Pasta, the humble hero who saves hungry souls on busy weeknights! Whether you’re a kitchen novice or a seasoned chef, there’s just something magical about whipping up a delicious pasta dish with minimal effort.
I’ll never forget the first time my roommate in college made their signature pasta creation. We had all pulled an all-nighter cramming for finals, and around 2 am, the aromas of garlic, olive oil, and parmesan started wafting from the kitchen. Within 20 minutes, they emerged with steaming bowls of perfectly al dente noodles coated in a simple but insanely flavorful sauce. One bite in, and I was transported to a trattoria in Italy. Magical!
From that moment on, I was hooked on the beautiful simplicity of pasta. It’s the ultimate culinary blank canvas that you can dress up or down however you want. Feeling fancy? Go for a decadent alfredo or carbonara. Tight on cash? Cacio e pepe has got you covered with just a few affordable pantry staples.
So if you need some simple, cheap, delicious meal ideas for those inevitable hectic weeknights, you’ve come to the right place. Get ready to fall in love with pasta all over again through these 30 quick and easy recipes
1. Spaghetti Aglio e Olio (Garlic and Oil)
- Taste: Savory with a punch of garlic flavor and a hint of heat from red pepper flakes
- Boil spaghetti al dente, drain
- In a skillet, sauté sliced garlic in olive oil until fragrant
- Add cooked spaghetti, parsley, red pepper flakes and toss to coat
2. Cacio e Pepe (Cheese and Pepper)
- Taste: Rich, creamy, sharp from pecorino cheese with a black pepper kick
- Cook pasta al dente, reserve 1 cup of starchy cooking water
- In a bowl, toss hot drained pasta with cubed butter, grated pecorino, lots of coarse black pepper
- Add splashes of starchy water while tossing to create a creamy sauce
3. Penne Arrabbiata (Spicy Tomato Sauce)
- Taste: Spicy, tangy tomato sauce with a kick of heat
- Sauté garlic and red pepper flakes in olive oil
- Add canned crushed tomatoes, basil, and salt and simmer in sauce
- Toss cooked penne with arrabbiata sauce
4. Fettuccine Alfredo
- Taste: Velvety, rich, cheese-coated fettuccine
- Melt butter in a saucepan and whisk in flour to make a roux
- Gradually whisk in warm milk/cream and cook until thickened
- Remove from heat and whisk in grated parmesan
- Toss sauce with cooked fettuccine
5. Pasta Primavera
- Taste: Light, fresh pasta with crisp-tender spring vegetables
- Sauté mix of veggies like zucchini, asparagus, and peas in olive oil/butter
- Toss with cooked pasta like penne or linguine
- Finish with lemon zest, parmesan, salt and pepper
6. BLT Pasta Salad
- Taste: Familiar BLT sandwich flavors in a creamy pasta salad
- Cook pasta al dente and rinse with cold water
- In a bowl, toss pasta with crumbled bacon, diced tomatoes, shredded lettuce
- Make a mayo-based dressing seasoned with garlic, S&P
7. Caprese Pasta Salad
- Taste: Bright tomato, fresh basil, creamy mozzarella flavors
- Cook pasta al dente and rinse with cold water
- In a bowl, toss with cherry tomatoes, mozzarella balls, fresh basil
- Drizzle with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper
8. Greek Pasta Salad
- Taste: Tangy, herby Greek flavors with briny olives and feta
- Cook pasta al dente and rinse with cold water
- In a bowl, toss with diced cucumber, tomato, red onion, Kalamata olives
- Add crumbled feta and Greek vinaigrette dressing
9. Lemon Garlic Shrimp Pasta
- Taste: Buttery shrimp with bright lemon, garlicky pasta
- Sauté shrimp with garlic and butter until pink
- Deglaze pan with lemon juice and chicken stock
- Toss sauce with cooked linguine or angel hair pasta
10. Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad
- Taste: Creamy, tangy Caesar dressing coats pasta and chicken
- Cook pasta al dente and rinse with cold water
- In a bowl, toss with grilled chicken, croutons, parmesan
- Make a Caesar dressing with mayo, lemon, Dijon, Worcestershire
11. Pesto Pasta
- Taste: Fresh, bright, nutty basil pesto coats the pasta
- Make pesto by blending basil, garlic, pine nuts, olive oil, parmesan
- Toss generously with hot cooked pasta like linguine or bucatini
- Add a splash of starchy pasta cooking water to loosen the sauce
12. Tomato Basil Pasta
- Taste: Light tomato sauce with aromatic basil over pasta
- In a pot, sauté garlic in olive oil until fragrant
- Add canned diced or fresh tomatoes and basil, simmer in a sauce
- Toss the sauce with cooked pasta like spaghetti or penne
13. One-Pot Pasta Primavera
- Taste: Vegetable-packed meal with easy clean-up
- In a pot or pan, sauté sliced veggies like zucchini, bell pepper, onion
- Add uncooked pasta, veggie or chicken broth, and seasonings
- Simmer together until pasta is al dente, adding splashes of broth as needed
14. Creamy Mushroom Pasta
- Taste: Savory, earthy mushroom flavor in a velvety cream sauce
- Sauté sliced mushrooms in butter or olive oil until browned
- Make a roux with butter and flour, whisk in warm milk/cream
- Once thickened, toss sauce with cooked pasta like fettuccine
15. Baked Feta Pasta
- Taste: Tangy, creamy feta bakes with burst tomatoes to coat pasta
- Bake a block of feta with cherry tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, oregano
- Once feta is softened, smash it together with tomatoes
- Toss the sauce with cooked pasta like rigatoni or penne
16. Spinach Artichoke Pasta
- Taste: Creamy, cheesy, and indulgent with flavors just like the popular spinach artichoke dip
- Cook pasta like penne or rigatoni al dente according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.
- In a large skillet or pot, sauté minced garlic in olive oil or butter over medium heat until fragrant, 1-2 minutes.
- Add canned or frozen artichoke hearts (drained and chopped) and sauté for 2-3 minutes.
- Add cream cheese and stir until melted and combined.
- Gradually stir in grated parmesan cheese until fully incorporated and melted.
- Add in fresh baby spinach leaves and cook until wilted, 2-3 minutes.
- Season with salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes, and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
- The sauce should be thick and creamy. Add a splash of pasta cooking water or milk to thin if needed.
- Remove from heat and toss the cooked drained pasta with the spinach artichoke sauce until fully coated.
- Optionally top with extra grated parmesan, panko breadcrumbs, or crushed crackers before serving
17. Cajun Chicken Pasta
- Taste: Spicy cajun seasoning blankets tender chicken and veggies in a creamy sauce
- Season chicken with cajun spices like paprika, cayenne, oregano and sauté until cooked through
- In the same pan, sauté bell peppers and onions, make a roux with milk/cream
- Toss cajun cream sauce with cooked pasta like penne
18. Garlic Butter Shrimp Pasta
- Taste: Garlicky, buttery shrimp and pasta in a luscious sauce
- Sauté shrimp in butter with minced garlic until just opaque
- Toss garlic butter shrimp with cooked pasta like linguine
- Garnish with parsley and lemon zest
19. Broccoli Pasta Alfredo
- Taste: Classic alfredo is elevated by fresh broccoli florets
- Make an alfredo sauce by creating a roux and slowly whisking in milk/cream and parmesan
- Toss sauce with cooked fettuccine and blanched broccoli florets
20. Carbonara
- Taste: Silky, rich, smoky eggs coat spaghetti with crispy pancetta
- Cook spaghetti al dente and reserve some starchy cooking water
- In a bowl, mix eggs, grated parmesan, pepper, rendered pancetta/bacon
- Toss hot drained pasta with egg mixture to create a creamy sauce
21. Pasta al Pomodoro
- Taste: Quintessential Italian tomato sauce with bright basil over pasta
- Sauté garlic in olive oil, add crushed tomatoes and fresh basil
- Simmer into a sauce, season with salt, pepper, sugar if needed
- Toss the simple marinara sauce with spaghetti or rigatoni
22. Beef Bolognese
- Taste: Hearty, meaty tomato sauce with a depth of flavor from milk
- Sauté ground beef, soffrito of onions, carrots, celery
- Add tomato puree, broth/wine, and milk, and simmer into thick sauce
- Toss bolognese sauce with tagliatelle, rigatoni or pappardelle
23. Chicken Parmesan Pasta Bake
- Taste: Baked casserole of breaded chicken, tomato sauce and melty cheese
- Bread and baked chicken breast pieces
- Layer cooked pasta, tomato sauce, chicken pieces, shredded mozzarella
- Bake until hot and melty
24. Pad Thai Pasta
- Taste: Asian-inspired pasta salad with nutty, tangy pad Thai flavors
- Cook pasta al dente and rinse with cold water
- In a bowl, toss pasta with pad Thai sauce, crushed peanuts, bean sprouts, carrots
- Garnish with fresh lime, cilantro, chili flakes
25. Mediterranean Pasta Salad
- Taste: Bright, herb-packed pasta salad with Greek-inspired flavors
- Cook pasta al dente and rinse with cold water
- Toss with tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion, Kalamata olives, feta
- Dress with Italian vinaigrette and fresh basil
26. Taco Pasta Salad
- Taste: Southwestern flavors in a fun, zesty fusion pasta salad
- Cook pasta al dente and rinse with cold water
- Toss with taco-seasoned ground beef or black beans, corn, and tomatoes
- Add shredded cheese, crushed tortilla chips, taco dressing
27. Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad
- Taste: Creamy ranch dressing coats chicken, bacon and pasta
- Cook pasta al dente and rinse with cold water
- In a bowl, toss with grilled chicken, crumbled bacon, diced tomatoes
- Make a ranch dressing with mayo/yogurt, and seasonings to toss everything together
28. Southwest Pasta Salad
- Taste: Southwestern spices and flavors like corn, avocado, black beans
- Cook pasta al dente and rinse with cold water
- Toss with black beans, corn, diced avocado, tomatoes, red onion
- Dress with a southwest ranch or taco dressing
29. Tortellini Pasta Salad
- Taste: Savory Italian dressing complements cheesy tortellini, salami, mozzarella
- Cook tortellini al dente and rinse with cold water
- In a bowl, toss with diced salami/prosciutto, cherry tomatoes, fresh mozzarella balls
- Dress with Italian vinaigrette and fresh basil
30. Mac and Cheese
- Taste: The ultimate comforting, creamy, cheesy pasta bake
- Cook pasta al dente in salted water
- Make a roux with butter and flour, whisk in warm milk to form béchamel sauce
- Off heat, mix in shredded cheddar and any other cheeses until melted
- Pour sauce over drained pasta and bake until golden brown on top
Conclusion
You know, when life gets hectic and you’re scrambling to get dinner on the table, pasta is always the move. These 30 quick pasta recipes are life savers on those nights when you’d otherwise be tempted to just order takeout or grab something unhealthy.
The great thing about pasta is how versatile it is. You can go classic with something simple like aglio e olio or alfredo. Or get a little fancier with a meaty bolognese or lemon garlic shrimp pasta. But even the fancier ones come together pretty quickly when you break it down.
My personal favorites are the pasta salads though. They’re the ultimate meal prep hack. Make a big batch and you’ve got lunches ready to go for the week. The BLT, greek, and Southwest varieties are some real crowd-pleasers.