Step up your pasta game

Classic Macaroni & Cheese

Prep time: 15 min

Cooking time: 30 min

Serves: 6 

Ingredients

2 cups traditional macaroni (cooked according to packet instructions)

3 tsp Sunshine D Original Margarine

¼ cup onion, chopped finely

1 tsp flour

Pinch of salt & pepper

2 cups milk

2 cups cheddar cheese, grated

Method

Preheat the oven to 175°C. Melt the Sunshine D Original Margarine over a low heat in a saucepan on the stove. Sauté the chopped onion in the Sunshine D Original Margarine for about 5 minutes. Stir in the flour, salt and pepper. Add the milk, stirring until thickened. Remove mixture from the heat and add 1½ cups of cheese. Stir until the cheese has melted.

Add the cheesy sauce to the cooked macaroni. Pour into an ovenproof casserole dish and top off with the remaining cheese. Bake for 30 minutes.

Serve with a garlic loaf or a side salad.

Pasta Salad

Prep time: 20 min

Serves: 6 

Ingredients

1½ cups cooked pasta

3 tsp basil pesto

1 tsp Sunshine D Original Margarine

Pinch of salt

¼ tsp garlic

Pinch of pepper

½ cup of cherry tomatoes, halved

½ cup Mozzarella balls

Handful of fresh basil leaves, shredded

Method

Melt the Sunshine D Original Margarine and mix in the pesto, salt, garlic and pepper. Toss in with the pasta. Fold in the tomatoes, mozzarella and basil.

Best served as a side dish.

One Pot Pasta Joy Alfredo 

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 chicken breasts, cubed

3 cloves garlic cloves, minced

500ml water

1 stock cube

1 cup fresh cream 

500g Pasta Joy pasta, uncooked (we used penne)

1½ cups grated Parmesan cheese

1½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon pepper

parsley, optional, for garnish 

Method

In a pot, heat the oil and brown the chicken. Add garlic, and sauté for about a minute. Add stock, cream, and Pasta Joy pasta, and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce the heat to a simmer for 15-20 min. Turn off heat and stir in Parmesan cheese. Top with parsley if desired.

Serves 4 as a main meal.

Pasta Joy with Ground Beef and Peas

Ingredients

500g lean beef mince

½ tsp ground ginger and garlic

1 tsp chilli powder

3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for drizzling

4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

1 small onion, diced

1 teaspoon dried oregano

Salt and pepper to taste

1 tin whole peeled tomatoes, crushed by hand

1 tsp brown sugar

½ cup chopped fresh basil

500g Pasta Joy (spaghetti or linguine)

2 tablespoons butter, cut into cubes

½ cup frozen peas

Cook pasta according to packet instructions, drain and set aside. Drizzle pan with olive oil and braise onion and whole garlic till translucent in colour. Add mince, ginger and garlic, salt and chilli powder and braise till cooked. Add tomatoes, brown sugar, salt and pepper, dried oregano and simmer till tomato is cooked. Add butter. Lastly, add peas and allow to soften. Swirl pasta through sauce until fully coated and top with basil and optional Parmesan shavings.