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75 Perfect Weeknight Pasta Dinners

Your noodles and sauce deserve an upgrade.

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baked ziti with italian sausage ricotta garlic basil and tomato saucepinterest
PHOTO: KATE JORDAN FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE

Here at Delish, we pretty much think the pastabilities (forgive us the pun!) for making pasta are pretty much endless. Looking for a romantic dinner? Pasta always impresses. Want something extra comforting? Pasta always delivers. Need an easy weeknight dinner? Yep, you guessed it, we’re turning to pasta, and you should too. It satisfies our every craving, whether that be for a classic Italian dish or something new to the table. It can be jazzed up for a multi-step dinner or made all in one pot. So what are you waiting for? Check out our 75 favorite pasta recipes for ideas—we know what you’ll be having for dinner tonight 😉.

We’re sure you’re familiar with the classics (and likely have them in your weeknight dinner rotation), but just in case, we’ve included lots of recipes for our favorites here. Some are super straightforward and standard, like our chicken Alfredo, our baked ziti, or our pasta pomodoro, while some are a little more outside the (pasta) box, like our Southern baked mac & cheese (made with a cheesy, eggy custard), our broccoli rabe & Italian sausage lasagna, or our chipotle spaghetti. We’ve got all the super old-school Italian pasta greats too, like pasta alla gricia, pasta puttanesca, baked mostaccioli, and bucatini all’amatriciana. They’re our favorites to whip out for special occasions, because they’re super easy to make but sound super impressive.

Feeling bored of pasta (the horror!)? We got you too. Try some of our innovative pasta recipes or our creative takes on old standbys to jazz up your pasta nights. Check out our miso Bolognese, our chicken tikka Alfredo (trust us, it works), our Thai drunken carbonara noodles, or our one-pot creamy kimchi shells. Want to take things up a notch? Make your own pasta at home—homemade pasta dough is a labor of love that will take even the most boring of pasta dishes to the next level.

Want even more pasta inspiration? Check out our favorite penne pasta recipes, spaghetti recipes, and gnocchi recipes too.

1

Dirty Martini Pasta

a pot of cooked spaghetti in a cream sauce with pieces of green olives, chopped parsley, and parmesan
PHOTO: ROCKY LUTEN; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON

This recipe takes inspiration from a classic pasta al limone by using heavy cream as the base for the luscious and decadent sauce. And, just like a dirty martini, we supplement the dish with olives and brine (and booze, of course). The best part? It comes together in under 30 minutes.

Get the Dirty Martini Pasta recipe.

2

Penne Alla Vodka

penne alla vodka
Parker Feierbach

This is the best creamy and bright vodka sauce any of us in the test kitchen have ever had. The secret? Tomato paste. Tomato paste has a more concentrated flavor, and texture-wise, it makes for a smoother, almost velvety sauce your date will love.

Get the Penne Alla Vodka recipe.

3

Creamy Chicken Piccata With Gnocchi

creamy chicken piccata with gnocchi in a pan with lemon
PHOTO: KATE JORDAN; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON

When our weeknight dinners start to feel a little snoozy, we activate our go-to formula for supper success: Start with a dish you love, then add something new. Here, the dish we love is chicken piccata, the Italian-American classic, and the new ingredient is one of our favorite pantry items, boxed gnocchi.

Get the Creamy Chicken Piccata With Gnocchi recipe.

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4

Baked Feta Pasta

baked feta pasta
ANDREW BUI

Obviously roasting a block of feta with bursting tomatoes is going to be amazing. But is it good enough to break TikTok like this one did? Our answer, begrudgingly, is yes. It's genius—super-easy, but fancy enough for date night. 😍

Get the Baked Feta Pasta recipe.

5

Chicken Alfredo

perfect chicken alfredo
PHOTO: ERIK BERNSTEIN; FOOD STYLING: SPENCER RICHARDS

With a creamy, cheesy sauce and tender chicken breasts, this is the pasta dish we turn to time and time again when we're craving the ultimate comfort meal. If you've never made pasta sauce from scratch before—this Alfredo recipe is where you should start.

Get the Chicken Alfredo recipe.

6

Creamy Sausage & Peppers Shells

creamy sausage peppers shells
PHOTO: ROCKY LUTEN; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE

The trifecta of sausage, onion & peppers is an Italian classic, often eaten on its own or tucked into a bun or hoagie. No matter how you serve it, it’s meant to be an easy meal, so we knew we had to keep it that way when developing this pasta version too.

Get the Creamy Sausage & Peppers Shells recipe.

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7

Classic Lasagna

classic lasagna in a white pan topped with fresh herbs
PHOTO: ERIK BERNSTEIN; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON

Based on the traditional lasagna alla Bolognese from the Emilia-Romagna province in Italy, we grabbed what we loved most about the timeless, classic recipe and simplified it to make it weeknight-friendly.

Get the Classic Lasagna recipe.

8

Taco Spaghetti

taco spaghetti
PHOTO: ANDREW BUI; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON

One-pot taco spaghetti is a fast-as-can-be weeknight dinner that pairs all your favorite taco fixin’s with spaghetti rather than taco shells. It's perfect for those nights when you just cannot stand the thought of a sink full of dirty dishes.

Get the Taco Spaghetti recipe.

9

Creamy Pesto Baked Gnocchi & Chicken Skillet

creamy pesto baked gnocchi and chicken skillet
PHOTO: LUCY SCHAEFFER; FOOD STYLING: ERIKA JOYCE

Pesto is a sauce that turns any dish into kitchen gold, especially this totally comforting and delicious gnocchi and chicken bake. For the perfect pesto touch, stir a dollop into the tomato mixture, then dollop the top with more right out of the oven for a fresh finish.

Get the Creamy Pesto Baked Gnocchi & Chicken Skillet recipe.

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10

Spaghetti Carbonara

spaghetti carbonara with pancetta
PHOTO: ROCKY LUTEN; FOOD STYLING: TAYLOR ANN SPENCER

Though many people travel to Rome to experience the Colosseum, for us, there’s only one reason to make the trip: carbonara! The classic Roman dish composed of silky eggs, Sardinian sheep's milk cheese, and al dente spaghetti is comfort food + good for the soul + Italian bliss all wrapped around your fork tines.

Get the Spaghetti Carbonara recipe.

11

Chicken Parm Pasta

chicken parmesan pasta
PHOTO: ERIK BERNSTEIN; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE

This chicken Parmesan-inspired dish has several key components—bacon, a flavorful panko topping, an easy doctored jarred sauce—and lucky for you, they all come together in just one pan!

Get the Chicken Parm Pasta recipe.

12

Crispy Gnocchi & Mushrooms

crispy gnocchi and mushrooms
PHOTO: LUCY SCHAEFFER PHOTOGRAPHY; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE

Gnocchi will always hit the spot for a quick, delicious meal. Yes, it’s great on its own as a main, but it also makes for a winning, hearty sidekick to roasted chicken or rosemary pork chops too!

Get the Crispy Gnocchi & Mushrooms recipe.

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13

Southern Mac & Cheese

southern baked macaroni and cheese
Parker feierbach

Chef Millie Peartree's baked mac & cheese is famous for many reasons, the top of which is that she puts an ENTIRE layer of extra cheese in between two layers of (already cheesy) macaroni. Game. Changer.

Get the Southern Baked Mac & Cheese recipe.

14

Pasta Puttanesca

pasta puttanesca delishcom
Parker feierbach

Bursting with flavor and so easy to prepare, you'll be craving this pasta every week. The super-fragrant sauce is made with a lot of garlic and anchovies that will have you coming back for more, and the capers and olives add a briny saltiness to the dish. Yum!

Get the Pasta Puttanesca recipe.

15

Whipped Ricotta Pasta

whipped ricotta pasta
PHOTO: ROCKY LUTEN; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE

Whipped ricotta might just be one of the best pasta upgrades, especially when it’s paired with a sun-dried tomato sauce and spinach like we did here. In one bowl, you get all the enjoyment of a marinara with the creaminess of something like an Alfredo sauce.

Get the Whipped Ricotta Pasta recipe.

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16

Spaghetti & Meatballs

spaghetti and meatballs vertical
ETHAN CALABRESE

If you're looking for a super simple, comforting, no-frills bowl of spaghetti and meatballs to impress your date, you've come to the right place. And if you're feeling adventurous, it's also a great jumping-off point to make your own version of this classic dish!

Get the Spaghetti & Meatballs recipe.

17

One-Pan Creamy Chicken & Gnocchi

one pan creamy chicken and gnocchi
ERIK BERNSTEIN

When everything cooks together, everyone wins. The chicken here finishes cooking in the sauce, making it the easiest comfort meal ever. It's what weeknight dinner dreams are made of!

Get the One-Pan Creamy Chicken & Gnocchi recipe.

18

Roasted Red Pepper Shrimp Linguine

roasted red pepper shrimp linguine
PHOTO: LUCY SCHAEFFER PHOTOGRAPHY; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE

Though you totally could roast your own peppers for this dish, we actually preferred the jarred version while testing this recipe. The store-bought variety tends to be more tender, which makes for a smoother, more velvety sauce. Creamy, smoky, and spicy, this comforting shrimp pasta is low effort, high reward.

Get the Roasted Red Pepper Shrimp Linguine recipe.

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19

Cacio e Pepe

cacio e pepe
Parker Feierbach

Cacio e pepe literally translates to “cheese and pepper." These two ingredients are usually thought of as small components to a dish but in this pasta recipe, they take center stage. The fruity bite of freshly ground pepper combined with salty cheese is complex, earthy, sweet and spicy all at once.

Get the Cacio e Pepe recipe.

20

Roasted Butternut Squash Pasta

roasted butternut squash pasta
Joel goldberg

This pasta—with roasted butternut squash, crispy sage, creamy gorgonzola, and toasted walnuts—SCREAMS fall. Want to add protein? We think this would be amazing with pancetta or bacon too.

Get the Roasted Butternut Squash Pasta recipe.

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