This is the easiest meal of all. I make it at least once a week. It’s flexible depending on what you have on hand, but as long as you have some kind of past in your pantry and some kind of fresh/frozen veggies, you’re set.
Boil water. Cook pasta. Drain pasta, saving a little of the water. Add olive oil (a few [or more] glugs). Add fresh/frozen veggies. Toss into the pasta and let them cook. If you add tomatoes, wait until they pop. Add herbs (optional but recommended) like basil, parsley, etc. Add more olive oil if needed. Add TVP and toss into noodles until they’ve fully rehydrated. [TVP is texture vegetable protein – for more info and recipes see here and here]
Serve and dig in. If you’re not avoiding dairy, top with parmesan cheese.
Does the mountainous stature of this pasta make you want to sing “on top of old smooooookey…”? No? Me either. 
This one had garlic infused olive oil, peas, corn, cherry tomatoes, and TVP.
Here’s a fusilli version with edamame, corn, fresh tomatoes, marinara, and TVP.
And here’s yet another with penne, tomatoes, hummus, basil, and TVP.
It definitely helps having an unlimited supply of tomatoes and basil in your backyard. That makes much of the meal free. TVP is cheap and frozen veggies (even the organic kind) as well as pasta are cheap cheap cheap, too.
Pretty easy.
Even for a work night.
{ 15 comments… read them below or add one }
hahaha. This is FABULOUS because this is pretty much what I’ve been eating the past week!! Except, I like my noodles naked, so no sauce. But the tossing of pasta and veggies — I’m ALL over that these days. Going to try it with the TVP — do you have a recommendation of how much to add per serving?
not really. anywhere from a few tbsp to 1/3 cup. but it depends on how much pasta youre making. adding more doesnt hurt!
TVP. Definitely added onto my shopping list now
We have a load of whole wheat pasta that we just do not have the inspiration to cook with. Now we do thanks to your lovely post. These dishes look delicious.
Where can you find TVP? In your local regular supermarket or do you need to venture out to the nearest whole foods market for some?
natural food stores will have it either in the bulk bins section or with baking stuff (like flours/etc.). bobs red mill makes some. i dont know if a regular grocery store would have it. maybe if they have a decent natural foods section? im sure you could get it online too.
I wish I had an unlimited supply of basil and tomatoes! I rarely buy basil because it always seems to go bad before I can use it all, but it really adds so much to a dish!
Thank you for such simple, quick & delicious pasta ideas!
I’m soooo having a garden!!! E, you must help. =D
I have IBS and I hear the TVP is good, but I don’t know…guess I’ll need to try it. But I loveeee the looks of all these. I’m going to try the first two for sure. Thanks!
kyle loves it. i do too, but my ibs sometimes doesnt. try it out and see.
I like cheap. I like easy. I totally dig this
…and now I want pasta for dinner instead of the tacos I had planned.
Wow! I love this . Looks very delicious.
I’m starving just looking at that! The version with edamame looks amazing. I might try this with fresh zucchini pasta (via spiralizer) for even more veggie power.
awesome idea. zucchini noodles would be delish with it.
Looks so delicious
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