Kitchen Sink Pasta
My boys have never been sandwich kids, not since they were very, very little. They’re not really luncheable kids and they aren’t really hot lunch line kids either. They like actual food. Meals.
Well, as you start 2026 with fresh new habits, I wanted to share with you a little meal that has no rhyme or reason but I almost always have the ingredients already and it’s a cinch to make. Enter Kitchen Sink Pasta
I make a batch of this at the beginning of the week, and then my boys pack it in their lunches over the next few days.
ingredients:
1 pound pasta (I think a shaped pasta like shells or corkscrew works better than noodles)
whatever protein you have leftover in your fridge, diced (if you don’t have anything, go ahead and make 385 Chicken.
whatever vegetables you have in your fridge, roasted with salt and pepper or a spice blend of your choice. If you are shopping strategically for this, always include tomatoes because the juice from a roasted tomatoe adds delicious flavor to the sauce. I almost always include broccoli. Some other ideas could be:
corn, bok choy, bell peppers, okra, black beans, green beans, asparagus, spinach, squash, sugar snap peas to name a few
olive oil
Parmesan cheese, shredded
I know. It sounds vague. That’s because it kind of is. I basically use whatever I have to construct a pasta salad that can be eaten hot or cold.
directions:
Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and pour into a very large bowl.
Pour diced chicken on top of pasta. If you’ve just made it, be sure to also pour in the juice from the pan.
Pour roasted vegetables on top of pasta mixture. If you’ve just made these, be sure to include these juices as well. (the juices create the sauce.)
Sprinkle a large helping of shredded Parmesan cheese over the mixture as well as some olive oil. Salt and Pepper to taste. Toss until well combined.
If you want it spicy, use a spicy chilli oil or crushed red pepper. Basically the ingredients can handle whatever flavor your prefer. If you want a Mexican flavor profile, add some taco seasoning. If you want French, add some Herbs de Provence. This recipe probably isn’t for the newbie cook, not because it isn’t simple—because it really is—but because you have to trust yourself to understand seasonings and ratios. I never really measure anything out because the point of the recipe is to just use what I have.
Enjoy!
