Easy Student Pasta Recipe
Whip up a satisfying and budget-friendly pasta dish that’s perfect for hungry students! With just a handful of ingredients like fresh tomatoes and zesty garlic, you’ll create a mouthwatering meal in no time. Get ready to impress your taste buds without breaking the bank!
Prep
10
min
Cook
15
min
Serves
2
people
Level
beginner
📝 Ingredients
Serves 2🥬Fresh Produce(3)
- small pieces of white onion
- a few turns of the pepper mill
- a large glass of water
🥩Meat & Seafood(1)
- small pieces of ham
🥛Dairy & Eggs(3)
- a handful of grated cheddar
- a little liquid cream
- a little olive oil or butteroptional
🫙Pantry Staples(2)
- chicken broth
- small pasta of your choice
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
421
Protein
19g
Carbs
41g
Fat
19g
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Start by cutting small pieces of ham and white onion.
- 2
In a pan, add a little olive oil or butter and sauté for about 5-6 minutes.
- 3
Pour in a large glass of water and add chicken broth.
- 4
Once the water is boiling, add small pasta of your choice.
- 5
When the pasta is ready, add a little liquid cream and a handful of grated cheddar.
- 6
Finish with a few turns of the pepper mill and enjoy!
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Sauté ham and onion for exactly 5-6 minutes until onions turn translucent (not golden), as ham's sodium content accelerates Maillard browning—going beyond 6 minutes risks bitter compounds that overpower the delicate cream sauce.timing5-6 minutes
- ✓Use a 1:1 ratio of water to chicken broth (roughly 1 cup each) because the broth's gelatin and collagen need dilution to pasta's starch ratio—too concentrated creates overly thick, stodgy pasta that won't absorb cream evenly.ingredient1:1 ratio
- ✓Add cream only after pasta reaches 85-90% doneness (slightly al dente), not fully cooked, because residual heat will continue cooking while the cream's fat emulsifies with pasta starch—adding cream to fully cooked pasta causes curdling from temperature shock.technique85-90% doneness
- ✓Grate cheddar fresh and add immediately after cream while pan sits off-heat, stirring constantly for 30-45 seconds—aged cheddar's casein proteins seize and clump if exposed to boiling temperatures, but gentle residual heat allows proper melting and emulsification.timing30-45 seconds, off-heat
- ✓Reserve 1/4 cup of pasta cooking water before draining and add it to the cream mixture if sauce appears too thick—starch-rich pasta water acts as a natural emulsifier at 2-3% concentration, replacing cream and preventing the dish from becoming heavy.technique1/4 cup reserved, 2-3% starch concentration
Share this recipe
Prep
10
min
Cook
15
min
Serves
2
people
Level
beginner
Share this recipe
Easy Student Pasta Recipe
Whip up a satisfying and budget-friendly pasta dish that’s perfect for hungry students! With just a handful of ingredients like fresh tomatoes and zesty garlic, you’ll create a mouthwatering meal in no time. Get ready to impress your taste buds without breaking the bank!
📝 Ingredients
Serves 2🥬Fresh Produce(3)
- small pieces of white onion
- a few turns of the pepper mill
- a large glass of water
🥩Meat & Seafood(1)
- small pieces of ham
🥛Dairy & Eggs(3)
- a handful of grated cheddar
- a little liquid cream
- a little olive oil or butteroptional
🫙Pantry Staples(2)
- chicken broth
- small pasta of your choice
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
421
Protein
19g
Carbs
41g
Fat
19g
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Start by cutting small pieces of ham and white onion.
- 2
In a pan, add a little olive oil or butter and sauté for about 5-6 minutes.
- 3
Pour in a large glass of water and add chicken broth.
- 4
Once the water is boiling, add small pasta of your choice.
- 5
When the pasta is ready, add a little liquid cream and a handful of grated cheddar.
- 6
Finish with a few turns of the pepper mill and enjoy!
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Sauté ham and onion for exactly 5-6 minutes until onions turn translucent (not golden), as ham's sodium content accelerates Maillard browning—going beyond 6 minutes risks bitter compounds that overpower the delicate cream sauce.timing5-6 minutes
- ✓Use a 1:1 ratio of water to chicken broth (roughly 1 cup each) because the broth's gelatin and collagen need dilution to pasta's starch ratio—too concentrated creates overly thick, stodgy pasta that won't absorb cream evenly.ingredient1:1 ratio
- ✓Add cream only after pasta reaches 85-90% doneness (slightly al dente), not fully cooked, because residual heat will continue cooking while the cream's fat emulsifies with pasta starch—adding cream to fully cooked pasta causes curdling from temperature shock.technique85-90% doneness
- ✓Grate cheddar fresh and add immediately after cream while pan sits off-heat, stirring constantly for 30-45 seconds—aged cheddar's casein proteins seize and clump if exposed to boiling temperatures, but gentle residual heat allows proper melting and emulsification.timing30-45 seconds, off-heat
- ✓Reserve 1/4 cup of pasta cooking water before draining and add it to the cream mixture if sauce appears too thick—starch-rich pasta water acts as a natural emulsifier at 2-3% concentration, replacing cream and preventing the dish from becoming heavy.technique1/4 cup reserved, 2-3% starch concentration