausage and Broccoli Rabe

Posted by Alison Sickelka

Pasta is a great dish when you need to feed a crowd quickly. This particular dish comes together in just over 30 minutes. We made it a little healthier by cutting back on the pasta to make room for more broccoli rabe and using chicken sausage. When choosing broccoli rabe, look for bright-green leaves and small florets with no yellow spots. The stalks are also edible; just trim the tough ends.

PREP: 20 minutes
TOTAL: 35 minutes

GET THE RECIPE:
Orecchiette with Chicken Sausage and Broccoli Rabe

Bow-Tie Pasta with Escarole

Posted by Caroline Wright

Have you given escarole a try? It's a really yummy, hearty green that packs a flavorful and nutritional punch. If you haven't tried it yet, this pasta is a great place to start: With bold Italian flavors and balance from the sweet raisins, it's sure to become a family favorite. And with only 30 minutes prep, it's definitely bound to be the chef's favorite, too!

PREP: 30 minutes
TOTAL: 30 minutes

GET THE RECIPE:
Bow-Tie Pasta with Escarole

Freeze It: Mediterranean Tuna-Noodle Casserole

Posted by Adina Steiman

Of all the affordable casseroles out there, I think the tuna-noodle version takes the cake: it transforms a humble lunchtime staple, canned tuna, into a real dinner. I love this version because it gives you double the bang for your buck: there's enough for two baking dishes, so you can store one in the freezer for a rainy day, and serve the other tonight. And there are just enough fresh touches (red bell pepper, artichoke hearts) to make this version a cut above the classic.

How do you dress up all-American casseroles?

PREP: 35 minutes
TOTAL:55 minutes

GET THE RECIPE: Mediterranean Tuna-Noodle Casserole

Bats and Cobwebs

Posted by Alison Sickelka

Not sure what to feed your spooky crew this Halloween? Serve up this easy baked bow-tie pasta with mozzarella. The ooey gooey main dish transforms into bats and cobwebs, just the thing to fuel determined trick-or-treaters (and hopefully prevent them from eating too much candy!).

Hope you all have a perfectly eerie Halloween!   

PREP: 20 minutes
TOTAL: 45 minutes

SEE THE RECIPE:
Bats and Cobwebs

Linguine with Turkey Sausage and Peppers

Posted by Caroline Wright

Classic Italian ingredients -- peppers, sausage, and garlic -- come together in this easy weeknight dish. While you cook your pasta, let your idle time work for you as you brown a pound of turkey sausage.

Toss in a few peppers, a handful of sliced garlic, some pasta water and finish with a little butter and you have a flavorful pasta toss, without a sauce! Everything will come together at once, as you return your hot, cooked pasta to its pot with a bit of chopped arugula along with the pasta toppings.

PREP: 15 minutes
TOTAL: 30 minutes

GET THE RECIPE:
Linguine with Turkey Sausage and Peppers

What are your favorite pasta sauces that come together in the time it takes water to boil?

Spaghetti and Meatballs

Posted by Regan Burns

A great version of spaghetti and meatballs should be a staple in every cook's arsenal of recipes. It's a dish that pretty much everyone loves, and it's perfect for both family night and when company calls. This version is one of my favorites, and uses ground pork and ground turkey as the base for the meatballs. By the way, did you notice the prep and total time? Now that's quick!

PREP: 20 minutes
TOTAL: 40 minutes

SEE THE RECIPE:
Spaghetti and Meatballs

ON THE SIDE:
Crunchy Italian Salad

Chicken Tetrazzini

Posted by Sandy Gluck

Chicken, mushrooms, pasta, and cheese -- what could be bad? And to top it off, this one-pot dinner makes enough to feed eight, so you can serve dinner for four tonight and freeze a second casserole for that night when you just don't have time to plan a dinner. Freezer gold!

SEE THE RECIPE:
Chicken Tetrazzini

Other one-pot suggestions:
Cornbread-and-Beef Skillet Pie
Tomato and Sausage Risotto

Spinach Linguine with Ham and Broccoli

Posted by Regan Burns

This easy recipe uses one of my favorite time-saving tricks for pasta dishes -- cook the vegetables in the same pot at the pasta. Just add raw vegetables right before the pasta's ready. There's one less pot to clean and the noodles and vegetables are already mixed together. So easy! Serve this with a veggie-heavy salad to balance the richness of the dish.

PREP: 15 minutes
TOTAL: 30 minutes

SEE THE RECIPE:
Spinach Linguine with Ham and Broccoli

ON THE SIDE:
Crunchy Italian Salad

Baked Pasta with Spinach, Ricotta, and Prosciutto

Posted by Caroline Wright

How does this sound: gooey, comforting baked pasta prepped in just ten minutes? Prep this pasta, throw it in the oven, and go on with your life for 40 minutes while it works for you, not the other way around.

Its classic Italian flavors -- prosciutto, ricotta, garlic, and Parmesan -- will make it a favorite with your family, but its double dose of spinach and fuss-free strategy will make it yours.

What’s your favorite fuss-free baked pasta?

PREP: 10 minutes
TOTAL: 50 minutes

SEE THE RECIPE:
Baked Pasta with Spinach, Ricotta, and Prosciutto

20 Minute Meals: Whole-Wheat Spaghetti with Vegetables and Peanut Sauce

Posted by Sandy Gluck

If you've had Asian noodles with peanut sauce, you can imagine how good this is. Not only is it ready in 20 minutes, but the vegetables are added to the pot along with the pasta making for supereasy cleanup. This recipe is so versatile that you can swap in regular pasta for the whole-wheat, change vegetables, and even sub chicken for the tofu.

If you'd like, try another nut butter instead of the peanut butter. I love these types of recipes -– add what you like and make it your own.

What Asian takeout classics do you like to make at home?

PREP: 15 minutes
TOTAL: 20 minutes

SEE THE RECIPE:
Whole-Wheat Spaghetti with Vegetables and Peanut Sauce

SEE PREVIOUS 20 MINUTE MEALS:
Barbecue Chicken
Green-Pea Soup with Cheddar-Scallion Panini
Greek Chicken Cutlets
Citrus Steak Salad

See our gallery of other takeout classics to make at home.