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buttered noodles in kids bowl with cucumbers and cup on side
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Top 15 Kid-Friendly Recipes

Find the absolute best kid-friendly recipes to make and share with your family, from breakfast ideas to snacks and dinner—including pasta with any kind of sauce your kids prefer.
Course Dinner
Cuisine American
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 8
Calories 310kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 pound pasta
  • ¼-½ cup pasta cooking water (reserve this from the pot toward the end of the pasta cooking time)
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter
  • Freshly cracked black pepper (optional)
  • 28- ounce jar marinara sauce (or 8 ounces pesto or 8 ounces Alfredo sauce; optional)
  • 2 cups diced chicken (or white beans, chickpeas, or frozen peas; optional)
  • ½ cup Parmesan cheese (freshly grated from a block)

Instructions

  • Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Cook the pasta according to package directions, reserving ½ cup of the cooking water toward the end of the cooking. Drain the pasta.
  • Return the pasta to the pot. Add the butter and a little of the cooking water at a time as you toss the pasta.
  • Add in any sauce, if using, and chicken or other add-ins as you like.
  • Add the Parmesan.
  • Continue tossing until the butter and Parmesan are melted, adding a little more cooking water as needed to make a light sauce. Serve warm with pepper and additional Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Notes

  • Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. To reheat, portion into a heat-safe bowl and sprinkle with water. (This helps to add a little moisture so the pasta isn't dry.) Warm in 30-second increments, stirring in between, until warmed through.
  • This works best with wheat-based pastas, as the starch from the pasta cooking water helps create the smooth sauce.
  • To make this gluten-free, use your preferred pasta and cook according to the package directions. Drain (and rinse if the package says to). Swap in very hot water for the pasta cooking water, adding just a little at at time. Be gentle when stirring, as this type of pasta can be more likely to break.
  • Top with additional Parmesan cheese or cracked black pepper.
  • Serve with any sides you prefer. 
  • Little kids may have an easier time eating spaghetti if you cut it; do so quickly with a pair of kitchen scissors.
  • See the post above for additional easy kids meal ideas.

Nutrition

Serving: 2ounces | Calories: 310kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 20mg | Sodium: 575mg | Potassium: 429mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 656IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 102mg | Iron: 2mg