I’m Italian so it follows naturally that I am hopelessly addicted to pasta. Long pasta or short, solid shapes or tubes, noodles or dumplings or sheets, I love it all. But even my favorite pasta dishes can get a little old sometimes so I’ve been thinking of new ways to use pasta. I came up with something really different and totally to die for. Cheezy Baked Spaghetti Nests!

Cheezy Baked Spaghetti Nests
Yield: 6 servings

12 oz whole wheat thin spaghetti
1/2 cup shredded non-dairy cheddar-style cheese (I used Galaxy Rice…)
1/4 cup plain non-dairy yogurt or sour cream
2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
2 tsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp smoked sea salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp dried oregano

Preheat oven to 425°F and lightly spray a 6-cup muffin tip (jumbo/Texas-style).
Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of cooking liquid.
While pasta cooks, combine non-dairy cheddar, yogurt and nutritional yeast in a bowl and set aside.
Combine remaining ingredients with 1/4 cup of the reserved pasta water. Stir, and toss with pasta. Add more pasta water as needed to coat thoroughly.
Using a large fork, twist pasta into fist-sized nests and nestle into muffin cups. You might have to use your fingers a bit to tuck in the loose ends.
Divide cheesy mixture evenly atop each noodle nest.
Bake 10 minutes, allow to cool 2-3 minutes before gently removing from muffin tin.

Note: Serve with steamed broccoli or a green salad for a simple meal. These nests can be also prepared in a 12-cup regular sized muffin tin for smaller portions to use as an appetizer or brunch dish. These nests freeze very well too, but let them defrost in the fridge overnight before reheating!