Budget-friendly festive meals: Easy pasta recipe for leftovers
Christmas and the New Year are wonderful times, but they can also be exceptionally costly. That's why quick and economical meals work especially well during the period between the holidays and right after New Year's Eve.
Whenever I want to prepare a quick and inexpensive dinner, I remember this recipe. It may sound like a student's favourite dish, but the whole family can enjoy it. Even the children won't complain, and it also uses up leftovers from the fridge.
Always in the kitchen cabinet
The base of this dish is pasta. Although the recipe calls for spirals, you can use whatever type you have in your cabinet. Only very tiny noodles are not suitable. The next ingredient is hot dogs, which can be substituted with sausage. When you add tinned tomatoes and cheddar cheese, the dish instantly takes on an Italian character.
Saves the day
Hot dogs and sausage are not meats often recommended by dietitians. However, experts do highlight that their composition is the most important factor. They should simply contain as much meat as possible, which gives them more nutritional value and fewer calories. In that case, you can enjoy them occasionally. Hot dogs usually have quite a long shelf life. Perhaps you bought them before the holidays for breakfast, and they're still in the fridge? In that case, cook the pasta and a quick dinner will be ready soon.
Pasta with Hot Dogs: How to Make a Quick and Cheap Dinner Dish
Ingredients:
- 150g pasta spirals,
- 3-4 hot dogs,
- half an onion,
- a tin of diced tomatoes,
- a piece of cheddar cheese,
- several mushrooms,
- salt, pepper, and paprika to taste,
- parsley for garnish.
Instructions:
- Cook the pasta according to the package instructions.
- Peel and chop the onion, sauté in a bit of oil.
- Add peeled and chopped mushrooms, and sauté.
- Add hot dogs sliced into rings.
- Pour tinned tomatoes over everything and add the pasta.
- Mix and season to taste.
- Serve the dish with grated cheese and a sprinkle of parsley.
