The Kitchen Everything

19+ Best Pasta Recipes

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by

CeCe Jones
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Pasta night solves more dinner dilemmas than almost any other meal. A box of dried noodles and a few pantry staples turn into something that feels like a hug, and the right sauce can take you from a rushed Tuesday to a candlelit anniversary dinner without changing much more than the garnish.

This collection pulls together the dishes worth knowing by heart: the creamy ones, the brothy ones, the baked ones bubbling with cheese, and a few bright, herby plates for warmer nights. Some come together in the time it takes water to boil. Others simmer low and slow, rewarding patience with deep, rounded flavor.

Spaghetti Carbonara stands out as the dish every pasta lover should master first, since it needs just five ingredients and turns eggs and cheese into a silky sauce without a drop of cream.

Whether you’re cooking for one, feeding a crowd, or hunting for something to bring to a potluck, there’s a noodle shape and sauce pairing here that fits the occasion.

1. Spaghetti Carbonara

Carbonara gets its creaminess from eggs, cheese, and pasta water, no cream needed. The trick is working fast off the heat so the eggs turn silky instead of scrambled.

Yields: 4 servings | Prep: 10 minutes | Cook: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb spaghetti
  • 4 oz guanciale or pancetta, diced
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 cup grated Pecorino Romano
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • Salt, to taste

Method:

  1. Boil salted water, cook spaghetti until al dente.
  2. Crisp guanciale in a skillet over medium heat.
  3. Whisk eggs, cheese, and pepper in a bowl.
  4. Toss hot pasta with guanciale, then off heat, stir in egg mixture with splashes of pasta water.
  5. Serve immediately with extra cheese.

If you want to explore more dishes rooted in tradition, our best classic Italian recipes is a great next stop.

2. Tagliatelle alla Bolognese

This is the slow-simmered ragù that rewards patience, built from ground meat, soffritto, and a splash of milk for richness. Real Bolognese cooks low for hours, not minutes, until the sauce clings to every ribbon of pasta.

Yields: 6 servings | Prep: 15 minutes | Cook: 3 hours

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb tagliatelle
  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 4 oz pancetta, diced
  • 1 onion, 1 carrot, 1 celery stalk, finely chopped
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 1 cup red wine
  • 28 oz canned crushed tomatoes
  • Salt and pepper

Method:

  1. Sauté pancetta and vegetables until soft.
  2. Add beef, brown fully.
  3. Pour in wine, reduce.
  4. Stir in milk, simmer until absorbed.
  5. Add tomatoes, simmer 2.5 hours, stirring occasionally.
  6. Toss with cooked tagliatelle.

3. Classic Beef Lasagna

Layered lasagna built from ragù, béchamel, and sheets of pasta is the centerpiece dish for Sunday dinners and holidays alike. Baking it until bubbling and golden on top gives every bite that perfect mix of creamy, meaty, and cheesy.

Yields: 8 servings | Prep: 30 minutes | Cook: 50 minutes at 375°F

Ingredients:

  • 12 lasagna noodles
  • 2 cups beef ragù (bolognese-style)
  • 3 cups béchamel sauce
  • 2 cups shredded mozzarella
  • 1 cup grated Parmesan

Method:

  1. Cook noodles, lay flat.
  2. Layer noodles, ragù, béchamel, and cheese in a baking dish, repeat three times.
  3. Top with mozzarella and Parmesan.
  4. Bake 375°F for 45-50 minutes until golden.
  5. Rest 10 minutes before slicing.

Leftover rotisserie chicken makes a fun twist on tradition; try leftover rotisserie chicken lasagna next time you have extra on hand.

4. Cacio e Pepe

Three ingredients, one pan, and a technique that rewards a steady hand: that’s cacio e pepe. Pecorino, black pepper, and starchy pasta water emulsify into a glossy, peppery coating.

Yields: 4 servings | Prep: 5 minutes | Cook: 12 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb spaghetti or tonnarelli
  • 2 cups grated Pecorino Romano
  • 2 tbsp coarsely cracked black pepper
  • Reserved pasta water

Method:

  1. Toast pepper in a dry skillet 1 minute.
  2. Cook pasta until al dente, reserve 1.5 cups water.
  3. Add pasta water to pepper, simmer.
  4. Toss in pasta, add cheese gradually off heat, stirring until creamy.
  5. Serve right away.

5. Fettuccine Alfredo

True Alfredo uses just butter, Parmesan, and pasta water for a sauce that’s rich without feeling heavy. No cream needed, just good cheese and technique.

Yields: 4 servings | Prep: 5 minutes | Cook: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb fettuccine
  • 6 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1.5 cups grated Parmesan
  • Reserved pasta water
  • Salt and black pepper

Method:

  1. Cook fettuccine, reserve 1 cup water.
  2. Melt butter in a large pan.
  3. Add drained pasta and a splash of pasta water.
  4. Toss in Parmesan gradually, adding water as needed for a silky sauce.
  5. Season and serve hot.

For a creamier, more loaded variation, creamy garlic parmesan pasta recipe is worth bookmarking.

6. Baked Ziti

Baked ziti is the easygoing cousin of lasagna, layering tube pasta with marinara, ricotta, and melted mozzarella for a casserole that feeds a crowd with minimal fuss. It bakes up bubbly with crisp edges where the cheese meets the dish.

Yields: 8 servings | Prep: 20 minutes | Cook: 30 minutes at 375°F

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb ziti
  • 24 oz marinara sauce
  • 15 oz ricotta
  • 2 cups shredded mozzarella
  • 1/2 cup Parmesan
  • 1 egg

Method:

  1. Cook ziti al dente, drain.
  2. Mix ricotta, egg, and half the Parmesan.
  3. Combine pasta, marinara, and ricotta mixture.
  4. Spread in a baking dish, top with mozzarella and remaining Parmesan.
  5. Bake 375°F for 25-30 minutes until golden.

7. Spaghetti Aglio e Olio

This is the pasta you make at midnight with what’s already in the pantry: garlic, olive oil, chili flakes, and spaghetti. Simple ingredients turn fragrant and golden in minutes.

Yields: 4 servings | Prep: 5 minutes | Cook: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb spaghetti
  • 2/3 cup olive oil
  • 8 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
  • 1 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1/4 cup chopped parsley
  • Salt, to taste

Method:

  1. Cook spaghetti, reserve 1 cup water.
  2. Warm oil, gently fry garlic until golden, not brown.
  3. Add pepper flakes.
  4. Toss in pasta and pasta water, coating well.
  5. Stir in parsley, season, serve.

8. Penne alla Vodka

Penne alla vodka balances sharp tomato with cream and a splash of vodka that rounds out the acidity. The sauce clings beautifully to penne’s ridged tubes.

Yields: 4 servings | Prep: 10 minutes | Cook: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb penne
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/3 cup vodka
  • 28 oz crushed tomatoes
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan

Method:

  1. Sauté onion and garlic in butter.
  2. Add vodka, simmer 3 minutes.
  3. Stir in tomatoes, simmer 15 minutes.
  4. Add cream and Parmesan.
  5. Toss with cooked penne.

For more tube-shaped pasta ideas, check our best rigatoni recipes.

9. Linguine alle Vongole

Linguine alle vongole is a briny, garlicky classic built around fresh clams steamed open in white wine. The clam liquor becomes the sauce, clinging to every strand of linguine.

Yields: 4 servings | Prep: 15 minutes | Cook: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb linguine
  • 2 lbs littleneck clams, scrubbed
  • 4 garlic cloves, sliced
  • 1/2 cup white wine
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 cup chopped parsley
  • Red pepper flakes

Method:

  1. Cook linguine, reserve 1 cup water.
  2. Sauté garlic in oil, add wine and clams, cover until clams open.
  3. Discard unopened clams.
  4. Toss in linguine and pasta water.
  5. Finish with parsley and pepper flakes.

10. Trofie with Basil Pesto

Trofie’s tight little twists are made for catching pesto in every curl. Genoa’s signature sauce, basil, pine nuts, garlic, and Parmesan blended with good olive oil, turns bright green and fragrant.

Yields: 4 servings | Prep: 10 minutes | Cook: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb trofie
  • 2 cups fresh basil
  • 1/3 cup pine nuts
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • Salt, to taste

Method:

  1. Blend basil, pine nuts, garlic, and Parmesan.
  2. Stream in olive oil while blending.
  3. Cook trofie, reserve pasta water.
  4. Toss pasta with pesto, loosening with pasta water.
  5. Season and serve.

11. Shrimp Scampi Linguine

Shrimp scampi turns garlic butter, white wine, and plump shrimp into a quick, elegant dinner that’s ready faster than delivery. A squeeze of lemon at the end keeps it bright.

Yields: 4 servings | Prep: 10 minutes | Cook: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb linguine
  • 1.5 lbs shrimp, peeled
  • 4 tbsp butter
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 5 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/2 cup white wine
  • 1 lemon, juiced
  • Parsley, chopped

Method:

  1. Cook linguine.
  2. Sauté shrimp in butter and oil until pink, remove.
  3. Add garlic, wine, lemon juice to pan, simmer.
  4. Return shrimp, toss with linguine.
  5. Top with parsley.

12. Spaghetti alla Puttanesca

Puttanesca is bold, salty, and unapologetically punchy, built on olives, capers, anchovies, and tomatoes. It comes together fast but tastes like it simmered all afternoon.

Yields: 4 servings | Prep: 10 minutes | Cook: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb spaghetti
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 4 anchovy fillets
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 cup Kalamata olives, pitted
  • 3 tbsp capers
  • 28 oz crushed tomatoes
  • Red pepper flakes

Method:

  1. Sauté garlic and anchovies until melted into oil.
  2. Add olives, capers, and tomatoes, simmer 15 minutes.
  3. Cook spaghetti, toss with sauce.
  4. Add pepper flakes to taste.

13. Pasta Primavera

Pasta primavera celebrates whatever vegetables look best that week, tossed with pasta in a light cream or olive oil sauce. Spring vegetables like asparagus and peas keep it fresh and colorful.

Yields: 4 servings | Prep: 15 minutes | Cook: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb penne or fusilli
  • 1 cup asparagus, chopped
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1 cup peas
  • 1 zucchini, sliced
  • 1/2 cup cream
  • 1/2 cup Parmesan
  • Olive oil, garlic

Method:

  1. Sauté vegetables in olive oil and garlic until tender-crisp.
  2. Cook pasta, reserve water.
  3. Add cream and Parmesan to vegetables.
  4. Toss in pasta with pasta water.
  5. Serve warm.

Browse 25 vegetable recipes for more ways to use seasonal produce.

14. Spinach and Ricotta Ravioli with Brown Butter and Sage

Homemade ravioli stuffed with spinach and ricotta gets dressed simply in brown butter and crisp sage leaves. The nutty butter is the perfect match for the delicate filling.

Yields: 4 servings | Prep: 40 minutes | Cook: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb fresh ravioli (spinach-ricotta)
  • 6 tbsp butter
  • 10 fresh sage leaves
  • Grated Parmesan
  • Salt and pepper

Method:

  1. Boil ravioli gently until they float, about 4 minutes.
  2. Melt butter in a skillet until nutty and golden.
  3. Add sage, fry until crisp.
  4. Toss ravioli in brown butter.
  5. Top with Parmesan.

15. Chicken and Broccoli Penne

This is a weeknight staple that balances tender chicken, crisp-tender broccoli, and a garlicky cream sauce over penne. It’s a one-pan dinner families come back to again and again.

Yields: 4 servings | Prep: 15 minutes | Cook: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb penne
  • 2 chicken breasts, cubed
  • 2 cups broccoli florets
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup Parmesan
  • Olive oil, salt, pepper

Method:

  1. Sear chicken in olive oil until cooked, remove.
  2. Steam or blanch broccoli.
  3. Sauté garlic, add cream and Parmesan.
  4. Return chicken and broccoli to pan.
  5. Toss with cooked penne.

16. Baked Macaroni and Cheese

Baked mac and cheese layers a creamy, sharp cheddar sauce over elbow macaroni, then bakes until the top turns golden and slightly crisp. It’s the dish that disappears fastest at any potluck.

Yields: 6 servings | Prep: 15 minutes | Cook: 30 minutes at 375°F

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb elbow macaroni
  • 4 tbsp butter
  • 4 tbsp flour
  • 3 cups whole milk
  • 3 cups shredded sharp cheddar
  • 1 cup breadcrumbs

Method:

  1. Cook macaroni al dente.
  2. Make roux with butter and flour, whisk in milk.
  3. Stir in cheddar until melted.
  4. Combine with macaroni, pour into baking dish.
  5. Top with breadcrumbs, bake 375°F for 25-30 minutes.

17. Tortellini en Brodo

Tortellini en brodo is simple comfort in a bowl: tender meat-filled tortellini simmered in rich, clear chicken broth. It’s the dish Italian grandmothers serve when someone needs warming up.

Yields: 4 servings | Prep: 10 minutes | Cook: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb fresh tortellini (meat-filled)
  • 8 cups chicken broth
  • Grated Parmesan
  • Fresh parsley, chopped

Method:

  1. Bring broth to a gentle boil.
  2. Add tortellini, cook until they float, 4-6 minutes.
  3. Ladle into bowls with broth.
  4. Top with Parmesan and parsley.

Pair this with other comforting classics from our best Italian soup recipes.

18. Orzo Pasta Salad with Feta and Vegetables

Orzo salad is a cold, crisp option built on tiny rice-shaped pasta, crumbled feta, cucumbers, and a lemony vinaigrette. It holds up well for picnics and potlucks since it tastes even better after chilling.

Yields: 6 servings | Prep: 20 minutes | Cook: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 1.5 cups orzo
  • 1 cup feta, crumbled
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1 cucumber, diced
  • 1/4 cup red onion, diced
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice

Method:

  1. Cook orzo, cool completely.
  2. Combine with vegetables and feta.
  3. Whisk oil and lemon juice, toss in.
  4. Chill before serving.

For more cold pasta ideas, see 12 easy and delicious pasta salad recipes to try today.

19. Orecchiette with Sausage and Broccoli Rabe

Orecchiette’s little cup shapes hold onto crumbled sausage and bitter, garlicky broccoli rabe beautifully. A splash of pasta water ties the whole dish together into a rustic, satisfying plate.

Yields: 4 servings | Prep: 15 minutes | Cook: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb orecchiette
  • 1 lb Italian sausage, casings removed
  • 1 bunch broccoli rabe, chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves, sliced
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • Red pepper flakes
  • Grated Parmesan

Method:

  1. Brown sausage, breaking into crumbles.
  2. Add garlic and broccoli rabe, sauté until wilted.
  3. Cook orecchiette, reserve water.
  4. Toss everything together with pasta water.
  5. Finish with Parmesan.

How to Match Pasta Shapes and Sauces

Pasta shape changes how sauce clings to every bite, so matching the two well makes a real difference in the final dish. Long strands like spaghetti and linguine work best with thin, oily, or clingy sauces such as aglio e olio or vongole, since the sauce coats the strand instead of pooling.

Tube shapes like penne and ziti trap chunky sauces and bits of meat inside their hollow centers, which is why they pair so well with vodka sauce or baked casseroles. Ridged shapes grip sauce even better than smooth ones, a detail worth remembering next time you’re deciding between penne lisce and penne rigate.

Small shapes like orzo and ditalini suit soups, salads, and light dressings where you want pasta in every spoonful rather than long strands to twirl. Wide, flat noodles like tagliatelle and pappardelle were built for rich, meaty ragùs; the surface area holds onto heavier sauces that would slide off thinner noodles.

Stuffed pasta like ravioli and tortellini needs a gentle hand. A simple butter sauce or light broth lets the filling stay the star instead of competing with a heavy sauce.

If you’re curious about lesser-known shapes beyond this list, 45 types of Italian pasta covers the full lineup, and our best types of Italian pasta recipes shows how to put them to use.

Tips for Cooking Pasta Ahead

Cooking pasta ahead works best when you slightly undercook it and toss it with a little olive oil to prevent sticking. Pull the noodles about one minute shy of al dente, since they’ll keep softening as they cool and reheat.

Store cooked pasta and sauce separately in airtight containers in the fridge for up to three days. Mixing them together too early can leave the pasta mushy by the time you reheat it, especially with delicate shapes like angel hair.

Baked dishes like lasagna and baked ziti actually improve with a day of rest in the fridge, since the flavors have time to settle together. Assemble them fully, cover tightly, and bake straight from cold, adding ten extra minutes to the cooking time.

For cream-based sauces, reheat gently over low heat with a splash of milk or pasta water to bring back the silky texture. A microwave on high will break the sauce, leaving it greasy instead of smooth.

Freezing works well for tomato-based sauces and baked casseroles, though cream sauces can separate once thawed. Label containers with the date, and use frozen pasta dishes within two months for the best flavor.

If you’re planning dinners for the week, 21 simple dinner recipes for busy weeknights offers more make-ahead inspiration.

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