A blanket of mozzarella over saucy, tender pasta - it rarely gets better than that! And this tomato sauce is chunky and fiery thanks to the addition of store-bought salsa. Since you start with pre-made salsa, plain tomato sauce is instantly elevated with onions, peppers, and chiles in one fell swoop!

And the best part about this dish is the fact that you can make it as mild or spicy as you want. I chose a medium picante sauce, which added just enough heat without making our eyes water. You can choose a mild salsa and enjoy the sweet onions, peppers, and mild chiles in every bite. For a mind-blowing version, add something super hot! 

If you look deep into this skillet, you might notice that there are two different pasts shapes! I had about 8 ounces of medium shells and 8 ounces of elbow macaroni so I combined them to make a complete meal for four people! 

This dish is totally vegetarian, but you can certainly add ground beef, chicken, or sausage for a meatier dish. 

Pasta with Salsa-Spiked Marinara 

1 pound pasta of choice (I used two different shapes!)

2 cups tomato sauce

1 cup salsa of choice

1 teaspoon dried parsley

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

Salt and ground black pepper

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Chopped fresh basil or parsley for serving, optional 

Instructions: 

Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain and cover with foil to keep warm. 

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, combine the tomato sauce, salsa, parsley, garlic, onion, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Mix well and set the pan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat to low, partially cover, and simmer for 10 minutes. 

Fold in the cooked pasta and cook for a few minutes to heat through. Top the pasta with the cheese, cover the pan with foil or a lid and remove from the heat. Let stand for 1 minute to melt the cheese.

Top with parsley (if using) and serve.

Serves 4