Between hosting TODAY WITH JENNA & FRIENDS, podcasting, writing, and raising three kids, Jenna Bush Hager knows just how hectic the holiday season can get. And when Christmas is right around the corner, there are few things more stressful than trying to plan meals amid decorations, gifts, and family chaos. But Jenna has a secret weapon that keeps her sane—a simple, 2-ingredient pasta dinner that’s become her ultimate holiday lifesaver.
Let’s be honest: Christmas Eve is often the busiest night of the year. Between setting up for guests, prepping the big feast for the next day, and juggling excited kids, the last thing anyone wants to do is spend hours in the kitchen. For Jenna, this is the perfect time to lean on a tried-and-true family favorite: quick and comforting pasta.
“Every single night before Christmas, we have pasta,” Jenna admits with a laugh. “I want to create something I know my kids will actually eat, which is pasta.” And it’s not just a seasonal tradition—pasta is her go-to any night she’s too busy or tired to cook a full meal.
Her secret? Rigatoni paired with Rao’s vodka sauce. “If I could bathe in that vodka sauce, I would,” she jokes. The sauce comes in a slightly spicier version too, but the classic is her favorite. Paired with rigatoni, it’s a simple, fuss-free meal that her kids adore. Sometimes she adds ground beef or turkey, but most of the time, the sauce alone is enough to satisfy even the pickiest eaters.
Jenna also has one small trick to elevate the dish: freshly grating a whole block of Parmesan over the top. “Then, they kind of feel like they’re at a restaurant, and it feels special,” she says. Serve it with garlic bread, a side salad, or even a ball of burrata, and suddenly you’ve got a comforting, festive dinner on the table in minutes.
The beauty of this 2-ingredient meal is that it takes the pressure off during the busiest part of the holiday season. No complicated recipes, no stress—just a warm, delicious dish that keeps her family happy. Jenna’s advice? Stock up on a jar of sauce and a box of pasta this Christmas, because sometimes the simplest solutions are the ones that save the day.
“During the holidays, it’s all about enjoying time with family rather than stressing over the little things,” Jenna says. “This pasta is my little lifesaver, and I couldn’t survive Christmas Eve without it.”
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