Basil and Parmesan Pasta
Minimal ingredients, quick cook. Basil and cheese make plain pasta feel intentional.
- calories
- 380
- weight
- 3.5 oz
- cal / oz
- 109
- protein
- 14 g
- serves
- 1, scales
- prep
- 3 min
- cook
- 8 min
- total time
- 11 min
- water
- 400 ml boiled
- cost
- $
Calorie and protein figures are my own estimates, good enough for planning a food bag and not meant as precise nutrition data.
- Dinner
- Canister stove
- Car camping
- Backpacking
- Vegetarian
- One pot
- Grab and go
- Shelf stable
- Dump and stir
Ingredients
| Instant pasta or small pasta shapes | 2 oz | |
|---|---|---|
| Dried basil | 1 tbsp | |
| Parmesan Romano | 0.75 oz | finely grated or powdered |
| Olive oil | 1 tbsp | carried in dropper bottle |
Method
- Boil 400 ml water in your pot.
- Add pasta and cook until tender, about 7 minutes.
- Drain, leaving just a thin film of starch water at the bottom.
- Pour oil over, sprinkle basil and cheese, stir until combined.
The source material provided only basil and parmesan romano. These are bare-bones Italian flavors that need a starch base to work as a meal. The dried basil isn’t subtle—it does heavy lifting here because there’s nothing else to contribute aroma or taste. Romano is sharper and drier than standard Parmesan, which makes it better suited to shelf-stable trail cooking.
This is strategy more than recipe: you’re using the starch to carry fat and make the cheese particles coat everything evenly. The oil matters as much as the cheese. Without it the pasta is just seasoned dry carbs.
Packing
Pasta and dried basil together in one quart bag. Cheese in separate small bag. Oil in dropper bottle.
Variations
- Add a pinch of garlic powder or red pepper flakes for depth.
- Mix in any dehydrated vegetables you have on hand.
https://www.cookingbites.com/threads/favourite-food-cuisine-to-make.745