I would like to introduce the first recipe in our Simple Sustenance series featuring recipes using 5 ingredients or less and cost $5 or less to make. This dish is just about as basic as it gets. It requires only 2 main ingredients, but gives you the option to “fancify” or dress up the dish in a variety of different ways. Pasta is the ultimate comfort food and this pasta dish can be served dressed up or dressed down, for dinner or a dinner party.
5 Ingredients: (serves 1 to 2 persons)
1. 1 bunch broccoli rinsed and chopped (or broccolini)=$2.00
2. 1 box whole wheat pasta (you only need 1/2 a box)=$1.75
3. juice of 1/2 lemon (optional)
4. red pepper flakes (optional)
5. grated parmesean (optional)
TOTAL=$3.75 (without optional ingredients)
Directions: I love this dish because it’s easy to make and only takes about 20 min. All you need to do is boil your pasta until al dente (cooked but firm), remove it from the pasta water (do not drain the water!), and add it to a sauce pan with a little evoo, salt and pepper. Saute the pasta with the broccoli and spoon in a few spoonfuls of the pasta water to cook the broccoli. Once the broccoli is slightly cooked and bright green in color, it’s ready to eat! Serve up the pasta in bowls and eat plain or top with a dash of lemon juice, red pepper, evoo, and/or parmesean cheese.
*For a dinner party, serve the pasta plain and let guests top it with whichever toppings they like.
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{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
Looks SO GOOD and SO SIMPLE!!!
I’m cooking that tonight!
This looks delish! I love how simple it is. It reminded me of a dish I crave at least once a week!! My husband’s not a big fan of it (he’s a picky eater though!), so the recipe I follow is for just one serving, but you could double the pasta for 2 servings. Here it is:
-1 can of white albacore tuna, drained (get the best canned tuna you can get–there is so much difference in flavor!)
-juice of one lemon
-2 oz. of pasta (I like to vary it up, sometimes angel hair, sometimes penne–whatever’s in the pantry)
-small handfull of bread crumbs
-a few fresh leaves of basil, chopped
-parmesan cheese to taste, usually a few teaspoons (Stella is my favorite)
-salt & pepper to taste
Boil the pasta to al dente. Drain the pasta, reserving some liquid. Return pasta to the pot (with the burner off) and add the can of drained tuna, basil, lemon juice, and bread crumbs. Stir it up adding a bit of the pasta water as needed. Salt & pepper to taste and top it off with some parmesan. I love making this dish because it so light tasting, but it still fills me up! Hope you like it!
Thanks for the great recipe Sara! I will have to make it sometime-in fact, this would make a perfect Simple Sustenance recipe to feature in the future. Reminds me of an more refined version of the tuna mac that I used to eat back in the day…yum!