Every mom needs an easy pasta recipe for those busy back to school days, and this is it. You can have this nutritious meal on the table in just 30 minutes.
This post has been sponsored by Barilla. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Pasta. It’s this Italian girl’s dream come true. OK, part Italian, but when it comes to the love of pasta, who cares?
I grew up eating it 2-3 times a week and still love it.
Pasta is not only quick and easy to make, it also comes in a ton of fun varieties, and pairs well with lots of different vegetables, cheeses and proteins.
You could say the “pastabilities” are endless.
One of my favorite kinds of pasta is rotini. I love the spiral shapes, they capture just the right amount of sauce in them. Yum.
Can we chat about back to school for a sec? Cool.
The worst part about back to school shopping is that I then have to figure out what to make for dinner after all of said shopping is done.
All I know is, by the time I’ve purchased all of the mechanical pencils, pens, notebooks and paper, I don’t want to spend a lot of time making dinner.
My easy pasta recipe dinner solution
I’m sure you’re wondering what my solution is, right? Walmart. Since I’m already there for school shopping, I simply cruise down the pasta aisle once we are finished.
I let my son decide on the pasta shape and kind of sauce, in this case Barilla Blue Box Rotini and Barilla Blue Box Tomato & Basil sauce.
Not only are they both made with simple non-GMO ingredients, the Barilla Rotini is enriched with Iron and B Vitamins. It’s also low Glycemic Index, so it keeps you fuller, longer.
Additionally, Barilla Tomato & Basil sauce is made with vine-ripened tomatoes, aromatic herbs, and extra virgin olive oil, everything I would use in my homemade pasta sauce, so I can feel good about feeding it to my family.
The best part about getting Barilla at Walmart is that Barilla and Walmart have partnered with No Kid Hungry.
For every box of Barilla Blue Box pasta purchase at Walmart between 8/10/2017 – 10/31/2017, Barilla will donate $1 to No Kid Hungry, up to $50,000. That’s enough to provide 500,000 meals to kids in need. Learn more at nokidhungry.org/onedollar.
The No Kid Hungry organization is a national non-profit organization that focuses on connecting kids in need with nutritious food. It also teaches their families how to cook healthy, affordable meals.
Additional information on the No Kid Hungry Organization can be found here: https://www.nokidhungry.org/about-us.
I love the flavor of the Barilla Blue Box Tomato & Basil sauce – no need to doctor it. I do, however, like to sneak in some diced veggies, like carrots. It adds to my family’s daily intake and the kids don’t seem to mind.
If we’re having it as our main dish rather than just a side, I’ll add ground chicken as well.
What’s your favorite Barilla Blue Box pasta and sauce combination?
Other easy recipes you may like
Easy Pasta recipe
Every mom needs an easy pasta recipe for those busy back to school days, and this is it. You can have this nutritious meal on the table in just 30 minutes.
15 minPrep Time
15 minCook Time
30 minTotal Time
Ingredients
- 1 1-pound box Barilla Blue Box Rotini pasta
- 1 24-ounce jar Blue Box Barilla Tomato & Basil pasta sauce
- 1 Small carrot or a handful of baby carrots
- 1/2 Pound ground chicken
- Olive oil
- Salt & pepper
Instructions
- Fill a stockpot 2/3 full with water
- Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil, this helps keep the pasta from sticking together
- Bring to a boil over medium-high heat
- While water heats, dice carrots into small pieces; set aside
- Heat a medium skillet over medium-high heat
- Add 1-2 teaspoons olive oil; heat until hot
- Add diced carrots; add a dash of salt and pepper
- Sauté until softened, stirring occasionally, about five minutes
- Add ground chicken; cook, stirring occasionally, until meat is fully cooked
- Drain any fat; set aside
- Once water is boiling, add pasta and cook as directed
- While pasta cooks, add Barilla Blue Box Tomato & Basil sauce to the meat mixture
- Heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until hot
- Drain pasta in a colander and return to pan
- Put 3-4 ounces of pasta on plates and top with desired amount of sauce
- Serve immediately
Notes
Serve with a green salad for a complete meal.
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