Once upon a time on a family trip in Sicily, I discovered pesto rosso (red pesto) — the intoxicatingly sweet and savory and tangy and almost-meaty paste that results from combining sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, currants, capers, parmesan, anchovies, and olive oil into the most epic sandwich spread OR the lasagna sauce you never knew you absolutely needed.

I layer this wonderfully sticky and flavorful mix with creamy béchamel and grated Parmesan to help it coat each noodle with a sauce that clings to every bite. The result is a rich, red lasagna that — especially when topped with the vibrant green of fresh basil pesto — makes for quite the festive hit to feed a crowd, and can easily be reheated for leftover meals or sliced cold from the dish and enjoyed privately by the light of the refrigerator door. Pro tip: Add a few splashes of hot sauce!

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This vegetarian ragu marries the umami of mushrooms and earthy sweetness of beets and carrots to create a tantalizingly rich bowl of pasta goodness. I love adding in protein-packed black caviar lentils (!!!) because they hold their form throughout the cooking process with a delightfully tender chew, but green lentils work well too.

The result is the same gorgeous deep red color and intensely pleasurable and filling bite you want from ragu while keeping it meat-free and a bit lighter. I’m using giant shells called conchiglie, but feel free to use any sturdy shaped pasta you like — or roasted spaghetti squash!

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It’s my (vegetarian!) mama’s birthday this week, so I took a few of her favorite things — meaty mushrooms (morel! maitake!), cilantro, chives, and sweet summer corn and turned them into a lusciously creamy pasta perfect for summer entertaining and showing anyone just how much you love them!

@LisaOz taught me how to be adventurous and happily intuitive in the kitchen, how to feed a crowd, and most of all, how to capture the sense of fun and celebration in every meal — and hopefully this deliciously umami-boosted tribute dish helps you do all of the above!

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This is a spicy version of my daughter Philomena’s all-time favorite classic pasta dish: Rigatoni alla Vodka! I’m sad to report I’ve never eaten the most famous version of this dish at Carbone in NYC, so I can’t say for sure how this one compares. All I know is this is quite possibly the most comforting, savory, faintly sweet and perfectly spicy pasta dish you will ever sink your teeth into. But don’t take my word for it. Treat yourself to a plate tonight and report back!! PS just leave out the chilis if you and yours don’t like it spicy – Philo style!

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I wish I could take credit for how unbelievably delicious this liquid gold pasta sauce is, but it’s really just nature showing off with the perfect balance of sweet Sungold tomatoes, garlic, onion, and plenty of olive oil! Plus a splash of something extra…

The best part is that it is so easy to make! Hot tip: grab ripe Sungold tomatoes now while they’re still in season and make a bunch of this sauce to freeze for gloriously easy meals to come – you (and your kids) will drink it right up, so make extra! 

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One of the simplest, most elegant, deliciously indulgent and ultra-comforting classic spaghetti preparations – Cacio e Pepe! Aka Cheese & Pepper! The sauce is cheesy (pecorino & parmesan, to be exact), silky, velvety, slightly spicy… think grown up mac n’ cheese – but in a little black (pepper) dress. Please do yourself a favor and get some pasta and cheese, crack that pepper, and make this tonight!

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This is a great quick weeknight dinner or weekend meal when the whole family needs to eat quickly! The salty, crunchy bits of bacon flavor the entire bowl, with little dollops of creamy ricotta melting throughout. I especially love to make this in spring when the peas are tender and fresh, but it’s equally satisfying with frozen peas for a warm and filling bowl. The beans hide amongst the pasta for a nice little healthy addition, too!

There are many dishes from The Chew that you guys loved, but this was one of the favorites! A meltingly cheesy, mostly veggie, deliciously sweet and savory take on mac-n-cheese that I made using chickpea pasta for some extra protein/fiber — and my kids and I loved it!!

Bonus: you can make the whole thing ahead and freeze for future quick & easy meals.

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