• Home
  • Culinary
  • Fashion & Beauty
  • Travel
  • Lifestyle
  • Videos
  • Shop Instagram
  • About
  • Press & Events
  • Contact
  • Home
  • Culinary
  • Travel
  • Fashion & Beauty
  • Lifestyle
  • Videos
  • Shop Instagram
  • Press & Events
  • About
    • Privacy Policy
  • Contact
Menu
  • Home
  • Culinary
  • Travel
  • Fashion & Beauty
  • Lifestyle
  • Videos
  • Shop Instagram
  • Press & Events
  • About
    • Privacy Policy
  • Contact
Instagram
Pinterest
Facebook
Twitter
Youtube
stamp-icon-small
Share on pinterest
Share on facebook
Share on twitter
Share on reddit

Three Cheese Spaghetti Nests

Marla Meridith
September 14, 2010
Cheese,MM,Pasta,Recipes,Vegetarian,Whole Grains
Healthy pasta and cheese recipe

Spaghetti and Cheese Nests on MarlaMeridith.comHealthy pasta and cheese recipe

Spaghetti and cheese. Yup. Not much more & not anything less. I cannot think of anyone that does not like a comforting bowl of hearty carbs with gooey melted cheese. With these nests I wanted to get a bit playful with presentation. Not only are they in the shape of well, nests-but I added color to the whole wheat pasta with the spice tumeric. I also added a slightly smoky flavor with my handy dandy smoked paprika. Yes, I did say whole wheat pasta & yes as always I share with you a recipe that has a healthier profile than the usual ones. Why, why not?? Dig in!

Spaghetti and Cheese Nests on MarlaMeridith.com

These spaghetti nests are great in the kids lunch box. They travel well & can easily be re-heated in the microwave. With a side salad or steamed veggies you have a full meal.

Spaghetti and Cheese Nests on MarlaMeridith.com
This pasta is also great for #MeatlessMonday. It is always nice to have some vegetarian options in our recipe line up. If you want to make this a heartier meal you can lay a crispy cooked egg on top. Look at what my friend Louise came up with on her blog 2 be satisfied {Caberneti Spaghetti Nests with Crispy Egg and Golden Garlic.} Gorgeous Louise!

Spaghetti and Cheese Nests on MarlaMeridith.com

These spaghetti nests get a bit crispy on top & warm & creamy in the centers after they are baked. You can also add chunks of chicken breast & small bits of diced steamed broccoli to make a more complete meal. Perhaps you use larger ramekins for baking if you want to go a bit bigger in portion size.

Spaghetti and Cheese Nests on MarlaMeridith.com

 [amd-zlrecipe-recipe:167]

Variations

  • You can try different spices in your spaghetti nests: chili powder, cayenne, thyme, saffron, nutmeg, cumin, etc…would all be fun & unique flavor twists.
  • You can play around linguine, angel hair and other pasta shapes.
  • Try flavored pasta: Spinach, cabernet, etc.
  • Go gluten free: You can use your favorite rice pasta or gluten free product in this recipe too.
  • Stay on the Meatless Monday kick & up the protein with chunks of tofu or top with an egg.
  • More protein non-veg style? Go with some cubed cooked chicken breast. Toss it in before baking.

Spaghetti & Cheese Recipe Links

  • Chicken Spaghetti The Pioneer Woman
  • Meyer Lemon Spaghetti with Goat Cheese In Erika’s Kitchen
  • Spaghetti Frittata Honest Fare
  • Spaghetti Limone with Toasted Pine Nuts Sprout and Pea
  • Spaghetti with Creamy Mascarpone Sauce Cookin’ Canuck
xoxo-mm

68 Comments

  1. Alison @ Ingredients, Inc. September 14, 2010 at 6:15 am

    Marla, I’m loving this! Very creative, easy and delicious all in one!!

    reply
  2. Jessica @ How Sweet September 14, 2010 at 6:22 am

    I love them in the individual cups! Perfect for portion control too – thought I’d probably want to eat 6 of them.

    reply
  3. Deliciously Organic September 14, 2010 at 6:35 am

    The nests are adorabe! Your photography gets better and better! 🙂 I’ll have to make this one for the kids.

    reply
  4. Maria September 14, 2010 at 6:36 am

    These are so cute! I can’t wait to make them with my niece. She loves noodles:)

    reply
  5. Rosa September 14, 2010 at 6:47 am

    Those look lovely! A very good idea.

    Cheers,

    Rosa

    reply
  6. Heather @ Get Healthy with Heather September 14, 2010 at 8:38 am

    I bet these would be great for parties too, they are adorable and tasty looking!

    reply
  7. Barbara Bakes September 14, 2010 at 8:50 am

    Individual servings always seem so much more fun. Love the idea.

    reply
  8. FoodFitnessFreshair September 14, 2010 at 9:30 am

    These are adorable, and I could see myself eating them for breakfast alongside some eggs. Smoked paprika’s always a nice touch!

    reply
  9. the urban baker September 14, 2010 at 9:44 am

    any form of pasta and cheese if fine by me. but these little bite sized portions are so on my radar! i need to make these for the kids! x

    reply
  10. The Duo Dishes September 14, 2010 at 10:03 am

    Great way to get kids to get gourmet. 🙂 The color is great! Turmeric has a way of making things look pretty.

    reply
  11. Angie's Recipes September 14, 2010 at 11:03 am

    Yummy! I would need at least 3 nests and a glass of red for the dinner. :-))

    reply
  12. Cookin' Canuck September 14, 2010 at 11:40 am

    Adorable idea, Marla! What a wonderful idea to add some turmeric to make the nests even more visually appealing. My kids would love to find these in their lunch boxes.

    reply
  13. Louise September 14, 2010 at 11:52 am

    Delicious- I did a test recipe the same way with the muffin tins, great idea.
    ~Chef Louise

    reply
  14. Lentil Breakdown September 14, 2010 at 11:55 am

    After the kids have cleaned their plates, you’ll be empty nesters.

    reply
  15. Chicago Cuisine Critique September 14, 2010 at 12:43 pm

    Great idea! Who doesn’t love pasta and cheese? Yum! 🙂

    reply
  16. Anna Johnston September 14, 2010 at 6:06 pm

    Love the individual servings, they seem so fun and happy sitting there like little nests. Very cool

    reply
  17. Mags September 14, 2010 at 6:35 pm

    Oh come on…. those are way too cute to eat!

    Great recipe… great photos…. love your blog.

    reply
  18. Faith September 15, 2010 at 4:16 am

    I love how you cooked these in muffin tins, Marla — what a great idea! The turmeric for a little color is great too. Pretty much the cutest pasta I’ve ever seen! 😉

    reply
  19. Heavenly Housewife September 15, 2010 at 4:24 am

    What a fun presentation. I love it when someone puts a new spin on an old classic!
    *kisses* HH

    reply
  20. Mary September 15, 2010 at 6:34 am

    This is such a terrific idea and the finished nests looks delightful and delicious. It is a really fun way to serve pasta. I always love to visit here. I like the food and recipes you feature here and your photography is always first rate. I keep coming back for repeats. I hope you are having a great day. Blessings…Mary

    reply
  21. Heather September 15, 2010 at 7:20 am

    Love these! I love them even more that they use the whole wheat pasta. Yum! And perfect for the munchkins in the house. Can’t wait to try!

    reply
  22. Georgia @ The Comfort of Cooking September 15, 2010 at 8:10 am

    You never fail to amaze me with your creativity, Marla! These look wonderfully yummy, and they’re such a cute dinner idea. I bet this would also be an impressive little presentation for party guests. Thanks for sharing these gorgeous photos and the recipe, and keep up your awesome cookin’!

    reply
  23. My Man's Belly September 15, 2010 at 9:40 am

    With ingredients like this I’d have to put them into one of those giant cupcake pans for a individual serving that would be enough for Craig (which probably defeats the purpose of individual portions huh?). These look fantastic!

    reply
  24. LilSis September 15, 2010 at 10:09 am

    I love these! And, the idea of adding broccoli and/or chicken sounds great! My 17 year old son can eat almost a pound of pasta alone, so he’d need about a dozen of these! Thanks for the recipe!

    reply
  25. Cherine September 15, 2010 at 10:35 am

    Those nests are adorable!! Love the idea!!

    reply
  26. Blond Duck September 15, 2010 at 11:38 am

    You can’t go wrong with pasta and cheese!

    reply
  27. lisaiscooking September 15, 2010 at 1:13 pm

    I do love pasta and cheese, and the paprika sounds great here!

    reply
  28. Barbara @Modern Comfort Food September 15, 2010 at 4:21 pm

    As always with your blog, I love the way you really think through the process of making delicious dishes that are healthier, innovative, and (dare I say it?) fun. Looks wonderful, with a great balance between the lighter cottage cheese and richer cheddar.

    reply
    1. Marla September 15, 2010 at 6:21 pm

      Barbara: Yes you said it….FUN!! I do love to have fun with my recipe development as you can tell. Also, gotta use fat it is the only thing that helps to satisfy. Going completely fat free tastes yucky, generally has lots of fillers and added sugars. I like clean fat free/low fat choices mixed with the richer stuff, as you have noticed.

      reply
  29. Betty @ scrambled hen fruit September 15, 2010 at 8:02 pm

    These look like so much delicious fun!

    reply
  30. grace September 15, 2010 at 11:53 pm

    cheese AND an adorable presentation–this is a winning idea!

    reply
  31. Sanjeeta kk September 16, 2010 at 1:55 am

    Lovely to have come across your site, hope to come here more often, best wishes.

    reply
  32. Joanne September 16, 2010 at 4:35 am

    Sometimes you just need to splurge a little on some comfort food and this is perfect for when that craving hits! Especially because they are pre portioned…the splurging can only go so far!

    reply
  33. SMITH BITES September 16, 2010 at 6:08 am

    These really are fantastic Marla – have never in a million years thought to add smoked paprika to pasta but since that is one of my all time favorite spices, will be doing so in the future! Love that these can go for lunch – and since I pack The Professor’s lunch and since he loves pasta and cheese . . . well, these will be heading to campus with him!

    reply
  34. Angie September 16, 2010 at 10:01 am

    I love, love love these, too cute! At first I thought it was a version of spaghetti pie in muffin cups, which would also be great, but this is much better, thanks for sharing!

    reply
  35. Cara September 16, 2010 at 1:38 pm

    What a great way to serve spaghetti! I’ve done mini mac n cheese in muffin tins and they are such a hit at parties.

    reply
  36. theUngourmet September 16, 2010 at 1:58 pm

    I can’t wait to make these! How fun! I know my kids will enjoy them too. I’ve been hunting around for some interesting and different lunchbox ideas. 🙂

    reply
  37. Cooking with Coley September 16, 2010 at 5:52 pm

    I love your playful spin on spaghetti. You never cease to amaze me with your presentation and yummy yet healthy combinations!

    reply
  38. diane and todd September 16, 2010 at 8:50 pm

    this is brilliant marla and love your use of spices. The smoked paprika is awesome, can smell it already over here!

    reply
  39. What I’m Loving… Again. | How Sweet It Is September 17, 2010 at 3:58 am

    […] made 3 cheese spaghetti nests. How adorable are […]

    reply
  40. A Canadian Foodie September 17, 2010 at 10:11 am

    What a fun idea! I am just doing homemade pasta sauce with my grade 9’s and then we are doing homemade pizza, after that, spaghetti… so guess what will be next? YES! This will be a blast for them and I have never thought of this.
    Thanks, Marla!
    Valerie

    reply
  41. Jen @ How To: Simplify September 17, 2010 at 2:37 pm

    How cute and creative are these?! Oh my goodness…I’m definitely adding this recipe to my “to make” list!

    reply
  42. Miri Leigh September 17, 2010 at 2:39 pm

    Oh yum! I love a creative twist on good ol’ fashioned pasta. So cheesy and hearty… can’t wait to try.

    reply
  43. Carolyn Jung September 17, 2010 at 9:33 pm

    A nifty idea! And I love the taste and color that tumeric provides. Looking forward to making my own nest o’ noodles to dig a fork into.

    reply
  44. Amanda September 18, 2010 at 8:55 am

    These are so FUN!

    reply
  45. Kitchen Runway September 20, 2010 at 11:24 pm

    Marla – those look so delicious!! =) Yum!! You can’t ever go wrong with pasta & cheese!

    reply
  46. Debs September 21, 2010 at 12:16 am

    Wow, beautiful presentation; what a fab idea, thanks for sharing.

    reply
  47. Pam @ Cooking World September 21, 2010 at 12:57 am

    You have added the twist by adding turmeric and paprika for color and spice! What I love is using muffin tin to make nest! It would be perfect one serving to serve and looks so gourmet!

    reply
  48. busy beecher September 22, 2010 at 5:47 pm

    I love this idea! My son is only 6 months, but as soon as he can eat pasta I’m making these!

    reply
  49. Sonia - L'Exquisit October 8, 2010 at 4:33 am

    I just ate and are delicious! Thanks for the recipe!

    reply
    1. Marla October 8, 2010 at 4:53 am

      Sonia: I just woke up to your sweet comment. I am so happy you enjoyed this recipe. It thrills me when my readers can add something new, healthy & tasty to their meal selections. I need to play with a red sauce version of this too.

      reply
  50. chaya October 16, 2010 at 11:35 pm

    This is a fantastic idea, one which I have to make. I printed the recipe which is a first step. My grandkids would love these and so would I.

    reply
  51. Damaris @KitchenCorners September 27, 2011 at 6:12 pm

    Marla this is seriously one of the most creative dishes I have ever seen. I LOVE IT. I already has spaghetti twice today but after seeing this post i’m seriously tempted to make some more.

    reply
  52. recipes January 17, 2012 at 11:38 pm

    delicious recipe. i’ll make it again.

    reply
  53. Amanda Renea April 29, 2012 at 4:40 pm

    These look tasty!

    reply
  54. National Cheese Day 2012: 7 Unique Cheese Recipes for Kids! | Food For Thought June 4, 2012 at 11:04 am

    […] [Source: FamilyFreshCooking.com] […]

    reply
  55. PAMELA WERFALLI August 26, 2012 at 12:26 pm

    Hi, love most of the recipes you put on. This one (spaghetti nests) sounds great! You say one can add chicken and broccoli to them for more of a meal? How many does one get then? Only 1? I thought we got all 3 in the picture! LOL!

    reply
    1. Marla August 26, 2012 at 1:29 pm

      Pamela, simply add some chopped chicken or broccoli to the mix before baking the spaghetti nests.

      reply
  56. Kelly December 4, 2012 at 12:46 pm

    Hi Marla,

    These look awesome. I have a few questions.
    1. You mention putting them in the kids lunch. Do these reheat well? Or do you eat them cool?
    2. Can you make these ahead of time? I was considering them for a party. It would be really convenient if I could put them together ahead of time and just pop them in the oven to cook when everyone arrived.

    reply
    1. Marla December 4, 2012 at 1:00 pm

      Hi! They would reheat fine. As far as the temperature in a lunchbox – all depends on whether your kids like cold or hot pasta. Mine will eat it either way 🙂
      You can assemble before a party & keep cool in the fridge until ready to bake.

      reply
  57. 31 Fun Treats To Make In A Muffin Tin | Best Ways December 3, 2013 at 9:22 am

    […]   […]

    reply
  58. Healthy Lunch Recipes for WorkFavorite Food Recipes January 28, 2014 at 1:48 pm

    […] recipe at: https://192.163.193.237/~marlamer […]

    reply
  59. Meal Planning: Meatless Monday « Romance on a Dime August 25, 2014 at 10:27 am

    […] Three Cheese Spaghetti Nests – super easy (pictured below)! […]

    reply
  60. 10 receitas que você não sabia que dava para fazer na forma de muffin | BAKE ME NOW November 5, 2014 at 4:16 pm

    […] que só eu não sabia que dava para fazer um muffin de macarrão? […]

    reply
  61. 31 Fun Treats To Make In A Muffin Tin | Sing Viral February 6, 2015 at 5:53 pm

    […] familyfreshcooking.com […]

    reply
  62. multiply your dinnertime options with a muffin tin | creative gift ideas & news at catching fireflies March 3, 2015 at 11:40 am

    […] […]

    reply
  63. Carolyn Jane May 23, 2015 at 4:03 am

    Hi..these recipe looks yummy!!! Can’t wait to try… Anyway, do you mind if I copy this recipe as well as the pictures and rewrite it by using our language which is Malay?

    reply
  64. 31 Fun Treats To Make In A Muffin Tin ⋆ The NEW N!FYmag July 12, 2015 at 3:23 pm

    […] familyfreshcooking.com […]

    reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

PrevPreviousPumpkin Chocolate Oat Muffins
NextFood Blogging for Money, Passion and a LivingNext

Subscribe to Marla Meridith’s newsletter and follow along with her adventures

Vegetable Enchiladas

Vegetable Enchiladas

Read More
One-Pot American Beef Goulash

One-Pot American Beef Goulash

Read More
Recent Posts
Recent Posts

Order Marla’s new cookbook “High Alpine Cuisine” available at these retailers:

Amazon, Barnes and Noble & Indiebound

Prevprev
NextNext

Culinary

All Recipes
Side Dishes
Soups
Desserts
Cocktails
Holiday Recipes
Vegetarian
Vegan

Fashion & Beauty

Fashion
Beauty

Lifestyle

Design & DIY
Mountain Life
Yoga & Fitness
Dog’s Life

Travel

USA Travel
International Travel
Ski & Alpine

Culinary

All Recipes
Side Dishes
Soups
Desserts
Cocktails
Holiday Recipes
Vegetarian
Vegan

Fashion & Beauty

Fashion
Beauty

Lifestyle

Design & DIY
Mountain Life
Yoga & Fitness
Dog’s Life

Travel

USA Travel
International Travel
Ski & Alpine

Instagram

© Marla Meridith 2020

Instagram

Instagram
Pinterest
Facebook
Twitter
Youtube
© Marla Meridith 2020

Culinary

All Recipes
Side Dishes
Soups
Desserts
Cocktails
Holiday Recipes
Vegetarian
Vegan

Fashion & Beauty

Fashion
Beauty

Lifestyle

Design & DIY
Mountain Life
Yoga & Fitness
Dog’s Life

Travel

USA Travel
International Travel
Ski & Alpine

Instagram

© Marla Meridith 2020

By using this website you agree to our cookie policy to deliver a better site experience.

Are you on the list?