25 Simple Pasta Recipes
When you’ve got pasta in the pantry, the possibilities are endless! Here are 25 simple pasta recipes, from classic dinners & pasta salads to soups and more!
Pasta night is always a favorite at our house, for both the cook and the eaters! With a simple box of pasta, I love that you can make dishes to satisfy every eater, from meat-lovers to vegetarians — all you need are a few extra ingredients to round out a bowl of pasta. Today I am sharing 25 simple pasta recipes, from classic dinners and pasta salads to soups and more!
These are pasta recipes I love to serve my family; they’re easy to whip up whether for weeknights or for weekend entertaining and just require simple ingredients to make a complete meal. If you have fresh produce, they’re easy to toss in, and you’ll find that many of the dishes I share can easily be adapted to whatever you have on hand.
When you’ve got pasta in the pantry, the possibilities are endless! Happy cooking!
Simple Pasta Recipes
When you feel like moving past the spaghetti and bottled jar of marinara sauce, here are recipes to make things fresh and delicious!
Linguine with Clams in Sake Red Chili Sauce
Linguine with clams is a classic, and this version uses a touch of sake for an Asian twist!
Fettuccine with Chicken Sausage, Kale and Cannellini Beans
There’s something for everyone in this easy fettuccine recipe!
Chicken Mushroom & Corn Tetrazzini
This creamy comfort dish is a great way to use leftover roast chicken!
Kale and Shrimp Scampi
For the shrimp lovers, this easy shrimp scampi gets its dose of green from kale!
Baked Ziti with Roasted Eggplant and Peppers
Summer meets fall when roasted eggplants and peppers are tucked into cheesy baked ziti.
Orzo Stuffed Tomatoes
Orzo Stuffed Tomatoes so good on their own or as a side to your favorite meal!
More Simple Pasta Recipes:
Prosciutto and Spinach Stuffed Shells
Fettuccine with Creamy Spinach Sauce, Asparagus and Peas
Spaghetti with Mascarpone Alfredo Sauce and Sugar Snap Peas
Spaghetti with Chicken Sausage and Lentil Bolognese
Spaghetti with Fresh Tomato Basil Sauce
Swiss Chard with Orzo, Cannellini Beans and Pancetta
Vegetarian Pasta Recipes
Whether you are vegetarian or simply want a healthy pasta dish that cooks in a flash, here are some vegetarian pasta recipes to try.
Vegetarian Pasta Puttanesca
This version of a pasta puttanesca can be made with pantry staples in 20 minutes!
Skillet Eggplant Lasagna
Skillet Eggplant Lasagna takes the fuss out of assembling lasagna and makes it easy in a skillet!
Tomato and Mozzarella Ravioli with Tomatoes, Baby Kale and Artichokes
When you’ve got store-bought ravioli, you can whip dinner in 10 minutes!
Spaetzle with Garlic Butter Mushrooms and Baby Kale | Simple Sundays
Even if you don’t have packaged pasta, you can easily make your own! Spaetzle is an easy homemade German pasta that’s utter comfort food.
Pasta Soup Recipes
There’s nothing more comforting than a bowl of soup. Here are some delicious pasta soup recipes to keep you cozy.
Chicken and Herb Spaetzle Soup
Homemade spaetzle drops into this cozy soup for the ultimate comfort dish! You can also drop in store-bought spaetzle, or your favorite pasta!
Mushroom and Short Rib Noodle Soup
This Asian-inspired noodle soup can be made with ramen noodles — and in a pinch, spaghetti works, too!
More Pasta Soup Recipes
Italian Wedding Soup
Instant Pot Vegetarian Minestrone Soup from Flavor the Moments
Pasta Salad Recipes
Pasta salads are a great way to satisfy the carb craving — serve it as a side dish or as a main dish!
Fireworks Pasta Salad
This update on a macaroni salad is a favorite side dish in my family, but also makes for a simple lunch all on its own!
More Pasta Salad Recipes
Pasta Salad with Arugula and Four Herbs from Lemons and Anchovies
Mediterranean-Style Orzo Salad with Spring Vegetables from Foolproof Living
Pesto Pasta Recipes
It’s amazing how versatile pesto is, whether you use a jar or make it at home!
Farfalle with Roasted Carrot Pesto, Parmesan, and Toasted Walnuts
Pesto from carrots? Yes! Try it in this pasta with carrot pesto!
Swiss Chard Walnut Pesto Pasta
A versatile pesto transforms into a simple meal with pasta and leftover shredded chicken!
Simple Pasta Recipe: Pasta with Olives and Capers
Ingredients
- 3/4 pound linguine pasta
- 1/2 ounce shiitake mushrooms dried or fresh
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 large cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 teaspoon vegan fish sauce
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes halved
- 14 oz canned olives halved
- kosher salt to taste
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 3 tablespoons capers plus more for serving if desired
- 1 cup reserved pasta water
- 2 cups baby spinach
- 1/4 cup fresh basil chopped
- red pepper flakes to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Season the water with salt and cook the pasta according to the package instructions, reserving a cup of the pasta water.
- If using dried shiitake mushrooms: while the pasta cooks, soak the shiitake mushrooms in about 1 cup boiling water for 10 minutes. Drain the mushrooms, and trim and discard the stems. Slice the mushrooms in 1/4-inch strips.
- Heat olive oil and garlic in a deep sided sauté pan over medium heat until the garlic is fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Add the mushrooms and season with the vegan fish sauce.
- Add the tomatoes, olives, salt and pepper, and cook, gently mashing the tomatoes with the back of a wooden spoon.
- Stir in the capers and cooked linguine. Add reserved pasta water 1/4 cup at a time, tossing to coat the pasta with sauce.
- Add the spinach, and toss to wilt. Stir in the basil and season to taste with red pepper flakes.
- Serve immediately, garnishing with additional capers, pepper and red pepper flakes.
Nutrition
Comments
COOKBOOK
so much pasta inspiration! And yes, lots of it in the pantry, so thank you for all these recipes to choose from, like the pesto pastas
I hope the inspiration comes in handy, Sabrina! I have a big jar of pesto in my fridge – I can’t wait to dig in!