Meals with pasta and cheese
Pasta and cheese works because cheese melts into a sauce. Any melting cheese will do.
These meals take under 20 minutes and require minimal equipment.
Easy meal ideas
Cheese pasta
Toss hot pasta with grated cheese and a splash of pasta water until it forms a sauce.
Mac and cheese (simple)
Make a basic roux with butter and flour, add milk and cheese, toss with cooked pasta.
Pasta gratin
Layer cooked pasta and cheese in a baking dish, bake at 400°F until bubbly and golden.
Cacio e pepe
Toss pasta with pecorino or parmesan, black pepper, and starchy pasta water — no cream needed.
How to stretch these ingredients
- Mix pasta water with cheese before adding it to prevent clumping
- Add butter to make the cheese sauce smoother
- Breadcrumbs on top before baking add a nice crunch
- Lots of black pepper makes cheese pasta taste more sophisticated
- Mix two cheeses for more depth of flavor