In the wise words of my mother, “If you like to eat, you should know how to cook”. You may be confined to your dorm room or have limited refrigerator space but the one college staple everyone needs is: pasta. As a proud Italian it is one of my main food groups. If you’re getting tired of the same noodles or jarred sauce, here are some tips and tricks to spice it up.
1. Lazy Lasagna
You will need:
- Cooked Pasta (preferably not spaghetti/fettuccini)
- Any kind of pasta sauce
- Mozzarella cheese
- Baking dish
- Oven
Starting with pasta sauce, layer that into the baking pan followed by a generous layer of noodles and then grated cheese. Stick it in the oven for a few minutes so that the cheese on top melts.
2. Pasta Salad
You will need:
- Cooked Pasta (preferably not spaghetti/ fettuccini)
- Cut up veggies
- Salad dressing
- Bowl
Mix all ingredients in a large bowl and serve. If you have leftovers, you might need to add a little bit more dressing because the pasta would have absorbed some of it overnight.
3. Vermicelli Noodles
You will need:
- Cooked vermicelli rice noodles
- Soy sauce
- Olive Oil
- Garlic
- Veggies
Cook your rice noodles first. Unlike regular pasta these only cook for about 2-3 minutes per 8 ounce pack! If they overcook they will become super mushy.
Heat up some oil in a pan and add chopped garlic and any veggies you want to use. When those are cooked stir in your noodles and season with soy sauce.
What are your quick and easy pasta hacks? Let us know in the comments below!