#pantrypasta

If you need a quick and easy meal that you can make with things you probably already have, this pantry pasta recipe is perfect for you. When you mix garlic, tomatoes, and herbs together, you get a tasty sauce that goes well with any kind of pasta. Plus, you can easily change it up by adding things like protein or vegetables.

Ingredients: 250g pasta. 2 tbsp olive oil. 4 cloves garlic, minced. 1 can 400g diced tomatoes. 1 tsp dried oregano. 1 tsp dried basil. Salt and pepper to taste. Grated Parmesan cheese, for serving optional.

Instructions: Follow the directions on the package to cook the pasta until it is al dente. Remove the water and set it aside. Warm up the olive oil in a big pan over medium-low heat. Add the minced garlic and cook for about one minute, until the garlic smells good. Add the dried oregano, dried basil, salt, and pepper, along with the diced tomatoes. Allow the flavors to blend and the sauce to get a little thicker for 5 to 7 minutes. Toss the cooked pasta in the pan with the sauce until it's all covered. If you want, you can serve it hot with grated Parmesan cheese on top.

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

"The only guilty pleasure I have is pasta."

Pantry Sauce

This is my favorite pantry sauce - you know the sauce you turn to when you have to rely only on the staples in your pantry

It’s incredibly simple- 1 tbsp capers, 5-6 olives, 2 tbsp butter and 3-4 minced cloves of garlic and 1/2 a preserved lemon finely chopped (lemon zest and a healthy squeeze of lemon works just as well) cooked on low -medium heat till the pasta cooks. You remembered the boil the water as soon as you entered the kitchen right ?

Cook the pasta about a minute less than the instructions specify. Add a 1/2 cup of pasta water and 1/4 cup of grated Parmesan to the sauce. Add the pasta - swirl for a minute or two. The sauce should cling to the pasta.

Top with any protein. Today I used vegan Italian sausage, but I’ve also used tofu, edamame and/or broccoli. This will also work with chicken, shrimp - well you get the idea.