Pasta Recipes That Are Dangerously Delicious

If you're craving red or white pasta sauce; chicken, shrimp, or veggies; or, quite simply, a big bowl of delicious carbohydrates, then look no further than this mashup of fantastic pasta dishes created by Mashed's recipe developers. Many can be whipped up in a matter of minutes — and on a budget — while others cook deliciously for hours in the slow cooker. Some of these dishes are terrific for summertime picnics, and others will sound tantalizingly terrific for a crisp fall or winter weekend.

For lovers of variety, these recipes take advantage of all kinds of pasta shapes, so you can mix things up for mealtime and never get bored. Try fixing one of these each week for more than a year's worth of pasta fit for special occasions, intimate dinners, and solo nights on the couch — then pick a few favorites to return to again and again. Now, grab your apron and get cooking!

Want to make an incredible pasta dish for the whole family, but, knowing you'll be on dish duty later, without creating a ton of extra work for yourself? Enter this creamy, one-pot French pasta bake, which is made from start to finish in a Dutch oven. You'll start on the stovetop by caramelizing the onions, then finish in the oven to ensure an evenly melted top layer of Gruyère cheese. This dish is easily made vegetarian by simply subbing vegetable broth for chicken broth.

Recipe: One-Pot Creamy French Pasta Bake

You'll feel like you're in a Sicilian kitchen cooking up this pasta alla Norma recipe with the smell of the fragrant garlic and spices filling your home. The main ingredients are eggplant, pasta, and marinara sauce, and bonus: This recipe is super easy. You'll simply brown the eggplant and add the flavorings and sauce, followed by the cooked pasta. Recipe developer Christina Musgrave recommends using a box of your favorite rigatoni for this sure-to-be-a-hit pasta alla Norma dish.

Recipe: Pasta Alla Norma

As any good Italian chef knows — and now you know, too — the first rule of bruschetta is not using tomato sauce. Instead, look for fresh tomatoes with some combination of olive oil, garlic, salt, and basil, and you've got yourself a true bruschetta! The recipe for this bruschetta-inspired pasta adds in chicken, spaghetti, onions, and, of course, a little balsamic vinegar glaze to drizzle over the top. Not into chicken? Switch it out for steak, pork, or a vegetarian option.

Recipe: Chicken Bruschetta Pasta

We like to imagine this recipe was the brainchild of an Italian and a Jamaican sharing a kitchen and cooking together: This creamy jerk Rasta pasta is the perfect marriage of the two cultures, featuring the perfect blend of spices to represent Rastafarian cuisine and, naturally, plenty of pasta for the Italians. This dish is also a good source of daily nutritional requirements, as it has plenty of fresh peppers to hit that veggie quota and shredded chicken to give you a little protein.

Recipe: Creamy Jerk Rasta Pasta

We love when (perhaps unconventional) combinations of ingredients come together to create a culinary masterpiece, as is the case with this creamy lemon pasta recipe. Beyond boasting a delicious blend of creaminess and tart lemon, this dish is versatile, as you can easily spice it up with the addition of veggies or a protein. It's also the ideal meal when you're looking for something quick, requiring just five minutes of prep and 10 minutes of cook time.

Recipe: Creamy Lemon Pasta

Come Halloween, you're probably looking for recipes that are as creepy as they are kooky. But what if these mysterious and spooky meals could also be delicious and nutritious? Such is the case with this Halloween pasta dish, which is made from spinach fettuccine, marinara sauce, and — here's the fun part — "eyeballs" made from hearts of palm and olives, which you'll place on top of the pasta and sauce for the ultimate surprise factor.

Recipe: Halloween Pasta

What's better than pasta? Why, pasta on a stick, of course! Everything tastes better when a skewer is added, and these pasta skewers are no different. This dish is perfect for everyone, and, luckily, it's also super easy and only requires a few ingredients. You'll simply thread cooked pasta onto skewers, top them with mozzarella cheese and marinara sauce, and pop them in the air fryer. After just five minutes, pull them out, garnish with basil, and dig in!

Recipe: Easy Pasta Skewers

If you're looking for a fun (and perhaps spicy) twist on a traditional Italian dish, add a bit of Korean influence. Like a classic, scrumptious carbonara, this fusion version recipe calls for bacon, egg, and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. However, recipe developer Celicia Ryu has taken it to the next level with the addition of kimchi. It's easy to make and requires less than 20 minutes to prepare, so you'll have a brand-new dish on your dinner table in no time.

Recipe: Kimchi Carbonara Pasta

So, you're headed to the annual family cookout and have been tasked with bringing a side dish — but you have no idea what you're going to make and are running out of time. Enter this easy bow tie pasta salad recipe, which you'll be able to whip up in a flash and is sure to be a crowd-pleaser. Chock-full of tomatoes, corn, chickpeas, chives, and feta cheese and dressed in a homemade basil vinaigrette, this pasta salad is not only tasty, but nutritious to boot.

Recipe: Easy Bow Tie Pasta Salad

Chances are you've heard of avocado toast, but avocado pasta, you say? Now, there's something new. Trust us, this will be a recipe worth trying. Add some healthy greens — we're talking spinach, basil, and an avocado — into a food processor, then mix it all up with a little lemon and olive oil. Toss the beautifully green, velvety sauce with cooked pasta and some halved cherry tomatoes for a meal that's soon to become one of your easiest weeknight favorites.

Recipe: Creamy Avocado Pasta

This quick, flavorful dish takes advantage of all the Asian ingredients in your pantry and fridge, like rice vinegar and chili garlic sauce. Plus, it's got plenty of ginger, which has great health benefits. Besides whipping up the perfect ginger sesame sauce, the secret to this recipe is choosing the right pasta — recipe developer Hayley MacLean recommends angel hair — and ensuring that it's cooked perfectly. Once it's done, invite over some friends, grab some chopsticks, and enjoy!

Recipe: Ginger Sesame Noodles

If the idea of spicy sausage mixed with shrimp is giving you Mediterranean cuisine vibes, you're right on track, as recipe developer Ting Dalton says this chorizo and shrimp pasta "transports" her straight to the region. Count us in! Along with the seafood and meat, you'll also be adding a healthy dose of tomato, vinegar, and olive oil to make the sauce. Want to kick it up a notch? Sprinkle in some red chili pepper for an extra kick.

Recipe: Chorizo and Shrimp Pasta

"Tuna. Chili. Pasta?" you ask with hints of doubt in your voice. "Yes!" we exclaim, and we think you're going to love this affordable combination of ingredients. What's better,  the majority of the preparation is done in one skillet, so you're not dirtying multiple pans. You'll simply whip up a garlic, chili flake, and tuna mixture, then add in some tomatoes, lemon, and olive oil and toss the hearty sauce with some cooked pasta. Yum!

Recipe: Tuna Chili Pasta

BLTs are definitely a fan favorite when it comes to sandwiches, but that doesn't mean the classic ingredients wouldn't also fare well in pasta salad form. Such was the thinking of recipe developer Petar Marshall, who added some mustard and avocado to the traditional BLT sandwich recipe to help concoct this picnic-ready pasta dish. Another tip? Marshall recommends using arugula rather than lettuce "because of the great punch of flavor it adds." Sounds like a home run to us!

Recipe: BLT Pasta Salad

There's a time for elaborate meals, and there's a time for simple meals. When you've had a busy day and need to feed the whole family for dinner, it's time for the latter. Luckily for you, we have a pasta recipe that is uncomplicated and quick to make. You'll cook up some sliced mushrooms with onions and garlic, then add the cooked pasta and sprinkle some parsley and cheese on top. You can, of course, add some chicken or more veggies to liven up this simple recipe, but no pressure: This combo certainly stands on its own.

Recipe: Plain Mushroom and Onion Penne Pasta

Recipe developer Kristen Carli gives this creamy pasta with pancetta and peas recipe a three out of 10 on the difficulty scale, meaning even novice Italian home cooks can whip up this dish with ease. The creamy part comes from heavy whipping cream, which, with the peas, you'll mix in with the pancetta after it cooks. Simmer, add cheese to melt, and delight in the ooey, gooey, creamy goodness. The final addition is the cooked pasta. Once all is combined, it's time to eat!

Recipe: Creamy Pasta With Pancetta and Peas

Veggie noodles, including our good friends the zoodles, are all the rage, offering a low-carb, gluten-free alternative to traditional wheat pasta. Pasta made from hearts of palm, which recipe developer Miriam Hahn tells us is sourced from the center of palm trees, is no different. Hahn's recipe calls for store-bought hearts of palm pasta — which, bonus, doesn't have to be cooked, just warmed — olive oil, garlic, tomatoes, and basil. That's it! It's the perfect recipe for your first or 100th foray into veggie noodle cooking.

Recipe: Easy Hearts of Palm Pasta

An easy, quick, and delicious recipe? Sign us up! As you've already deduced from the name, this recipe is easily completed in just 15 minutes, only five of which are prep time. The combination of mushrooms, spinach, and creamy cream cheese will please everyone at the dinner table and make this dish a go-to for busy weeknights and special occasions alike.

Recipe: 15-Minute Creamy Spinach Pasta

Perfect for a picnic or as an everyday side with a hot dog or hamburger, pasta salad is one of the quintessential dishes of summer. This recipe for broccoli pasta salad is an easy way to incorporate more veggies into your diet, whereas other versions may be lacking in the greens department. You'll make a creamy dressing from Greek yogurt, white wine vinegar, salt, and pepper, add in the broccoli, along with some chopped bacon and onions, and voila!

Recipe: Easy Broccoli Pasta Salad

We like a good, hearty soup, but we love an Italian-inspired soup with pasta and plenty of veggies! This pasta e fagioli soup checks all of these boxes with plenty of creative, unique twists from the genius of recipe developer Maren Epstein. Some of her tips include using fire-roasted tomatoes instead of regular canned tomatoes and three types of beans: cannellini, garbanzo, and Northern beans. Additionally, Epstein suggests including a secret spice, cumin, to really tie all the ingredients together.

Recipe: Pasta e Fagioli

This easy pasta recipe offers the best of two worlds: It's got the Italian pasta dynamic, but it also adds in Southwestern influences with spicy fajita chicken and peppers, plus a sprinkling of Mexican cheese. The key to success here is to sauté the peppers and onions, then add some taco seasoning, cream, and vegetable broth. You'll cook your pasta in the mixture for maximum flavor and minimum dishwashing. Recipe developer Kristen Carli recommends cooking your chicken beforehand so you can just slice it up and stir it in with some cheese.

Recipe: Easy Chicken Fajita Recipe

Offering an interesting twist on the classic comfort food, this one-pot spinach and feta mac and cheese recipe has a few alterations that may make you scratch your head. Trust us, in this case, taking the road less traveled is totally worth it. The obvious main ingredients are spinach and feta cheese, but recipe developer Carina Finn recommends also using Swiss cheese to "complement the flavors of both the spinach and the feta without overwhelming either of them." Combined with your favorite pasta shape, it's like cheesy spinach dip, but better.

Recipe: One-Pot Spinach and Feta Mac and Cheese

Classic Italian puttanesca may sound intimidating, but worry not, it's actually super simple to make. Italy Magazine reports that the dish originated in the mid-20th century in Naples, but as it traveled across the region, it went through many renditions to result in the various preparations we have today. Mashed's puttanesca is the brainchild of recipe developer Kristen Carli, who starts off the dish by cooking anchovies, tomatoes, and olives in a Dutch oven. The rest of the recipe is surprisingly easy, and you'll be glad you took the time to make it when it comes time for dinner!

Recipe: Puttanesca

Chicken casserole isn't a pasta dish! So you may claim, but we encourage you to reconsider our chicken casserole recipe, which happens to be filled with types of pasta you might not expect to find in a casserole. Recipe developer Ksenia Prints says penne and fusilli give this dish "more bite" and make it taste "less mushy" than a traditional casserole. This recipe does require about an hour, so it's perfect for Sunday night dinner when you might have a bit more time to prepare it.

Recipe: Chicken Casserole

Who wants to make an easy, delicious dinner that the whole family will love while dirtying just one pot and using only nine ingredients? If you raised your hand, this one-pot ground beef stroganoff recipe is for you. You'll simply cook up the garlic, mushrooms, and onions first, then brown the ground beef in the same pan. Next, it's all about cooking the pasta in some added beef broth before you stir in some sour cream and serve!

Recipe: One-Pot Ground Beef Stroganoff

What's better than a pasta dish chock-full of chicken, spinach, and cheese with a homemade creamy tomato sauce? Not much, which is why we think you'll love this easy recipe for rigatoni Fiorentina. You'll use basil, thyme, rosemary, and oregano — or grab a container of Italian seasoning at the grocery store — to make this fresh and flavorful sauce, which gets a melty top layer of mozzarella. Talk about yum!

Recipe: Rigatoni Fiorentina

Get your slow cooker out, because you're definitely going to want to make this spaghetti casserole after checking out this recipe by Jason Goldstein. It has all the ingredients for success: multiple types of cheese, pasta, marinara sauce, and did we mention pepperoni? As with many slow cooker recipes, this one is all about making sure you place the ingredients in the pot in the right order and that you have plenty of patience while they cook. Trust us, for this one, the wait is worth it!

Recipe: Slow Cooker Spaghetti Casserole

Be prepared for what recipe developer Kristen Carli calls a "decadent" meal — and soon, because this creamy garlic butter pasta recipe will be ready in minutes. You'll whip up the creamy, cheesy, garlicky, buttery (need we go on?) sauce while the pasta is cooking, which means that once your penne is al dente, all you'll have to do is mix it all together and enjoy! Carli also offers some vegan-friendly alternative ingredients if you're looking to omit the cream, cheese, and butter.

Recipe: Creamy Garlic Butter Pasta

What could possibly make pasta better? What about serving it with roasted brussels sprouts, onions, and butternut squash, mixed in with baked feta that's sprinkled with Italian seasoning? This easy, vegetarian-friendly dish takes just five minutes to prep and 25 minutes to cook, but we bet you'll be peering through the oven door with the light on to ooh and aah over the melty cheese the entire time. You can also add some chicken or sausage if you want some extra protein.

Recipe: 30-Minute Baked Feta Pasta With Roasted Veggies

Recipe developer Jennifer En's take on a traditional pasta carbonara kicks the fiber up a notch by adding more nutritious whole wheat pasta to the mix. Plus, this method keeps the dishes you'll have to wash at the end of your meal minimal by condensing all the prep into one pot. You'll simply cook up some pancetta and shallots, then get to work on the pasta and cheesy egg sauce. Once everything is prepared, stir it all up, and voila! Dinner's ready!

Recipe: One-Pot Whole Wheat Pasta Carbonara

We love anything and everything pumpkin spice in the fall months, but this Instant Pot pumpkin pasta recipe will have you craving pumpkin all year round. No matter the season, reach for your pressure cooker and gather the ingredients for this comforting (and vegan!) dish, which consists of pumpkin puree, coconut milk, vegetable broth, and flavorful extras like miso and nutritional yeast. The aromas alone are sure to have you reaching for seconds.

Recipe: Instant Pot Pumpkin Pasta

This Mediterranean tuna pasta salad is not only a creative twist on a traditional pasta salad, but it's also quite healthy. With lemon juice, olive oil, capers, tomatoes, and a little bit of Parmesan cheese and parsley, this quick creation is both fresh and filling. The tuna — nothing fancy here, just drained from a can — adds plenty of protein, and the capers lend a briny punch to make each bite memorable and tempting.

Recipe: Mediterranean Tuna Pasta

Recipe developer Molly Allen says there's nothing like relishing in a big bowl of fettuccine alfredo. But perhaps even better than that is adding some shrimp for the creamy sauce to cling to. Allen suggests using delicate fettuccine pasta for this shrimp alfredo recipe, which is easily cooked up with just a few ingredients in 20 minutes. Don't worry, we won't tell anyone about the way you slurp down each bite like a giddy kid.

Recipe: 20-Minute Shrimp Alfredo Pasta

Hot summer days are all about seafood and pasta salad — and this ingenious recipe combines the two foods into one amazing dish that's certain to be remembered long after the cookout is over. Recipe developer Mikayla Marin recommends using fresh crab claw meat for this rendition of creamy pasta salad, which you'll season with a mayo-based dressing and mix in with some olives, onions, sun-dried tomatoes, and parsley for beautiful freshness and color.

Recipe: Creamy Crab Pasta Salad

Finally! A vegan pasta recipe perfect for making use of all those veggies you've been working so hard to grow all summer long in your garden. That's right, you'll want plenty of zucchini, peppers, onion, and fresh basil to create this colorful dish, which you'll spice up with some chili flakes. The prep is simple: Sauté the veggies, add a can of diced tomatoes to create the sauce, then stir in the cooked pasta.

Recipe: Easy Fresh Summer Vegetable Pasta

O.M.G. To say that just one taste of this creamy seafood pasta will leave you hankering for leftovers already would be an understatement. Just think: linguine drenched in creamy alfredo sauce with sautéed mussels, shrimp, and scallops...it's enough to have us daydreaming! What's more, this recipe takes just 30 minutes to prep and cook from start to finish, so you'll have plenty of time to enjoy your meal after showing off your cooking skills to friends and family.

Recipe: Creamy Seafood Pasta

Give us mac and cheese, but make it fancy and more flavorful. Bingo! This pesto mac and cheese recipe is perfect for the occasion. It combines traditional, creamy mac and cheese with some store-bought — or homemade, depending on your cooking investment level for the day — basil pesto. You'll want to use elbow macaroni or small pasta shells to catch every last drop of that mozzarella-loaded cheese sauce.

Recipe: Pesto Mac and Cheese

This five-ingredient summer pasta recipe is not only quick and simple, but it also makes use of some of the best ingredients the season has to offer. You'll simply need fresh basil, spaghetti, olive oil, a ball of burrata cheese, and cherry tomatoes, which recipe developer Sher Castellano says are the best tomato option in terms of size and sweetness. Castellano walks you through blistering the tomatoes for a juicy effect, perfect for coating each strand of spaghetti.

Recipe: 5-Ingredient Summer Pasta

This creamy shrimp diablo may be a dish unlike any other you've ever tasted, as it combines both Mexican-inspired spices balanced with a creamy, alfredo-style sauce. Recipe developer Michelle McGlinn uses chipotles in adobo, cayenne pepper, and Cajun seasoning to spice up the cream sauce made from milk and cream cheese. Mix in cooked fettuccine and shrimp, and you've got a dish sure to be the talk of the table at any dinner party.

Recipe: Creamy Shrimp Diablo

Before you turn away at the thought of sardines, hear us out. When cooked and mixed with the other ingredients in this freshly flavored pasta dish, they come out utterly delicious. Plus, according to Heathline, they're a good source of omega-3s, vitamin B-12, and calcium. You'll also find other interesting ingredients in this recipe; developer Susan Olayinka cleverly shows you how to make sun-dried tomato oil, roast pine nuts, and perfectly fry up those sardines for a pasta dish worth remembering.

Recipe: Fresh Sardine Pasta

Only have 15 minutes but want to make a delicious dinner? Try our five-ingredient penne alla vodka recipe, which is not only easy to make, but is sure to be a crowd-pleaser. You'll simply need penne pasta, vodka, tomato paste, olive oil, and heavy cream for this recipe. Recipe developer Jamie Monkkonen points out the importance of using a high-fat cream when preparing this dish to make sure the sauce properly coats and sticks to the pasta. When you're done, combine the penne with the sauce and bask in its creamy glory.

Recipe: 5-Ingredient Penne Alla Vodka

If there's one thing recipe developer Susan Olayinka likes about this smoked salmon fettuccine recipe, it's how simple it is to prepare. It takes just 10 minutes to prep and cook and requires just a few ingredients: smoked salmon, garlic, parsley, butter, Parmesan cheese, and, of course, fettuccine. You'll simply cook the pasta and garlic, then add in slices of the smoked salmon and stir in some Parmesan cheese. Garnish with the parsley for a dish that's as pretty as it is delicious.

Recipe: Easy Smoked Salmon Fettuccine

You'll need a fair amount of time and ingredients to prepare this seafood-based recipe, but don't let that deter you from creating this delicious masterpiece. The recipe has five stars based on 44 reviews, so you know it's been a hit with everyone who has made it. Recipe developer Elizabeth Chen calls for anchovies, clams, mussels, shrimp, and scallops to be mixed in with a red sauce and spaghetti, resulting in a seafood dish that's reminiscent of the dreamiest Italian summer.

Recipe: Frutti Di Mare

There are plenty of healthy ingredients in this fire-roasted chili mac, including spinach, fire-roasted tomatoes, carrots, and kidney beans. While this vegetarian recipe calls for meat-free Italian sausage, you can easily sub in pork or chicken sausage if that's your preference. You'll cook the pasta, followed by the sausage and onions, then add in plenty of flavorful spices to create this chili mac fabulousness.

Recipe: 20-Minute Fire-Roasted Chili Mac

Orzo is a tiny form of pasta that's always worth trying — and it's perfect for making this simple bake, smothered with tomato sauce and covered with cheese. Recipe developer Kristen Carli stumbled upon this creation when she realized she was out of larger pasta, and the results were so good, she's sharing them with Mashed! This one-pan cheesy orzo bake is not only easy to make, but it also combines the delicious ingredients that compose many a classic Italian dish: mozzarella, tomato sauce, garlic, oregano, and, of course, pasta.

Recipe: One-Pan Cheesy Orzo Bake

There's nothing like a baked mac and cheese to conjure thoughts of cheesy comfort food, and while this dish is no different, it also adds the bonus of nutritious broccoli and protein-rich chicken. The recipe is also full of teachable moments, like how to properly bake and shred a chicken breast, make a cheese sauce, and create a perfectly crispy breadcrumb topping that you can use for countless other preparations.

Recipe: 5-Ingredient Broccoli Mac and Cheese

Coming at you with another shrimp alfredo recipe — only this one calls for added broccoli. Plus, while most fettuccine alfredo recipes call for heavy cream, this recipe uses whole milk to maintain the creamy consistency with a lighter mouthfeel. Black peppercorns, Parmesan cheese and minced garlic lend a complex flavor that will have you returning for seconds. Finally, you could certainly swap out the shrimp for chicken, but if you love seafood, this recipe should be next on your list of dishes to try.

Recipe: Shrimp Alfredo with Broccoli

Instead of using a separate pot for the pasta, pan for the sauce, and a strainer to boot, try the convenient technique used in this one-pot spaghetti recipe. It's super easy, affordable, and perfect for busy nights after work. After just five minutes to prep and 15 minutes to cook, you'll have dinner on the table in no time at all. Instead of red sauce, this pasta is cooked with a chicken broth base, dried basil, tomatoes, onion, garlic, and zingy lemon. After a dusting of Parmesan cheese, you're likely to devour this delicious dish in less time than it took to prepare it.

Recipe: Easy One-Pot Spaghetti

The manicotti in this versatile recipe can be stuffed with any gooey cheese, flavorful herbs, and spicy Italian sausage your heart desires. Though this particular version calls for garlic powder, nutmeg, chopped fresh spinach, Parmesan cheese, shredded mozzarella, ricotta, and pasta sauce, feel free to swap out the spinach for chopped broccoli, select a pasta sauce brimming with veggies or herbs, and so on. Even better is that this comforting delight can be prepared during the weekend and then popped into the freezer to be baked on a busy weeknight.

Recipe: Manicotti

It may be one of the most popular pasta dishes at Italian restaurants, but this carbonara recipe is deceivingly simple to whip up at home. It doesn't use heavy cream or butter but, per Italian tradition, mixes eggs and Parmesan with the pasta water to create the lightly hearty sauce. While spaghetti is typically used for carbonara, other long noodles can be swapped out in a pinch. With crispy fried bacon and pungent garlic blended in, it's no wonder why this dish is so wildly popular.

Recipe: Pasta Carbonara

After just 15 minutes in the kitchen, you can have an amazing pan of shrimp scampi ready to serve over tender spaghetti or angel hair pasta. All you will need are 12 ounces of shrimp, butter, four garlic cloves, a hint of white wine, and a tablespoon of fresh parsley. Liven things up with a touch of lemon juice and red pepper flakes before ladling the shrimp over pasta and digging right in.

Recipe: Aldi 5-Ingredient Shrimp Scampi

It takes just eight ingredients — many of which you probably already have on hand — to whip up a batch of fettuccine alfredo so amazing, your mouth will water at the aroma alone. This creamy dish is perfect on its own as a full meal, but you can of course add chunks of chicken to dress it up. Heavy cream gives the alfredo its richness, but you could swap it out for oat milk or a thicker non-dairy alternative for a vegan version, recipe developer Maren Epstein advises. Optional nutmeg adds a warming fragrance, while vinegar cuts through the creaminess. No matter what personal touches you add, this dish will surely impress guests.

Recipe: Easy Fettuccine Alfredo

There's just something about a pasta bake that makes you feel cozy. Even better is that this meatball-studded recipe requires a mere five ingredients, making prep time a breeze — and it can be modified for vegans and vegetarians. You'll simply need the pasta shape, red sauce, meatballs, cheese, and milk of your choice. Feel free to infuse veggies into the bake by throwing in chopped up bits of onion, spinach, or mushrooms, too.

Recipe: 5-Ingredient Meatball Pasta Bake

Not only is this dish quick and easy to fix — it requires just one pan, making for an easy cleanup after enjoying a hearty dinner. A perfect cross between a filling pasta and a hearty stew, this recipe combines ground Italian sausage and frozen tortellini, plus garlic, chicken broth, crushed tomatoes, cream, frozen spinach, and shredded Parmesan. Yes, that's a lot of food, but this tortellini bursts with so much flavor, you definitely won't mind having leftovers.

Recipe: Easy Tortellini

This recipe for pasta primavera is brimming with healthy veggies, and you can truly customize it to fit your palate and dietary requirements. In this case, asparagus, yellow squash, zucchini, and grape tomatoes are bound together with a red wine vinegar and olive oil base. On top of picking out your favorite veggies, you can even boost the health impact of this primavera by swapping out your wheat noodles for bean- or veggie-based pasta. Even sweeter than the healthy angle of this yummy recipe is the fact that it takes just half an hour to prepare, making it perfect for a quick at-home lunch or after-work dinner.

Recipe: Pasta Primavera

If you're looking for a pasta dish that produces a bounty of deliciousness, look no further than this glorious baked ziti. The base of recipe, of course, is the marina sauce, which you can simmer up at home or buy at the store. Tubular pasta is idea for this preparation, as it allows all the flavors to flow over, under, and through the tubes. Ricotta provides perfect creaminess when blended with an egg, salt, pepper, parsley, and Parmesan cheese. Just bake it, and your taste buds will thank you.

Recipe: Baked Ziti

Why not have your appetizer and pasta courses all in one? This antipasto pasta salad is super adaptable. If you prefer a kick, throw in some jalapenos. Need some protein? Toss in some chopped chicken and spinach. Whatever your modifications, you'll definitely want some sharp provolone or asiago cheese, diced banana peppers, red onion, black olives, cherry tomatoes, and artichokes for a big bowl of pasta that's bursting with both color and flavor. 

Recipe: Antipasto Salad

You can't go wrong with a cheesy dish that comes together in the slow cooker without much effort from you. This recipe calls for three cheeses, macaroni, evaporated and whole milk, butter, and a few common spices. It simply requires periodic stirring while nestled in the slow cooker, but believe us, the wait will be worth it in the end — and likely a huge hit with kiddos, too.

Recipe: Slow Cooker Mac and Cheese

Cacio e pepe is one of those pasta recipes everyone should know. You'll start off by hand grating Pecorino Romano cheese and then boiling the pasta before making the sauce, which simply consists of pasta water, cheese, black pepper, and butter. Once the sauce is ready and magnifico, you can stir it vigorously into the pasta and grate a bit more cheese on top for a surprisingly flavorful result.

Recipe: Cacio e Pepe

Some people may balk at baking a hearty pan of lasagna because it's just too time consuming. However, this five-ingredient version takes hardly any time at all. The comfort food recipe calls for layers upon layers of rich red sauce, creamy cheese, spinach, cheese-filled ravioli (instead of traditional flat lasagna noodles), and ground beef, although ground turkey can be used instead. Brown the meat or leave it out altogether, then start layering your lasagna before baking for 30 to 45 minutes. In the time it takes to tidy up, set the table, and enjoy a glass of wine, the oven will buzz and this delicious dish will be ready to dive into.

Recipe: Simple 5-Ingredient Lasagna

Who can forget the iconic moment in Disney's "Lady and the Tramp" when an adorable canine couple dines on a romantic meal of spaghetti and meatballs? While this comfort dish may seem a bit messy to eat on a date, it is a cinch to make. It takes just 45 minutes from counter to kitchen table, even after making meatballs from scratch that utilize two types of meat. Of course, if you're short on time, you can just buy pre-made meatballs at the store. Once the pasta is cooked and the meatballs are ready, all you have to do is combine them, bake, and that's it! Movie magic can be had in your own kitchen after all.

Recipe: Easy Spaghetti And Meatballs Casserole

For lighter pasta fare — especially if you're trying to up your veggie intake — try this gratifying grilled vegetable pasta salad. All you'll have to do is boil a box of penne and grill a variety of vegetables you love, such as asparagus, red bell peppers, summer squash, zucchini, onion, and cherry tomatoes. Olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic salt, oregano, and cumin complete this refreshing and healthy dish that will taste fantastic on its own or as a side.

Recipe: Grilled Summer Vegetable Pasta Salad

If you're a fan of Panera's mac and cheese, famously rich and creamy, look no further than this delightful copycat recipe, which is right on the mark with high-quality white cheddar and a buttery roux. If you want to experiment a bit, feel free to add in bacon, broccoli, and other mix-ins to your liking. You'll be amazed at how fantastic — and close to the real thing — this copycat recipe turns out to be.

Recipe: Copycat Panera Mac and Cheese

Pizza fans, rejoice! Here's a super easy, one-pot pizza rigatoni dish that's easy to make and tastes like takeout. In just 30 minutes, this pasta will be on the table and ready to enjoy — with no need to wait for delivery. As is the case with homemade pizza, the recipe is flexible, so you can customize it for whoever will be at the table. Between red onions, pepperoni, bell peppers, Italian sausage, mushrooms — the topping possibilities are endless. Be sure to have plenty of shredded mozzarella cheese on hand, along with seasonings for a kick. The best part? Since this rigatoni only requires one pot, cleanup will be easier than ever.

Recipe: One-Pot Pizza Rigatoni

If you love pasta but want to eat more veggies, this dish is for you. Bake two spaghetti squashes, then use a fork to scrape their insides into noodle shapes. Thanks to the tender squash, creamy cottage cheese, and hearty ground turkey, you won't even realize how healthy this baked "pasta" dish is while you eat every satisfying forkful. 

Recipe: Spaghetti Squash Lasagna Casserole

If you avoid making chicken Parmesan at home because it's a bit tedious and labor intensive, you will quickly fall in love with this easy recipe. Though this one-pot chicken parm pasta recipe isn't traditional, it sure is tasty. It's got the satisfying sauciness and filling chicken of the classic dish, plus the melty cheese topping that everyone knows is the best part of any plate of chicken parm.

Recipe: One-Pot Chicken Parm Pasta

For a more nutritious version of a popular pasta dish, try these butternut squash stuffed shells. The light yet creamy squash, when blended with spinach, ricotta, and Parmesan, makes for a filling that's less heavy but still incredibly delicious. Fill a baking dish with the stuffed, sauced, and cheese-topped shells, and enjoy the amazing way your kitchen will smell. You can even freeze this dish to be cooked later in the week.

Recipe: Creamy Butternut Squash Stuffed Shells

This health-conscious, one-pot pasta with spinach and tomatoes is (thankfully) easy to whip up on a busy weeknight. Since it's meatless and full of crowd-pleasing ingredients, it's easy to serve to a table of vegetarians, carnivores, and picky eaters alike. It's sure to become a go-to when you're in need of a way to use up that wilting bag of spinach in the fridge.

Recipe: Easy One-Pot Pasta Recipe with Spinach and Tomatoes

Olive Garden, the pinnacle of Italian American chain restaurants, is best known by many for its rich and creamy alfredo, which you now can make at home thanks to this copycat recipe. All you need is flour, milk, heavy cream, Parmesan and Romano cheese, and pasta. The real secret behind capturing the taste of Olive Garden's signature alfredo sauce, though, is the butter and fresh garlic, which infuse this sauce with a ton of addictive flavor. Once it's ready, just toss with noodles and dig in!

Recipe: Copycat Olive Garden Alfredo