Easy to make, quick, affordable and very diverse – I bet you have cooked pasta at least once even if you are a beginner in the kitchen. It is very versatile and can 
be presented in numerous dishes from quick spaghetti with store-bought sauce to fancy handmade ravioli with a sophisticated sauce.
You probably have your signature pasta dish, but it might get boring between you and noodles so below you’ll find some inspiration for the ultimate bowl of comforting carbs:
Try different kinds of pasta
Nowadays every supermarket will offer you a variety of choices. I usually go with wholegrain or spelt pasta but also like to try gluten-free varieties, like chickpea or bean noodles which are also super high in protein and fibre. Extra health points! Follow the instructions on the package since cooking time might be different from regular wheat pasta, the texture might be also different, but it is fun to experiment and discover new flavours.
Pimp your plain tomato sauce
If you use store-bought tomato sauce you can still make it more exciting keeping the dish quick and easy to make. Simply add fresh or dried herbs (basil, oregano, parsley), if you want it more hearty add a can of chickpeas/beans or soy mince (fry it off with some onion, spices, soy sauce before adding), for extra health and nutrients, throw some fresh or frozen veggies like spinach, add pumpkin seeds, olives…get creative. You can also improve the flavour a bit adding balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, hot sauce, nutritional yeast or some other flavour enhancer to your taste.
Use your veggies
If you have some kale or other leafy veggies, try this Hearty Greens dish. With roasted pumpkin or sweet potato and some nutritional yeast, you can make a cheesy sauce. With a can of beans and some fresh/dried herbs, garlic and olive oil you can fix a bowl of yummy bean pasta super quick. Roasted or grilled veggies like zucchini, eggplants, peppers can be mixed into a sauce or served over the top of the past bowl with some herbs, olive oil, and vegan cheese. Leafy greens/herbs, olives, dried tomatoes with some nuts can be turned into a pesto (doesn’t have to be just basil). Work them veggies!
Make some vegetable ragu sauce
Cook up some delicious Bolognese style pasta using soy mince, lentils, mushrooms or tofu. Quick tomato sauce, herbs, and a filling meal is ready.
Get creative with toppings & sprinklings
To add an extra taste, nutrition and color to your plate of noodles use fresh herbs (parsley, dill, oregano, basil, mint), seeds or nuts (pumpkin, hemp, sesame, pine nuts, almond flakes), lemon zest, breadcrumbs or rawmezan (a mixture of ground cashews with nutritional yeast and garlic granules). Options are endless. Just look at your meal, think what colour/texture is missing and try to find it in your cupboard/fridge.
And what is your favourite pasta dish?