This Pasta For Kids recipe is fuss-free, requires only a few ingredients, and is easy and quick. It is a simple dish made without pasta sauce but very flavorful and cheesy!
I have made this Easy and Quick Pasta Recipe with fresh tomatoes, so no pasta sauce is needed. Yes, it is a pasta recipe without pasta sauce, but it is still absolutely delicious, and kids would love it, I promise!
Easy and Delicious Pasta For Kids
This is an often-made recipe in my house, as my son loves it. Actually, he doesn’t appreciate the pasta soaked in the pasta sauce. So I started making pasta this way a long ago. And to my surprise, every single child from my family and friends, who tasted my pasta, liked it so much.
But there is another reason why kids love this pasta recipe. And because of the same reason, I am calling it pasta for kids.
And the reason is I don’t use any vegetables except fresh tomatoes in this recipe. Sounds familiar? If you have kids or have to make dishes for kids, you must know how difficult it is to feed them vegetables.
But hey, there are other ways to feed them vegetables, and so by making veggie-free pasta, we can make them happy occasionally, right?
What To Love About This Recipe
- This recipe of Pasta for Kids is simple but delicious and flavorful.
- The dish is made with fresh tomatoes, and there is no need for pasta sauce.
- It is an easy and quick recipe done in under 30 minutes.
- The recipe is eggless, vegetarian, and without onion and garlic.
- It can be served as a side dish or dinner or packed for a lunchbox.
- Kids would love this pasta dish.
Ingredients
- Pasta: We love tri-color rotini pasta; my pantry never runs out of it. The brand I use also has tri-color penne pasta, but somehow, my son prefers rotini over penne pasta. But you can use pasta of your choice or your kids’ favorite pasta to make this recipe.
- Olive Oil: I always use olive oil for this Pasta For Kids recipe. However, you can also use other cooking oil of your choice. If you are cooking with olive oil, do not heat it. Pour the olive oil into the pan, turn on the heat, and add tomatoes as soon as the oil is warm.
- Herbs and Spices: This pasta is not spicy; I have used only ¼ teaspoon of cayenne pepper to give it just a hint of spiciness. Paprika powder provides a nice smoky flavor and bright color to the pasta. You can add your choice of spices; however, I will not recommend adding a lot. Keep it simple, and that is why kids will love it. Dried oregano and dried basil are my personal favorites, and I always use them in my pasta recipes. If you have access, you can also use other herbs of your choice, like chives, parsley, or fresh herbs.
- Cheese: You can use shredded marble cheese instead of using both kinds of cheese for this pasta recipe. Or use only cheddar cheese and skip the mozzarella cheese. But do not use only mozzarella cheese.
How To Boil Pasta
Boil the pasta in salted water. You can cook them al dente or a little more. We prefer pasta cooked more than al dente. So initially, you can boil pasta according to the instructions on the package. And then you can taste and continue cooking more if you need to. After you cook the pasta, don’t drain the water; instead, using a slotted spoon, remove the pasta from the water and add to the tomato mixture. Don’t throw the stock; we need to add some of it to this recipe of Pasta For Kids. If your pasta looks dry, you can add more pasta water.
How To Make Pasta For Kids Step-by-Step
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
- Add salt and pasta and cook al dente or according to the instructions on the package.
- Meanwhile, warm olive oil in a large skillet and add chopped tomatoes.
- Mix well and cook for a minute.
- Add a pinch of salt, paprika powder, cayenne pepper, dried oregano, and dried basil.
- Mix well and cook until tomatoes are soft.
- Once the pasta is cooked, remove the pasta from the pot with the slotted spoon.
- And add straight to the tomato mixture (you will have to do it several times, depending on how big the slotted spoon is).
- Reserve the pasta water, as we will use some of the water later.
- Mix the pasta well with the tomato mixture.
- Add both the cheese and mix well.
- Add 2-3 tablespoon of reserved pasta water to the tomato-pasta mixture.
- If your Pasta looks dry, you can add more pasta water.
- Cook for 3-4 minutes or until cheese is melted.
- Season with freshly ground black pepper and crushed red pepper.
- Mix well and serve hot.
How To Serve Pasta For Kids
- This recipe is definitely for kids, but it can be served as a side dish for everyone.
- Or, this pasta is good for a quick and lighter lunch.
- You can also make this pasta for a lazy dinner night.
- It is perfect for a lunch box for school.
Helpful Tips
- Pasta: I have used tri-colored rotini pasta for this recipe. But you can use your favorite pasta. I also sometimes use bow-tie pasta instead of rotini with the same recipe. Do not boil and drain the pasta in advance. For the best taste, boil the pasta when you plan to make the dish. Drain with a slotted spoon once the pasta is cooked, and add directly to the tomato mixture.
- Pasta Stock: After boiling the pasta, reserve some water to add later to the pasta dish.
- Herbs and Spices: Take the recipe as a guide and season the pasta with your choice of herbs and spices. You can use fresh herbs if available.
- Cheese: Instead of cheddar and mozzarella cheese, you can use your choice of cheese blend. Or add only cheddar cheese to the pasta.
- Vegetables: I make this pasta dish with only tomatoes and do not add other vegetables. But you can add some vegetables if you like. You can add vegetables such as carrots, bell peppers, celery, baby spinach, broccoli, zucchini, etc.
More Easy Recipes
You May Like More Easy Recipes
- Broccoli Cheese Paratha (Healthy Indian Flatbread)
- Overnight Oats (Four Delicious Flavors)
- Vanilla Mug Cake (Eggless)
- Eggless Chocolate Cookies / Double Chocolate Cookies
- Strawberry Banana Smoothie (Easy and Healthy)
Recipe Card
Pasta For Kids / Easy and Quick Pasta Recipe
This Pasta For Kids recipe is fuss-free, requires only a few ingredients, and is easy and quick. It is a simple dish made without pasta sauce but very flavorful and cheesy!
Video
Ingredients
- 3 cups pasta (I have used rotini pasta)
- Water to boil pasta
- Salt to taste
- 2 teaspoon olive oil
- 2 large tomatoes finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon paprika powder
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne powder
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- A pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook al dente or according to the instructions on the package.
- Meanwhile, Warm olive oil in a large skillet and add chopped tomatoes. Mix well, and add a pinch of salt, paprika powder, cayenne pepper, dried oregano, and dried basil. Mix well and cook until tomatoes are soft.
- Once pasta is cooked, remove pasta from the pot with a slotted spoon and add straight to the tomato mixture. You may have to do it several times, depending on the slotted spoon size. Reserve the pasta water, as we will later add this water to the pasta.
- Mix the pasta with the tomato mixture. Add both the cheese and mix well. Add 2-3 tablespoon of reserved pasta water to the tomato-pasta mixture. If your pasta looks dry, you can add more pasta water.
- Cook for 3-4 minutes or until cheese is melted. Season the pasta with freshly ground black pepper and crushed red pepper. Serve hot.
Serving Suggestions
- This recipe is definitely for kids, but it can be served as a side dish for everyone.
- Or, this pasta is suitable for a quick and lighter lunch.
- You can also make this pasta for a lazy dinner night.
- It is perfect for a lunch box for school.
Notes
- Pasta: I have used tri-colored rotini pasta for this recipe. But you can use your favorite pasta. I also sometimes use bow-tie pasta instead of rotini with the same recipe. Do not boil and drain the pasta in advance. For the best taste, boil the pasta when you plan to make the dish. Drain with a slotted spoon once the pasta is cooked, and add directly to the tomato mixture.
- Pasta Stock: After boiling the pasta, reserve some water for adding to the pasta dish.
- Herbs and Spices: Take the recipe as a guide and season the pasta with your choice of herbs and spices. You can use fresh herbs if available.
- Cheese: Instead of cheddar and mozzarella cheese, you can use your choice of cheese blend. Or add only cheddar cheese to the pasta.
- Vegetables: I make this pasta dish with only tomatoes and do not add other vegetables. But you can add some vegetables if you like. You can add vegetables such as carrots, bell peppers, celery, baby spinach, broccoli, zucchini, etc.
Nutrition (Approximate Values)
Calories : 391kcalCarbohydrates : 36gProtein : 19gFat : 19gSaturated Fat : 10gPolyunsaturated Fat : 1gMonounsaturated Fat : 5gCholesterol : 50mgSodium : 365mgPotassium : 226mgFiber : 2gSugar : 2gVitamin A : 788IUVitamin C : 4mgCalcium : 361mgIron : 1mg
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Anonymous says
Very good taste
Jigna says
Thank you so much!
Marie-Claire says
Perfect lunch for my toddler and really enjoyed it myself!
Jigna says
Hello Marie-Claire, I am glad that you and your toddler enjoyed the Pasta. Thank you so much for your feedback!🤗