As a college student, pasta is an absolute staple. It’s cheap, it’s quick to make and all you really need is hot water. But, having pasta and red sauce over and over again can easily get repetitive and start to taste gross. No need to worry though, because pasta is also one of the most versatile foods to exist. There are different ingredients that can be added that will completely change the dish. Here are some simple ways to change up that boring pasta and add some spice to your life.

Pasta with feta cheese – This variation is an easy one that uses any noodle of choice, olive oil and crumbled feta cheese. It sounds too simple, but the flavors that come through are incredible. It’s a good savory dish that can be made quickly as the only thing that needs preparing is the pasta. There are other elements that can be added such as chicken, garlic, mushrooms or anything else you desire.

Ingredients

• Pasta of choice
• Olive oil
• Crumbled feta cheese

Recipe

• Bring a pot of water to a boil and add salt to the water. Boil pasta for required time and strain.
• Drizzle about a tablespoon of olive oil over the pasta and toss it in the oil.
• Sprinkle crumbled feta over the pasta and serve.

Pink sauce pasta – Canned sauce is a go-to for pasta since all you have to do is heat up the sauce. However, that doesn’t mean the sauce has to be boring. Pink sauce is a good and cheap way to try a new pasta dish. Experimenting with spices and cheese is another way to change up any canned sauce, but here’s a recipe for my personal favorite pink sauce from.

Ingredients

• 1 pound of pasta
• 2 cups canned tomato sauce
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 cup reserved pasta water
• 4 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1/3 cup freshly grated parmesan
• 1/2 cup fresh, hand torn 1 tsp sugar
• 1-3 teaspoons red pepper flakes (depending on spice preference)
• Salt to taste
• Black pepper to taste

Recipe

• Boil the pasta until cooked and reserve 1/4 cup of the pasta water.
• In a pot, melt the butter and sauté the crushed garlic for about a minute.
• Add the tomato sauce in and let it simmer together for about 5 mins. Add in the heavy cream, sugar, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes.
• Mix together and adjust seasoning to taste.
• Let the sauce simmer for 10 minutes on medium/low or until it’s thickened. Add the pasta in along with the pasta water and cook together on medium/high until the pasta is fully cooked.
• Top with the hand-torn basil and the freshly grated parmesan.

Ramen – There’s going to be debate if ramen is considered pasta but since it is another cheap, college meal that deals with noodles, it’ll count for the purposes of this article. Most students will make ramen just with hot water and the seasoning packet and leave it as is. But, there is plenty that can be done with ramen to adjust it to your taste. Eggs, vegetables, protein, spices and more are all simple items that can make a dollar pack of ramen into a five-star meal. Here’s an example recipe from Pinch of Yum to give you an idea of what you can do with a pack of noodles.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 3 teaspoons grated ginger
• 4 teaspoons grated garlic
• 4 cups broth
• 4 cups water
• 1-ounce mushrooms
• 2 packages of instant ramen
• 1/2 cup chopped scallions
• 2 cups chopped kale
• 1 cup shredded carrots
• Sriracha to taste
• Panko crumbs for topping

Recipe

• Heat the sesame oil in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and ginger, heat.
• Add the broth and water, bringing to a simmer. Add the mushrooms and simmer for 10 minutes or until the mushrooms are soft.
• Add the instant noodles to the hot liquid and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the scallions and stir to combine.
• Remove from heat, stir in the kale and carrots, and top with panko crumbs. Season with chili oil, hot sauce, sesame oil, soy sauce and salt to taste.

Homemade mac and cheese – Most college students think of mac and cheese and they picture the boxed mac and cheese or microwave cups that have saved so many students during late-night studying. However, nothing beats a good dish of homemade mac and cheese with real cheese like this recipe from Allrecipes. It isn’t too difficult to make and some of these ingredients can be adjusted if they aren’t available.

Ingredients

• 8 ounces elbow macaroni
• ¼ cup butter
• 2 ½ tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 3 cups milk
• 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons butter
• ½ cup bread crumbs
• 1 pinch paprika

Recipe

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Cook macaroni depending on the instructions.
• Melt butter in a skillet over low heat. Gradually add flour while whisking. Pour in milk and whisk till smooth.
• Stir in cheeses, and cook over low heat. Put macaroni in a casserole dish and pour sauce over top.
• Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat and add breadcrumbs. Spread over the macaroni and cheese to cover and sprinkle with a little paprika.
• Bake in the oven for 30 minutes and serve.

With these recipes, you can take your inexpensive pasta and make it into something incredible. Most of these recipes don’t take too much time and can be adjusted for those on dietary restrictions. By taking some tips from these recipes, you can even create your own personal pasta dish that’s perfect for your taste buds.