Spinach & blue cheese penne

Use up blue cheese you’ve bought over Christmas to make this healthy and satisfying pasta with walnuts, spinach and leeks. A little blue cheese goes a long way

Cheeseboard mac ’n’ cheese with cracker breadcrumbs

Use whatever odds and ends of cheese you have for this dish – blue cheese, gruyère and camembert all work well. It’s a great way to use up leftovers

Spaghetti aglio e olio with crispy bacon

Contains pork – recipe is for non-Muslims/non-pork eaters.

Enjoy this super-simple and super-speedy spaghetti supper, with garlic, parsley and bacon tossed through pasta. It’s ideal on days when your fridge is bare

Roasted red pepper pasta

Use silken tofu to make the creamy dairy-free pasta sauce in this vegan dish. Don’t be tempted to use firm tofu, as it won’t work in the same way

Elote (Mexican street corn) pasta bake

Try this twist on a pasta bake, inspired by the flavours of Mexican street-food favourite elote – charred corn cobs topped with mayonnaise, cheese, herbs and chillies

One-tray baked gnocchi

Sometimes when | post a new recipe on social media, it really seems to resonate with how everyone’s feeling – and this dish was one of those! With millions of views on Instagram, I can see why it’s so popular. It’s basically a deluxe version of a pasta bake – simple cooking and easy to serve up, with all the favours merging together as the pasta gets slightly crispy. Try it with your favourite ravioli or tortellini too.

Beetroot bucatini

Be amazed at how the beetroot turns the pasta a majestic ruby red in this creamy, vibrant dish. It’s enough to convince anyone that beetroot is incredible. Add the sauce to anything from salads to pizza and pasta. This is one of my favourite dishes from my book, You Can Cook This!.

Black bean & spicy beef pasta

Use our beef and lentil ragu recipe as the base to make this quick and easy pasta. If cooking for youngsters, you can leave out the chipotle paste

Storecupboard saucy pasta & chickpeas

Packed lunch day with nothing in the fridge? This simple storecupboard pasta will save the day. Add any veg or fresh herbs you have, and use any pasta shapes

Chorizo & savoy cabbage rigatoni

Use Savoy cabbage in this chorizo pasta dish for its slightly bitter edge. Curly kale, chopped spring greens or spinach would also work well

Tuna pasta & aubergine bake

Make a healthier version of tuna pasta bake with added aubergine and peppers – it packs in three of your five-a-day. Despite the cheesy topping, it’s low in fat, too

Roasted summer veg & chicken pasta

Fuel up like an athlete with chicken pasta and roasted veg for dinner. Guaranteed to beat hunger pangs, it also provides four of your five-a-day