5 unusual recipes to break a pasta rut
Pasta is a midweek staple, but getting stuck in a rut is easy. Try our bold sauces, fresh flavours and inventive twists to shake up pasta night
Pasta is often a go-to for quick, easy and budget-friendly midweek meals. Whether it's simple pesto pasta, classic tomato sauce or creamy carbonara, many of us have recipes that we turn to time and time again. But while these tried-and-tested favourites are undeniably delicious, it can be all too easy to fall into a pasta rut.
If you're looking to bring some excitement back to your pasta nights, try these fresh twists using unexpected ingredients and unique flavour combinations. From bold, inventive sauces to unconventional pairings, these creative recipes are so good they might just become your new favourites.
For more inspiration, explore our pasta recipes, all of them ideal for a fuss-free dinner after a long day. Looking for more effortless meal ideas? Take a look at our quick budget meals, quick vegetarian meals and quick family comfort food recipes.
1. Black bean & spicy beef pasta
Use our mushroom, lentil & beef ragu recipe as the base for this quick and easy pasta dish, infused with the bold flavours of Mexico. This hearty and wholesome meal comes together in 30 minutes, making it perfect for busy weeknights. If serving children, you can leave out the chipotle paste. This fuss-free recipe also helps reduce food waste, so it's delicious and practical.
For a vegetarian pasta dish with Mexican-inspired flavours, check out our elote-inspired pasta salad.
2. Baked camembert pasta alfredo
While camembert is often associated with Christmas, why not enjoy its rich, indulgent flavour all year round? Our comforting twist on pasta alfredo uses fewer than 10 ingredients to create a luxuriously silky sauce with an entire wheel of camembert at its heart.
3. Olive, cauliflower & harissa pasta
People often talk about pasta as being bad for you, but this recipe proves otherwise. Try our wholesome vegan olive, cauliflower & harissa pasta among our collection of healthy pasta recipes, then read more about how you can make pasta healthier.
4. One-pot cheeseburger pasta
Combine the best of two comfort foods — pasta and cheeseburgers — to make one irresistible dish. Perfect for a Friday night treat, this high-protein meal is far more satisfying than an overpriced, lukewarm takeaway and will be on the table in half the time.
5. Marmite & pancetta spaghetti
Even Marmite sceptics will find it hard to resist this umami-rich bowlful of spaghetti. And if you’re concerned they might, simply keep the secret until after they’ve tasted it! This flavour-packed dish serves four and can be on the table in under 20 minutes, making it the ideal quick-fix dinner.
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