Few ingredients are as versatile, forgiving and easy to transform as pasta, a pantry staple that hits the dinner table effortlessly.

Don’t let all those protein-centric diets sway you. Pasta’s good qualities are infinite. It’s cheap. It’s fast. It pleases palates across generations. Best of all, it’s happy accompanied by any of a long list of ingredients, some of which you already have in your garden, pantry or freezer.  And with the back-to-school season upon us, that sort of ease is what every working parent needs.

It only takes minimal time and effort to integrate pasta into the dinner lineup. You’re guaranteed something cozy and delicious, and you’ll have leftovers for lunch the next day.

For the full story, including seven go-to pasta recipes, check out all the delicious details from 225.