Mystery Basket Dinners: Pasta Edition

A flexible “fridge cleanout” pasta for the nights when it feels like there’s nothing to make. Roast or sauté whatever vegetables are hanging around, blend them with tomato into a silky sauce, and suddenly the random zucchini, carrots, half onion, or handful of greens in your crisper become dinner.

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Fridge Cleanout Red Sauce Pasta

Servings: 4

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 30–40 minutes

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Ingredients

• 1 lb pasta
• 3–4 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion or shallot, sliced
• 4 garlic cloves, sliced
• 4–5 cups mixed vegetables
• Salt + pepper
• Chili flakes
• 1 can tomatoes
• 1⁄2–1 cup pasta water
• Lemon juice or vinegar

Instructions

1. Cook pasta: Boil pasta in salted water and reserve 1 cup pasta water.
2. Start the vegetables: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add onion and cook until softened.
3. Layer vegetables by cook time: Add hard vegetables first (broccoli, carrots, mushrooms). Cook until browned and tender.
4. Add soft vegetables + greens: Add zucchini, spinach, kale, arugula, or herbs near the end. Cook just until wilted and bright green.
5. Blend: Transfer vegetables to a blender with tomatoes and pasta water. Blend until smooth.
6. Finish the sauce: Return sauce to the skillet and simmer briefly. Adjust seasoning and acidity.
7. Toss with pasta: Add pasta and toss until coated and glossy.

Fridge Cleanout Aglio E Olio

Servings: 4

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 30–40 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 lb pasta
• 1⁄3–1⁄2 cup olive oil
• 5–6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1⁄2–1 tsp chili flakes
• 1 can beans or tuna
• 2–4 cups vegetables and/or greens
• 1⁄2–1 cup pasta water
• Lemon juice or vinegar
• Herbs, parmesan, or breadcrumbs for serving

Instructions

1. Cook pasta: Boil pasta in salted water and reserve 1 cup pasta water.
2. Start the garlic oil: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium. Add garlic and chili flakes and cook until fragrant and lightly golden.
3. Cook sturdier vegetables first: Add things like mushrooms, broccoli, cabbage, zucchini, asparagus, or frozen peas. Cook until tender and lightly browned.
4. Add beans or tuna: Stir in beans to warm through and absorb flavor. If using tuna, add it gently toward the end so it stays chunky.
5. Incorporate soft greens properly: Add spinach, kale, arugula, chard, or herbs in batches. Toss until just wilted before adding more. If the pan looks dry, add a splash of pasta water to help them steam and collapse.
6. Emulsify the sauce: Add 1⁄2 cup pasta water and simmer briefly. The greens and starch help create a silky sauce.
7. Finish the pasta: Add pasta and toss aggressively until glossy and coated. Add more pasta water as needed.
8. Brighten + serve: Finish with lemon juice, herbs, parmesan, or toasted breadcrumbs.

Garlicky "Everything" Breadcrumb Crunch

Servings: About 1 1⁄2 cups

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 10–15 minutes

Ingredients

• 3–4 slices stale sandwich bread, torn
• 1⁄2 cup nuts or seeds (walnuts, almonds, pecans, pistachios, pepitas, sunflower seeds)
• 2–3 tbsp olive oil or butter
• 2 garlic cloves, grated or finely chopped
• Pinch chili flakes
• Kosher salt + black pepper
• Optional: lemon zest, parmesan, herbs, sesame seeds

Instructions

1. Pulse the bread + nuts: Add bread and nuts to a food processor and pulse into coarse crumbs. No processor? Chop everything finely by hand.
2. Toast the crumbs: Heat olive oil or butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and chili flakes and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
3. Add the breadcrumb mixture: Stir in breadcrumbs and nuts with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until golden brown and crisp, 5–8 minutes.
4. Finish: Turn off the heat and add any extras: parmesan, lemon zest, chopped herbs, sesame seeds, or flaky salt.
5. Use everywhere: Sprinkle over pasta, roasted vegetables, soups, salads, eggs, or beans.

Homemade | homemadecooking.com

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