Plain Quick Chilli Pasta Stir Fry with peri-peri Sauce and Crunchy Veg
Plain Quick Chilli Pasta Stir Fry is loaded with crunchy vegetables, spicy peri-peri sauce, pasta, and cheesy toppings for an easy family meal that can also be served cold.
Why You Will Love and Enjoy This Plain Quick Chilli Pasta Stir Fry
- It’s quick enough for busy evenings when nobody feels like cooking for hours.
- You can use leftover vegetables and switch ingredients around easily.
- It works both as a hot dinner and a cold pasta meal the next day.
Crunchy cabbage in pasta sounds unusual until you actually taste it. Plain Quick Chilli Pasta Stir Fry has just enough heat, crunch, and creamy cheese to keep every bite interesting.
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Plain Quick Chilli Pasta Stir Fry
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4–6 servings depending on size 1x
- Category: Dinner Recipes
- Method: Easy Cooking
Description
This Plain Quick Chilli Pasta Stir Fry is one of those meals that comes together fast when you’re hungry and don’t feel like fussing too much in the kitchen. It’s spicy, cheesy, crunchy, and really flexible because you can toss in whatever veggies you’ve got sitting in the fridge.
Ingredients
- 1/2 packet of pasta (Short pasta like penne, fusilli, or macaroni)
- Water, for boiling
- 1 tsp salt, for pasta water
- 3 burger patties, cubed
- 1/4 red cabbage, thinly sliced
- 1 green Chilli, sliced
- 1 green pepper, sliced
- 1 large onion, sliced
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 6 Tbsp peri-peri sauce
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- A small handful of fresh coriander leaves
- Grated cheese, for serving
- Cream cheese, for serving
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add 1 tsp salt.
- Cook the 1/2 packet of pasta until just tender. Don’t overcook it, because the pasta will still cook a little in the wok later.
- Drain and let it cool slightly so it doesn’t turn mushy during stir-frying.
- Heat a wok or large frying pan over medium-high heat.
- Add 2 Tbsp butter and let it melt.
- Add the 1 large, sliced onion and stir fry for about 2 minutes until slightly softened but still with a bit of bite.
- Toss in the 3 cubed burger patties and stir fry for another 2 to 3 minutes until heated through and lightly browned on the edges.
- Add the 1/4 sliced red cabbage, 1 sliced green Chilli, and 1 sliced green pepper.
- Stir fry everything together for about 3 to 4 minutes.
- The vegetables should still stay slightly crunchy because that’s what gives this dish its nice texture.
- Add the cooked pasta and pour in the 6 Tbsp peri-peri sauce.
- Toss everything together well so the sauce coats the pasta and vegetables evenly. If it looks a little dry, add 1 or 2 Tbsp water to loosen it slightly.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste, then scatter over the fresh coriander leaves.
- Serve hot, topped with grated cheese and little spoonfuls of cream cheese.
- If you’d rather serve it cold, let the pasta stir-fry cool for about 30 minutes first.
- Mix in a few spoonfuls of mayo, then refrigerate until chilled. It makes a really good cold pasta lunch the next day.
Notes
Prepared, tried, and tested by Nazley
Additional Information
- Can I use leftover meat instead of burger patties? Yes, leftover chicken, steak strips, mince, or sausage work really well here.
Storage and Freezing
- Can this be frozen? Yes, but it’s best frozen before adding mayo, cheese, or cream cheese. Freeze in an airtight container for up to 2 months.
- How long can this be stored and how? Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. If serving cold with mayo, keep refrigerated and eat within 2 days.
Substitute Suggestions
- Use chicken strips, mince, or leftover roast meat instead of burger patties
- Swap red cabbage with white cabbage or coleslaw mix
- Use sweet Chilli sauce or peri peri sauce
- Replace coriander with parsley or spring onions
- Add carrots, mushrooms, baby corn, or peas for extra vegetables
- Use mayo only if serving cold
Burger patties in pasta shouldn’t work this well, but somehow they do. This Chilli Pasta Stir Fry turns simple ingredients into something that feels different from the usual weeknight dinner.
This Plain Quick Chilli Pasta Stir Fry is the kind of meal that feels relaxed, filling, and easy to pull together without overthinking dinner. The crunchy vegetables, spicy peri-peri sauce, creamy cheese, and flexible ingredient options make it appealing for busy evenings when something quick still needs to taste satisfying.
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