3 Cozy Winter Baked Pastas

Cold weather calls for hearty comfort foods like pasta. If you are looking for new ideas to keep your family well nourished this winter, sometimes it just takes a little repurposing of family favourites to add a little interest to your pasta dishes. Here are three total comfort food baked pastas sure to please everyone:

3 Perfect Baked Pastas

Cannelloni:

Cannelloni is a large tube pasta that is traditionally stuffed with a meat and spinach or cheese and spinach filling. Cannelloni is a perfect comfort food and is also a healthy option with the addition of spinach and less fatty cheese. You can create a number of delicious fillings to make it a new meal each week. Combine steamed broccoli, cooked chicken, and a touch of rose sauce for your filling. Add a good covering of rose sauce and a sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Rose sauce is a combination of béchamel and either tomato sauce or pureed tomatoes. It is rich and delicious and the perfect combination with the chicken filling. You can also fill cannelloni with a Mexican flair such as fajita inspired steak, chicken, or shrimp and peppers. This goes nicely with a cheese and salsa sauce that will become bubbly and delicious when baked in the oven. You can use your favourite macaroni and cheese sauce mixed with salsa for the sauce.

For something with a little more hearty use spicy Italian sausage with peppers for your filling and top with a classic tomato or Diablo sauce. The important thing to remember for baked pastas with cannelloni is that you must have enough sauce to cook the hard pasta tubes. If there is not enough sauce add a touch of water to be safe.

Lasagne:

There are very few people who do not love lasagne. The beautiful thing about lasagne is that you can switch it up with different ingredients to make it a new and exciting dish. If you have been making a classic lasagne with meat sauce and mozzarella cheese consider adding an additional layer of béchamel sauce to your recipe. Béchamel is a classic white sauce that many chefs add to their lasagne for a richer, creamier lasagne. You can also look at adding some cultural twists such as some Mexican flavours. Use salsa in your meat sauce and replace your mozzarella with pepper jack or cheddar cheese. You can then add a queso cheese filling with chopped jalapenos and green onion.

You can also do a Greek inspired lasagne layering fried eggplant with your meat and noodles and a layer of béchamel . This will create a moussaka-influenced baked pasta that is rich and hearty. Roasted vegetables work well in lasagne with a cream sauce or you can layer noodles with a mix of spinach and ricotta cheese.

→ Check out this Short Cut Beef Lasagne

Macaroni:

Macaroni and cheese is a family favourite and can easily be switched up in a number of ways to make it even better. Bacon and onion are perfect additions for your favourite Mac and cheese recipe. Sautee bacon until perfectly crisp with some onion and add to the Mac and cheese before putting it in the oven to bake. Ham can be used instead of bacon if your kids prefer it. A popular addition to macaroni and cheese is lobster for a decadent meal. You can also put aside the cheese sauce and use meat sauce instead. Top with a good pile of either cheddar or mozzarella for a cheesy gooey topping. If your family likes beef stroganoff you can use your beef stroganoff recipe on macaroni noodles and top with bread crumb and cheese and bake in the oven until bubbly and golden.

→ Check out our No-Fuss Mac and Cheese Recipe

If people are complaining about the same old, same old these recipes for baked pastas are sure to tempt bored taste buds.