Cozy Pasta Recipes to Make Tonight (2024)

Sauced, tossed, twirled or baked, with or without meat—pasta will satisfy your cravings for comfort-food carbs, whether it's for a weeknight or a holiday pasta meal. Check out our recipes for noodle-based mains, soups, salads and bowls.

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Smoked Mozzarella and Kale Lasagna

Made with no-boil noodles, this memorable, meat-free lasagna hides two secrets in its layers: smoked mozzarella (for autumnal vibes) and lemon zest (for a delicate lift).

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Gnocchi Marsala with Mushrooms and Thyme

A creamy, wine-infused sauce glosses mixed mushrooms and pan-seared gnocchi for a delectable meatless main.

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Pappardelle with Short Rib and Carrot Ragù

Nestled in a Dutch oven, beef short ribs braise in tomatoes, carrots, onion and garlic, with a dash of cinnamon. This is a bit of a labor of love—an afternoon of cooking, plus an overnight chill for the sauce—but the result is totally worth it. The meat falls from the bone, and ribbons of pasta catch every morsel.

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One-Pan Fettuccine Alfredo with Chicken and Peas

All the creaminess of a traditional alfredo—minus the extra pot for boiling the pasta. And it's ready in 30 minutes. Boom.

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Tortellini, Spinach and Mushrooms in Wine-Butter Sauce

A simple pan sauce and fresh vegetables dress up family-favorite cheese tortellini for a meal that's ready in 25 minutes.

Simple Skillet Suppers

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Rainbow Soba Noodle Bowls

Dressed in creamy peanut dressing, these warm noodles are topped with tons of crisp fresh produce. (Feel free to swap different veggies—or add a few shrimp—based on your family's preference.) The recipe comes from the cookbook Pretty Simple Cooking.

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Orecchiette with Brussels Sprouts and Gorgonzola

A dreamy blue cheese sauce coats garlicky roasted Brussels sprouts and puddles inside the noodles. Cooking tip for orecchiette: Make sure your water is super boiling, and scatter the orecchiette in while stirring so the cups are less likely to stick together.

Fresh Brussels Sprouts Recipes

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Mexican Street Corn Macaroni Salad

In Mexico, grilled corn comes coated in mayonnaise, lime, cheese and cilantro. We just added pasta, plus lots of green onion for bite. It's a macaroni salad that's anything but basic.

20 Scrumptious Pasta Salad Recipes

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Sauce-Simmered Spaghetti Al Pomodoro

In her cookbook Listen to Your Vegetables, Chicago chef Sarah Grueneberg shares this cozy recipe, which she discovered in Lombardy, Italy. Par-boiled spaghetti finishes cooking in a flavor-packed, oven-roasted tomato sauce.

Take Your Pasta to the Next Level with Chef Sarah Grueneberg's Tips

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Lemon Shrimp Pasta with Wilted Arugula

This recipe is fresh and fast—just what you need on a weeknight. Wilting the arugula into the warm pasta softens its peppery flavor.

Easy Shrimp Recipes

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Big-Batch, All-Day Pasta Bolognese

Start to finish, this incredible pasta takes 8 hours, mostly hands-off and none of it hard. You'll make 18 cups of sauce—enough to serve 24 for a holiday gathering or to freeze for meals all winter long.

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Pizza Pasta Skillet Casserole

A blanket of gooey cheese and the oven-crisped pepperoni make this casserole a guaranteed kid pleaser. Of course, you can switch up the ingredients as easily as the toppings on a pizza. Classics like sweet pepper, black olives and sausage are all fair game—but we'd hold the anchovies!

Easy Casserole and Hotdish Recipes

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Campanelle with Fennel, Leeks and Pecorino Breadcrumbs

Crisp breadcrumbs toasted in oil or butter are a popular pasta topping in parts of Italy, where no day-old loaf of bread goes to waste. They make the perfect textural contrast to meltingly sweet fennel and leeks.

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Linguine with Parsley Pesto

You might think of pesto as the baby of fresh basil—but parsley stands in here as the herb of choice. With parsley, capers and a can of salted, roasted almonds, you're a few food processor pulses away from a punchy green pasta that can cozy up to chicken or fish, or stand alone with a lettuce salad.

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Minted Rigatoni with Cauliflower, Sausage and Crispy Panko

Fresh or frozen riced cauliflower clings to the pasta, and toasted breadcrumbs mimic Parmesan in this dairy-free supper dish that's perfect for a fast weeknight meal.

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Green Veggie Pasta

Go green with three superfood veggies—collard greens, asparagus, and peas. It's delicious as a meat-free meal, but if you like, add some ham for extra flavor and protein.

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Spaghetti Carbonara

This recipe for a classic pasta carbonara comes from the cookbook Michael Symon's 5 in 5, a fantastic source for weeknight dinner ideas. Plan to prep the ingredients (grate cheese, chop parsley) before you begin.

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Penne with Lentils and Feta

Hearty and wholesome, this pasta salad is loaded with cherry tomatoes, cucumber, lentils, salty cheese and parsley, all cloaked in a light and bright red wine vinaigrette.

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Spring Ramp Pasta with Morels and Peas

Toss linguini with ramps, morel mushrooms, peas, ham and a rich cream sauce for a dish that tastes of springtime. Top with shaved Parmesan cheese.

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Vietnamese-Style Noodle Bowls

This soothing, spiced bowl echoes the long-simmered soup called pho (pronounced "fuh") but uses boxed broth and flank steak. Pull sprigs from the gorgeous, leafy mess of cilantro, mint and basil to season as you slurp.

Recipes for Dinner, Dessert and More From Around the World

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Vietnamese Shrimp and Noodle Bowls

These bowls check all the boxes with layers of flavors, textures and temperatures. Grab your chopsticks and dig in!

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