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Pasta Recipe Doodle Your Way to Delicious Homemade Meals

Pasta Recipe Doodle Your Way to Delicious Homemade Meals - Featured Image
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Learn how to make delicious pasta recipe doodle. Easy recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Ingredients

Scale

  • 12 ounces dried pasta (I love using penne or fusilli for their sturdy texture)
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, roughly torn
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional, but adds a gentle warmth)
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts or chopped walnuts (optional, for a little crunch)
  • Substitution tip: If you’re avoiding dairy, swap Parmesan with nutritional yeast for a cheesy flavor
  • Vegetable substitutions: Swap cherry tomatoes for roasted red peppers or sun-dried tomatoes for a richer flavor

Instructions

  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente—usually about 9 to 11 minutes. Mama Lu never fussed over timing; she’d test pasta by tasting, trusting her instincts more than clocks.
  2. While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced garlic and chopped onion, cooking gently until they’re soft and fragrant, about 4 to 5 minutes. Watch carefully so the garlic doesn’t brown too much—it should be golden and sweet, not bitter.
  3. Add the cherry tomatoes and red pepper flakes to the skillet. Stir and cook until the tomatoes begin to soften and release their juices, roughly 5 minutes. This is where the skillet starts to sing, just like the bubbling potroasts Mama Lu would slow-cook on Sundays.
  4. Drain the pasta, reserving about 1/2 cup of the pasta water. Add the pasta to the skillet along with the reserved water. Toss everything together over low heat so the pasta soaks up those garlicky, tomatoey flavors. This step is key—don’t rush it.
  5. Remove the skillet from heat and stir in the torn basil leaves and grated Parmesan cheese until everything is glossy and well combined. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
  6. If you like a little crunch, sprinkle toasted pine nuts or chopped walnuts on top before serving. It adds a lovely texture contrast that makes the dish feel special, much like how Mama Lu’s blackberry jam had that unexpected pop of tart sweetness.

Find it online: https://claracooking.com/pasta-recipe-doodle/