#pasta sauce

Hearty & Wholesome Meatless Ragù

Garlic parmesan sauce

Frying Italian parsley and garlic in olive oil is common cooking method in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy and it invigorates your pasta sauce with an additional layer of unexpected flavor.

Spaghetti with Shrimp Ragout

Ingredients
1 box Barilla Spaghetti
4 tbs extra-virgin olive oil
1 clove, minced garlic
3 tbs parsley, chopped
1 lb shrimp tails, cleaned and chopped
½ cup dry wine
5 cans San Marzano tomatoes, peeled and chopped
TT salt and pepper

Instructions
1. In a sauce pan, sauté garlic and 2 tbsp. parsley in 3 tbsp of extra-virgin olive oil.
2. Next, add shrimp tails and sauté for two minutes.
3. Deglaze the pan with white wine until reduced to half. Stir in San Marzano tomatoes, salt and pepper and bring to boil. Simmer for five minutes.
4. Meanwhile, bring one large pot of water to a boil and cook pasta according to package directions. Cook until pasta is al dente.
5. Drain pasta, reserving some cooking liquid.
6. Combine sauce with pasta and finish cooking over high heat. Add pasta water as needed.
7. Finish with 2 tbsp. of extra-virgin olive oil and some fresh parsley before serving 

Recipe and Photo Credit: Lorenzo Boni

Fresh diced vegetables are a great way to add texture and flavor to simple recipes.

Mostaccioli with Tomato, Multicolor Bell Peppers, Eggplant Sauce and Fresh Ricotta Cheese

Ingredients
1 box Mostaccioli
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
½ cup yellow onion, diced
½ red bell pepper, diced
½ yellow red pepper, diced
½ green bell pepper, diced
1 eggplant, diced
1 28 oz can Italian tomatoes
TT salt and black pepper
1 cup ricotta
½ cup Romano cheese
½ cup Basil, thick julienne

Instructions
1. Bring one large pot of water to a boil and cook pasta according to directions, reserving 1 cup of cooking water.
2. Meanwhile, in a skillet sauté onion, pepper and eggplant for five minutes, add tomato sauce, one cup of pasta cooking water, season with salt and pepper and bring to boil.
3. Stir in ricotta and simmer for five minutes.
4. Toss pasta with sauce. Top with Romano cheese and fresh basil before serving.

Photo + Recipe Credit:Chef Lorenzo Boni

As National Sauce Month kicks off, we want to inspire you to experiment with new flavors and ingredients. So, it’s only fitting our first recipe features a decadent black truffle sauce.

Collezione Orecchiette with Creamy Porcini Mushrooms, Leeks and Black Truffle Sauce

Ingredients
1 box Collezione orecchiette
1leek, sliced in rondels
4 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 oz black truffle, chopped
½ lb Porcini mushrooms, fresh or frozen, diced
1 cup veggie broth [and/or porcini water]
1 cup heavy cream
TT salt and black pepper
½ cup Parmigiano cheese
1 Tbsp parsley
2 Tbsp black truffle butter

Instructions
1. Bring one large pot of water to a boil and cook orecchiette according to package directions.
2. Meanwhile in a skillet, sauté leek in extra virgin olive oil until slightly yellow, add truffle and porcini and sauté for two minutes.
3. Next, add broth and cream and bring to simmer. Season with season with salt and pepper.
4. Toss orecchiette with sauce, add cheese, butter and parsley before serving.

Photo + Recipe Credit:Chef Lorenzo Boni

Spaghetti and meatballs, all grown up.  

Bucatini with Meatballs

Meatballs

Ingredients
1lb grass-fed beef 90% lean
2 oz [1 cup] white bread, diced with no crust
½ cup [2 oz] Parmigiano, grated
2 Tbsp. Italian parsley, chopped
1 organic egg
TT salt and black pepper

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
2. Soak bread in water for a few minutes. Drain the excessive liquid and make a paste by smashing wet bread on the side of a stirring bowl.
3. Stir the remaining ingredients in the bowl and mix well.
4. Shape mixture to 1-inch meatballs and bake for 12 minutes

For the sauce

2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
4 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsps. dry oregano
1 28 oz. can chopped Italian tomatoes
1 cup water
TT salt and black pepper
½ cup Parmigiano, grated
1 tbsp. Italian parsley, chopped

1. Sauté garlic in olive oil for one minute, add oregano and sauté for another minute
2. Then add chopped tomatoes, salt and pepper along with 1 cup water.
3. Bring sauce to a boil and add meatballs, simmer for five minutes.
4. Bring one large pot of water to a boil and cook pasta according to instructions.
5. Toss pasta with meatballs and sauce.
6. Serve topped with Parmigiano cheese and parsley.

Photo + Recipe Credit:Barilla Executive Chef Lorenzo Boni

Ziti + Mushrooms = Happiness.

Ziti with Creamy Porcini Mushrooms

Ingredients
1 box Barilla Ziti
4 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 lb Porcini mushrooms
½ cup veggie broth
1 cup heavy cream
TT salt
TT pepper
TT Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
1 tbsp. Italian parsley

Instructions
1. Bring one large pot of water to a boil. Cook Ziti according to directions
2. Meanwhile in a skillet, sauté garlic with olive oil. Then, before the garlic turns yellow, add sliced porcini.
3. Sauté until thoroughly cooked and slightly brown.
4. Stir in veggie broth and deglaze the bottom of the skillet.
5. Next, add cream and bring to boil.
6. Drain pasta and toss with sauce over high heat until cream coats the Ziti.
7. Stir in cheese and parsley before serving

Photo + Recipe Credit:Barilla Executive Chef Lorenzo Boni

Try Barilla Executive Chef Lorenzo Boni’s kale and walnut pesto for a simple weeknight pasta dinner.

Angel Hair with Baby Kale and Walnut Pesto, Cannellini Beans and Cherry Tomatoes

Ingredients
1 box Angel hair
½ cup walnuts
1 clove garlic
3 cups baby kale, packed
5 tbs extra-virgin olive oil
½ cup Parmigiano
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
2 cups cannellini beans, cooked and drained

Instructions
1. Bring one large pot of water to boil, cook pasta according to directions.
2. Meanwhile, in a blender process garlic with walnut, stir in baby kale and 4 tbs extra-virgin olive oil along with 4 ice cubes, process until pesto is formed.
3. Separately in a hot skillet sauté cherry tomatoes with remaining olive oil, stir in cannellini beans, season with salt and pepper.
4. Drain pasta, toss with pesto, tomato and bean mixture.

5. Top with cheese before serving

This beautiful dish—inspired by recipes from the Emilia-Romania region of Italy—features a mouthwatering creamy Bolognese sauce that’s perfect for a chilly fall night.  

Rigatoni with Creamy Bolognese and Peas

Ingredients
1 box Rigatoni
1 celery stalk
1 carrot
½ onion
4 ounces Italian Pancetta
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 pound ground beef 80% lean
½ pound ground pork
½ cup dry White wine
1/3 cup tomato paste
3 cups water
½ cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated
3/4cup heavy cream
1 cup peas

Preparation

1. In a blender, process the vegetables and pancetta until finely ground.
2. Add the ingredients and olive oil to a medium sized pot and cook for 10 minutes over medium heat
3. Add meat and brown well, about 15 minutes. Deglaze with the white wine; evaporate completely then cover with water. Add tomato paste and bring sauce to a simmer.
4. Cook for approximately 2 hours, the sauce should be thick, and the meat should be very tender. Add peas, cook three minutes, add heavy cream, bring to boil.
5. Meanwhile, bring one large pot of water to a boil and cook pasta according to package directions and drain.
6. Toss pasta with sauce then remove from heat and add the cheese.

Recipe and Photo Credit: Lorenzo Boni

HOMEMADE PESTO
Recipe from Cooks Illustrated

People avoid making pesto, I think, because of the price of pine nuts. But walnuts provide almost the exact same taste, at a fraction of the cost. Plus, this recipe only calls for ¼ cup of nuts, so that averages to less than a $1. And yes, this recipe does have mayonnaise, which might freak you out until I remind you that mayonnaise is one of the top five ingredients ever created. 

Ingredients:

• ¼ cup walnuts or pine nuts 
• 2 garlic cloves, unpeeled salt
• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
• 3 cups fresh basil leaves
• 1 oz (1 cup) baby spinach
• ½ tsp pepper
• 2 Tb lemon juice
• 1½ oz Parmesan cheese, grated fine (¾ cup)
• 6 Tb mayonnaise

Directions:

• Bring 1 cup of water to boil in pot.
• Toast walnuts in dry skillet over medium heat, shaking pan occasionally, until just golden and fragrant, 4 to 5 minutes. 
• When water is boiling, add garlic and let cook 1 minute. Remove garlic with slotted spoon and rinse under cold water to stop cooking; set aside and let cool.
• When garlic is cool, peel and mince or press through garlic press. Place walnuts, garlic, basil, spinach, pepper, lemon juice, oil, and 1 tsp salt in bowl of food processor and process until smooth, scraping sides of bowl as necessary.
• Add cheese and mayonnaise and process until thoroughly combined. Transfer mixture to large serving bowl. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Homemade Cheese Ravioli with Meat Sauce 

This was absolutely perfect in every single way. It’s rich with flavor, slightly spicy, and a great dinner for a winter weeknight. 

I will post a detailed ravioli recipe in another post – the focus of this recipe is the meat sauce. 

Ingredients 

1 small yellow onion, diced 

5 large cloves garlic, minced 

1 lb Italian chicken sausage (hot or sweet) 

1 full jar tomato passata 

2 cups spinach, roughly chopped 

1 tsp granulated garlic 

1 tsp granulated onion

1 tsp dried basil 

1 tsp dried oregano 

½ - 1 tbsp granulated sugar 

Pinch red pepper flakes 

Extra virgin olive oil

Kosher salt and pepper, to taste 

1 lb cooked cheese ravioli 

Directions 

Heat a large dutch oven or pot over medium heat. 

Once the pot has come to temperature, drizzle a few tbsp of olive oil into the bottom and add in the onions and garlic. 

Sweat the onions and garlic until the onions become translucent. Season with salt and pepper.

Once the onions are translucent, raise the temperature to medium high and add in the chicken sausage.

Break apart the sausage using a wooden spoon, season with granulated onion and garlic and cook until browned.

As the chicken begins to brown, add in the entire jar of tomato passata [making sure to add water to the jar to add the excess], dried basil, oregano, red pepper flakes, sugar and stir. Adjust the seasoning if necessary.

Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and cook for 20 minutes, allowing the sauce to thicken. 

During the final minutes of simmering, cook the ravioli, drain and reserve a small amount of pasta water. 

Raise the heat to medium once again, and add in the spinach and stir. 

Add in the ravioli and toss into the sauce. 

Garnish with fresh parsley or basil and serve. 

Enjoy! 

Vegan Chickpea Penne 

A quick recipe that I shared on my Instagram story a little over a week ago. I boiled some penne pasta, sautéed a good amount of veggies and chickpeas and tossed it in a hearty tomato sauce. This meal is 100% vegan and 100% delicious. 

Mother’s Day 

Last night, I made a modified Sunday sauce using ground turkey and served it over the creamiest cheddar polenta. It was filling, hearty, flavorful, and just all around incredible. My recipe for Sunday sauce can be found here (x) along with a polenta recipe. I also have several polenta recipes here (x). 

I hope everyone enjoyed their weekend and Mother’s Day to the fullest. 

Stephen McMennamy, 2016.

Vegan Broccoli White Pizza

Cheesy Vegan Cauliflower Casserole (GF)

Mediterranean Butternut Squash Casserole (GF)

Portobello Fajitas (GF/SF)

Vegan Meatloaf With Gravy (GF)

Easy 5-Ingredient Creamy Carrot Tomato Vegan Pasta Sauce (GF)

Vegan Dumplings With A Spicy Coconut Broth

BBQ Vegan Black Bean Burgers

Vegan Shakshuka With Tofu And White Beans

Vegan Olive & Artichoke Tart