Penne in Spicy Marinara Sauce with Fresh Asparagus and Mushroom

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This penne in spicy marinara sauce with fresh asparagus and mushroom is delicious and super easy to make. With just one pan, you can get dinner cooked and ready to serve in just 20 minutes.

Only a few more weeks until summer! Are you as excited as I am? Not that I have vacation planned or anything. But still!

My sisters are wrapping up their studies and I’m reorganizing my work schedule, both hygiene and blogging, so that I can have both Friday and Saturday off to attend their graduations. With so many things going on, sometimes, it’s hard to find time to make dinner. So… I love when I have a recipe that uses just one pan and takes very little effort.

Today, I’m working with Barilla, an authentic Italian food brand, to show you exactly how easy it can be to get dinner on the table. This dish is soo easy to make, you’ll be able to make it even with no experience in the kitchen. And with so many people heading to college in just a few months, I think we need a few super easy recipes for those who haven’t had a chance to cook before. Plus, many of us need these recipes in our repertoire for those last minute dinner plans at home, right?

Pasta is so easy to make and customize. I always have a few boxes of pasta and jars of my favorite pasta sauce in the pantry for nights when I feel like I have no time to cook.

Now, with Barilla Pronto pasta and Barilla marinara sauce, pasta nights have gotten even simpler, especially when you only need one pan, and you don’t need to wait for the water to boil or have to drain the water. Barilla pastas and sauces are wholesome, simple, and have a great taste. And I can’t wait to share with you this recipe using their products.

You can find these Barilla products at Walmart. Both the pasta and the sauce can be found in the same aisle.

You can prepare the asparagus and the mushrooms before starting the pasta on the stove or you can prepare them while the pasta is cooking. If you’ve cooked before, then I’d multitask by preparing the asparagus and mushrooms while the pasta is cooking. But if you’re new in the kitchen, then I’d prepare the vegetables first and then start the pasta.

Cut the mushrooms into thin slices. Bend the asparagus near the bottom and break off the tough woody part at the bottom. Slice the asparagus thinly at an angle. Set these aside for now.

Add a box of pasta and three cups of water to a large pan. Turn the heat up to high on the stove. If you want, you can add a little bit of salt to the water to flavor the pasta. But this is completely optional.

After cooking the pasta for about 6-7 minutes, add the sliced asparagus and mushrooms. Cook for an additional 3-4 minutes until the water is mostly evaporated and the vegetables have softened.

Now, add the marinara sauce. You only need a jar of pasta sauce. But sometimes I like my pasta extra saucy so I like to add an extra half jar of pasta sauce. Cook for an additional minute or two until the sauce has warmed up.

Stir in crushed red peppers for a kick of spicy heat. Add fresh basil leaves at the very end to retain the freshness of the basil.

Plate the pasta into bowls or onto dishes.

Serve the penne in spicy marinara sauce with fresh asparagus and mushroom warm.

Enjoy!

What’s your favorite go to quick and easy recipe?

Join me and other food bloggers at Fiesta Friday where you can find tons of amazing food.

Barilla Pronto Pasta won the 2016 Best Food & Beverage Product based on the 2016 BrandSpark/ Better Home and Gardens American Shopper Study of 38,000 voters nationwide. For more information visit www.BestNewProductAwards.com