Padma Lakshmi’s Easy Weeknight Dinner Tastes Elevated but Takes Less Than 20 Minutes

There's no way around it: this time of year can be incredibly stressful. Just thinking about planning your holiday menu or New Year's activities might already have your head spinning.

The good news is, there are a few simple things you can do to make entertaining a tad less overwhelming. Food expert and longtime TV host Padma Lakshmi recommends keeping your festive menus short and sweet as well as choosing quick and easy dishes with just a few ingredients.

"It doesn't have to be more complicated than that. People think, 'I have to make so many dishes so that everyone will feel like it's a holiday.' It's a holiday because you're getting together," Lakshmi said in an interview with Allrecipes.

It really doesn't matter how extensive the ingredient list is or how long you spent in the kitchen as long as the dish tastes good in the end, right? That's why this cozy season, we'll be turning to Lakshmi's 20-minute pasta recipe that only requires a few budget-friendly ingredients.

Padma Lakshmi's Boursin e Pepe Pasta

Pasta at holiday dinner may seem a little unconventional, but Lakshmi's twist on cacio e pepe won't have anyone complaining. In addition to butter and Parmesan cheese, Lakshmi elevates the dish with soft garlic and herb cheese (like Boursin). It's a flavorful ingredient that adds amazing creaminess to the pasta without having to make any kind of roux or sauce.

However, if you don't want to splurge on store-bought garlic and herb cheese, you can substitute it for flavored cream cheese or cream cheese supplemented with chopped garlic and herbs.

In addition to those three basic ingredients (and noodles, of course), Lakshmi's pasta includes black pepper, frozen peas, chives, and parsley. And that's it!

"That's literally something you can do in 15 minutes. Just open a nice, crisp glass of wine and make a winter salad, and you're good to go," she adds.

How to Make Padma Lakshmi's Easy Pasta Dish

Padma's Boursin e Pepe Recipe

Total Time: 20 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1 pound spaghetti

• 4 tablespoons butter

• 2 tablespoons freshly ground black peppercorns

• 2 cups fresh or frozen English peas

• 2 boxes Boursin Garlic & Fine Herbs (or other soft garlic and herb cheese)

• 1/2 cup chives, chopped

• 1 cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped

• 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Boil pasta for 1-2 minutes less than the package directions specify.

2. While pasta is cooking, melt butter over medium heat in a large skillet.

3. When foamy, add the black pepper and peas. Toast until pepper is fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Turn off the heat.

4. Add Boursin Garlic & Fine Herbs Cheese and 1 cup of the pasta water. Whisk until smooth and saucy.

5. Add the chives, parsley, and parmesan. Mix until well combined.

6. Add the cooked pasta and toss to combine. Adjust for salt if needed.

This recipe was developed by Padma Lakshmi in partnership with Boursin.

Read the original article on ALLRECIPES