At the end of a long day, sometimes cooking up a quick pot of pasta doesn’t seem speedy enough—and a packaged frozen entrée doesn’t sound appealing enough. That’s where this fast make-ahead fusilli pasta bowl fix comes in.

It’s my go-to pasta bowl of the moment. I pair whole grain fusilli with a good-quality marinara sauce, plus some of my favorite ingredients: baby arugula, goat cheese, pistachios, and lemon zest. Yum!

Here’s all you need to do: (1) Prepare this recipe whenever you have 15 minutes or so to spare (for me, that’s usually Sunday late evening); (2) freeze it in 4 bowls; (3) microwave a bowl of it for 3 minutes whenever you want a warm, comforting meal ASAP! It doesn’t get much quicker than that. The bonus: It’s both tasty and nutritious. Try it!

(And yes, that’s the before and after photo above … looks prettier before freezing; tastes better after prep!)

Why it’s better for you? It’s meat free, yet still has ample protein!

make-ahead fusilli pasta bowls

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At the end of a long day, sometimes cooking up a quick pot of pasta doesn’t seem speedy enough—and a packaged frozen entrée doesn’t sound appealing enough. That’s where this fast make-ahead fusilli pasta bowl fix comes in.

It’s my go-to pasta bowl of the moment. I pair whole grain fusilli with a good-quality marinara sauce, plus some of my favorite ingredients: baby arugula, goat cheese, pistachios, and lemon zest. Yum!

• Yield: 4 servings 1x

Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

• 10 ounces dry whole grain fusilli pasta
• 1 cup good-quality marinara sauce
• 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly grated lemon zest
• 1 (5-ounce) package fresh baby arugula
• 4 ounces soft goat cheese or soft cashew cheese, crumbled
• 1/4 cup salted roasted shelled pistachios

Instructions

1. Cook the pasta according to package directions in salted water until al dente. (Or save energy and “lid cook” it like this: Bring water to a boil, stir in the pasta, bring back to boil, add lid, remove from heat, and let cook without heat for the same time suggested on the package.)
2. Drain the pasta, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid. Toss together the pasta, marinara sauce, lemon zest, and the reserved cooking liquid. Divide among 4 freezer- and microwave-safe bowls (2-cup capacity). Top with the arugula, goat cheese, and pistachios. Cover tightly and freeze.
3. To prepare one bowl: Remove lid or other cover, loosely cover with unbleached parchment paper or paper towel, and microwave on HI for 2 minutes. Stir and microwave for 1 minute, or until fully heated. (Note: Microwave cooking times vary.)
4. Sprinkle with additional fresh grated lemon zest, if desired, and enjoy. If you like, serve the pasta bowl with a side salad or seasonal fruit.

• Author: Jackie Newgent
• Category: Pasta
• Cuisine: Mediterranean, Italian
• Diet: Vegetarian

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 bowl (1 1/2 cups)
• Calories: 400
• Sugar: 6g includes 0g added sugars
• Sodium: 600mg
• Fat: 12g
• Saturated Fat: 5g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 60
• Fiber: 8g
• Protein: 20g
• Cholesterol: 15mg

Keywords: pasta, pasta bowl, fusilli, make-ahead, vegetarian pasta, plant-based pasta

Tasteover Tips

• When in doubt, go heavy on non-starchy vegetables, like baby arugula.
• Want little pops of green? Try pistachios rather than starchy peas. The crunchy nuts also provide a punch of protein in lieu of prosciutto or other meat.
• Don’t be shy with lemon zest; it adds refreshing zing. Healthy food should always taste great!

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