50+ Easy Pasta Recipes for Weeknight Dinners (2024)

50+ Easy Pasta Recipes for Weeknight Dinners (1)

Everyone has a go-to pasta recipe that they know like the back of their hand — whether its a super simple spaghetti, baked ziti, a take on alfredo, or even a family-honored lasagna. And yet there are thousands of ways to dress up your favorite pasta that you are missing out on. Contrary to popular belief, not every life-changing pasta sauce requires you to frantically hover the stovetop; some of the best pasta dishes are straightforward and can be made in under 30 minutes. The following pasta recipes are easy dishes that can help you breeze through dinner and then some, as these ideas make for delicious leftovers. Most importantly, though, they'll please the entire family and help you switch things up every once in a while.

These pasta dishes make use of versatile noodles you can boil to perfection in just under 10 minutes — from penne to linguini, farfalle "bowties" to more complex ravioli, there's plenty of pasta to go around. Most can be incorporated into rich, velvety sauces that includes a medley of seasoned poultry or beef and tender vegetables. Other pasta varieties are best left lighter with a healthier take of sauteéd veggies and creamy pan sauces; some can even be incorporated into soups, too.

And if you're looking for a new take on your own favorite pasta dish, it's here. We've tweaked and played with classics — including lasagna, bolognese, macaroni and cheese, and signature sauces from alfredo to alla vodka — to make them even simpler to master.

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1

Lemon-Pepper Linguine With Creamy Chicken and Broccoli

50+ Easy Pasta Recipes for Weeknight Dinners (2)

Get double the citrus flavor with fresh lemon mixed into the pasta dough and the sauce.

Get the recipe for Lemon-Pepper Linguine With Creamy Chicken and Broccoli »

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2

Penne With Spicy Anchovy Marinara

50+ Easy Pasta Recipes for Weeknight Dinners (3)

Skip the jarred sauce—ours is made with anchovies, garlic, chile, oregano, capers and fennel for a flavor that goes way beyond store-bought.

Get the recipe for Penne With Spicy Anchovy Marinara »

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3

Beet Fettuccine With Hazelnuts and Goat Cheese

50+ Easy Pasta Recipes for Weeknight Dinners (4)

Give your pasta a pretty hue with beet juice added right into the dough.

Get the recipe for Beet Fettuccine With Hazelnuts and Goat Cheese »

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4

Tomato Tagliatelle With Chorizo and Olives

50+ Easy Pasta Recipes for Weeknight Dinners (5)

Spicy, salty and a little sweet from the tomatoes, this pretty plate's got it all.

Get the recipe for Tomato Tagliatelle With Chorizo and Olives »

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5

Spinach Macaroni With Beans and Greens

50+ Easy Pasta Recipes for Weeknight Dinners (6)

Made with sweet Italian sausage, creamy white beans and fresh kale, this is a filling, all-in-one feast.

Get the recipe for Spinach Macaroni With Beans and Greens »

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6

Creamy Lemon Chicken Pasta

50+ Easy Pasta Recipes for Weeknight Dinners (7)

Save dishwasher space by boiling peas in the same pot as your pasta — then, make your sauce in the same pan that you've roasted your chicken in. All in all, dinner's on the table in less than 30 minutes.

Get the recipe for Creamy Lemon Chicken Pasta »

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7

Linguine Carbonara

50+ Easy Pasta Recipes for Weeknight Dinners (8)

A perfect option for any bacon lover, this classic Italian dish actually comes together away from the stovetop. You'll whisk egg yolks and fresh parm together and slowly add pasta water until you've created a luxurious sauce (in seconds!).

Get the recipe for Linguine Carbonara »

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8

Creamy Lemon Pasta With Chicken and Peas

50+ Easy Pasta Recipes for Weeknight Dinners (9)

Introduce the kids to a more refined pasta shape with gemelli, which is coated in creamy pan sauce made with lemon zest. Little ones will love chasing peas around their plate as they spear this spiral-shaped pasta.

Get the recipe for Creamy Lemon Pasta With Chicken and Peas »

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9

Pasta With Red Pepper Alfredo

50+ Easy Pasta Recipes for Weeknight Dinners (10)

We gave this creamy classic dish an instant health upgrade by adding roasted veggies into the equation. Red bell peppers and fresh garlic add a much-needed boost of fiber — plus a beautiful hue!

Get the recipe for Pasta With Red Pepper Alfredo »

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10

Easy Lasagna With Meat Sauce

You can save loads of time by simply baking dry lasagna noodles in this easy ground pork meat sauce. Make this casserole ahead of time or on any weeknight — it's ready in just one hour.

Get the recipe for Easy Lasagna With Meat Sauce »

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11

Summer Squash, Mint, and Pecorino Pasta

50+ Easy Pasta Recipes for Weeknight Dinners (13)

Look — it's summer in a bowl. Squash, mint, and lemon juice come together to create a light pasta dinner that's perfect for dining al fresco.

Get the recipe for Summer Squash, Mint, and Pecorino Pasta »

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12

Creamy Corn Pasta with Bacon and Scallions

50+ Easy Pasta Recipes for Weeknight Dinners (15)

Trying to use up leftover corn? This one-pot pasta dinner calls on the flavors of bacon, scallions, basil, and fresh corn to create a summer pasta medley in just 30 minutes.

Get the recipe for Creamy Corn Pasta with Bacon and Scallions »

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13

Creamy Broccolini Pasta With Chile Breadcrumbs

50+ Easy Pasta Recipes for Weeknight Dinners (16)

Charred broccolini is cut by the tartness of lemon juice and sour cream in a five-ingredient pan sauce.

Get the recipe for Creamy Broccolini Pasta With Chile Breadcrumbs »

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14

Chilled Tortellini Romesco

50+ Easy Pasta Recipes for Weeknight Dinners (17)

Another elevated take on pasta salad, almonds and scallions add a wonderful crunch to the smooth, creamy profile of the tortellini.

Get the recipe for Chilled Tortellini Romesco »

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15

Pesto Zucchini Orzo

50+ Easy Pasta Recipes for Weeknight Dinners (18)

You'll love this no-fuss take on a pasta salad — let summer squash marinate in a mix of pesto, olive oil, and white wine vinegar. Then, add the rest of your ingredients into the mix.

Get the recipe for Pesto Zucchini Orzo »

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16

Easy Vegetarian Lasagna With Spinach and Broccoli

50+ Easy Pasta Recipes for Weeknight Dinners (19)

Beef who? This satisfying triple-layer lasagna doubles down on plenty of spinach, broccoli, fresh basil, and three different cheese varieties. Sauté peppers and mushrooms, and then stir into your tomato sauce for an extra boost of nutrients.

Get the recipe for Easy Vegetarian Lasagna With Spinach and Broccoli »

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17

Baked Pesto Shells & Greens

50+ Easy Pasta Recipes for Weeknight Dinners (21)

This cheesy, baked pasta packs a hefty dose of veggies in each serving. We won't tell the kids if you won't.

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18

Veggie Skillet Lasagna

50+ Easy Pasta Recipes for Weeknight Dinners (23)

There is absolutely no need to wait for the water to boil when you can just cook lasagna noodles in a super-flavorful sauce.

Get the recipe for Veggie Skillet Lasagna »

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19

Orecchiette with Morels and Peas

50+ Easy Pasta Recipes for Weeknight Dinners (25)

Heading to the farmers' market this weekend? Make a list of the in-season produce in this recipe and create a beautiful lunch when you get home.

Get the recipe for Orecchiette with Morels and Peas »

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20

Mozzarella-Stuffed Turkey Meatballs

50+ Easy Pasta Recipes for Weeknight Dinners (27)

These taste even better reheated; our test kitchen staff says they can be refrigerated for 2 days after being served. They're just as delicious alongside a hearty salad as well.

Get the recipe for Mozzarella-Stuffed Turkey Meatballs »

50+ Easy Pasta Recipes for Weeknight Dinners (2024)

FAQs

How much pasta do I need for 50 adults? ›

When you cook pasta, 2 ounces (56 g) of dry pasta per person is a good rule of thumb to follow.

What can I add to pasta for dinner? ›

Pasta dish ideas including Lemon, Basil and Mascarpone, Quick Chicken Alfredo, White Wine, Mushroom and Cream, White Bean Sauce, Bacon and Scallions, Tuna and Capers, Lemon Artichoke Pesto, Smoked Salmon And Capers, and Caprese.

How to jazz up boring pasta? ›

Butternut or acorn squash, zucchini, bell peppers, tomatoes, mushrooms, and onion are all great options to add to a pasta dish, along with some minced garlic, olive oil, and herbs. Of course, you can also always make a homemade cheese sauce from milk or cream, grated cheese, flour or cornstarch, and salt and pepper.

How to make pasta for a large group? ›

Steps to Cook Pasta for a Party
  1. Cook your pasta ahead of time, in a very large pot, with a lot of salt in the water, not oil. ...
  2. Save some of the pasta water. ...
  3. Cook your pasta to almost al dente. ...
  4. Drain your pasta under cold running water and pull it through the water until its cool. ...
  5. Once cool, portion out onto a sheet pan.
Dec 16, 2016

How many people does 1 lb of pasta serve? ›

Most recipes call for one pound of pasta — which is a standard box or bag — to serve four to six people. It's far easier to eyeball this than fuss over specific measurements. I find that half the box, or a half-pound (eight ounces) of pasta, serves two to three people, depending on sauce and hunger level.

What are the 4 main pasta dishes? ›

Gricia, Carbonara, Cacio e Pepe, and Amatriciana are all simple pastas that share the same big flavors of Pecorino-Romano, black pepper, and—in three of the dishes—cured pork. Published Oct. 18, 2018.

What to put on pasta when you have no sauce? ›

Cheese is an excellent way to add flavor to your pasta without having to rely on sauce. Try mixing your angel hair pasta with goat cheese, and toss in sun-dried tomatoes to make an amazing meal with just a few ingredients. Garlic butter is a terrific way to season all types of noodles.

Can I eat pasta for dinner everyday? ›

It is possible to eat pasta daily and still be healthy. The key to eating pasta every day is to limit your portion size and supplement your pasta bowl with essential nutrients. The recommended portion size is two ounces of dry pasta or one cup of cooked pasta.

What is the most delicious pasta in the world? ›

Check out the top-ten pasta dishes in the world:
  • Pappardelle al cinghiale- Tuscany, Italy.
  • Pasta carbonara- Rome, Italy.
  • Tagliatelle al ragù alla Bolognese- Bologna, Italy.
  • Lasagne alla Bolognese- Bologna Italy.
  • Linguine allo scoglio- Campania, Italy.
  • Pasta all gricia- Grisciano, Italy.
  • Giouvetsi- Greece.
Aug 29, 2023

What pasta do Italians use the most? ›

The most popular dried pasta in Italy is Barilla, which has recently become more widely available in the United States. Like all Italian dried pasta, it is made under rigid Government controls from hard durum-wheat flour, called semola di grano duro in Italian and semolina in English.

What kind of pasta do real Italians eat? ›

Italy's most popular pasta is penne. This quill-shaped pasta is unusual in that it has a very precise origin. It was born in 1865, with a new device patented by Giovanni Battista Capurro in the small town of San Martino d'Albero, near Genoa.

How do you pimp up pasta? ›

13 Ways to Make Any Jarred Pasta Sauce Better
  1. Start with the right pasta and sauce. ...
  2. Season with dried herbs. ...
  3. Or flavor with fresh herb sprigs. ...
  4. Double up on tomato goodness. ...
  5. Add more garlic and/or onions. ...
  6. Sweeten and thicken with squash purée. ...
  7. Punch things up with a pinch of chili flakes. ...
  8. Try this secret ingredient.
Dec 9, 2022

Why put sour cream in spaghetti sauce? ›

Sour cream can enhance both the taste and texture of your pasta sauce. It works in a similar manner to when you add heavy cream to a pasta sauce, only it imparts a lovely tart flavor that is irresistible to the palate. Sour cream is a dairy product that has been fermented with lactic acid.

How much dry pasta do I need for 60 people? ›

When you cook pasta, 2 ounces of dry pasta per person is a good rule of thumb to follow.

How many pounds of pasta for 40 people? ›

For 40 people it would be 4 kilos, that is about 8.8 pounds. 100 grams is not a big portion even though it's well balanced in terms of caloric intake… but It all depends on whether you're going to have a second course or pasta is intended to be the only course.

How many pounds of pasta for 25 people? ›

1 pound feeds 4 people. 6 pound feeds 24 people and a quarter of a pound will feed the 25th person. Six and a quarter pounds of pasta is needed.

How many pounds of pasta for 100 people? ›

1 pound will feed 8. However, most eat more than the recommended quantity. To feed 100 and have a little extra, I would recommend 15 pounds. Usually the pasta boxes come in 1 pound boxes depending on the brand.

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