Pasta is one of your greatest options for a fast and easy dinner. The pasta just needs to be added to boiling water and can be ready in under 15 minutes. And while the pasta is cooking you can make your preferred topping. Whether you decide on a tomato based topping, pesto or a creamy sauce, you can be done in an instant. Here are several guidelines for a fast and uncomplicated pasta dish.

Don’t add the pasta to the water before it arrives at a full boil. This will keep the noodles from getting limp and gluey. In addition, keep the water at a boil always. You can help the pasta stay firmer if you put in some salt to the water. Note that you should not cover up the pot after you add the pasta. You have to test once in a while to see if the noodles are done. Pasta cooks quite rapidly and leaving it too long can result in mushy noodles. When the pasta is ready, take it out of the water immediately. It will continue to cook if you leave it there.

And now, half of your work is done. The remaining half is preparing the sauce. The great feature about pasta is that there are innumerable options for dressing it up. If you’re a pasta lover then keeping a few types of sauces stored in your pantry is the best route to go.

Pesto makes a quick and simple topping. Add some garlic, mushrooms or perhaps a little Italian sausage, top it off with a handful of grated cheese, and you have a delicious dinner in a flash. Sun-dried tomatoes, either canned or bottled, also work with pasta and let you take pleasure in tomato based pasta without the conventional topping. Top with grated cheese and partner it with some fresh bread for a satisfying meal. If you feel like a creamy topping, simply combine some cream, oregano and sliced black olives. Top it off with a handful of grated parmesan cheese. It’s a straightforward sauce but quite appetizing.

Olive oil is also a staple with pasta and can be quite easy to make use of as well. Try mixing olive oil with canned seafood or slices of meat or sausage. You can throw in some basil for flavor and don’t overlook the grated cheese. If you want to be daring, try including some highly spiced meat such as pepperoni.

Pasta helps you get dinner on the table in no time. In only 15 to 20 minutes you can make a substantial meal of noodles covered with a variety of tasty toppings. With all the potential alternatives, it’s a fast and easy cooking meal that you won’t ever become bored with.