12 Quick And Tasty Pasta Dishes You Should Give A Try
Pasta nights don’t have to mean hours in the kitchen or boring flavors. With just a few ingredients and minimal prep time, you can whip up amazing dishes that will make your taste buds dance!
These quick pasta recipes will save your weeknight dinners and impress unexpected guests. Get ready to transform ordinary noodles into extraordinary meals.
1. Lemon Garlic Shrimp Linguine
Seafood and pasta create magic in just 15 minutes with this zingy delight! The bright lemon cuts through the richness of buttery garlic sauce while plump shrimp add a protein punch.
Simply sauté shrimp with garlic, add lemon juice and zest, then toss with al dente linguine. A sprinkle of parsley makes this dish look fancy without the fuss.
2. Creamy Mushroom Fettuccine
Mushroom lovers, rejoice! This earthy pasta transforms humble fungi into a restaurant-worthy meal. The secret? Caramelizing the mushrooms until golden before adding cream.
Mix in Parmesan cheese for extra umami goodness. The silky sauce clings perfectly to flat fettuccine noodles, creating a luxurious bite every time. Ready in just 20 minutes from start to finish!
3. Spicy Arrabbiata Penne
Fire up your taste buds with this classic Italian heat-fest! ‘Arrabbiata’ means ‘angry’ in Italian, and this sauce lives up to its name with a delicious kick of red pepper flakes.
My Italian grandmother taught me this recipe, insisting that the garlic must be golden—never brown—for perfect flavor. The tangy tomatoes and spicy heat create a simple yet bold sauce that transforms ordinary penne into something spectacular.
4. Pesto Pasta with Cherry Tomatoes
Summer freshness in every bite! This no-cook sauce paired with juicy burst tomatoes creates a perfect balance of herby richness and bright acidity.
Store-bought pesto works perfectly, but homemade takes just minutes in a food processor if you’re feeling fancy. Toss with warm pasta and watch the cherry tomatoes slightly soften from the heat.
A handful of pine nuts adds delightful crunch to this 10-minute wonder.
5. Mediterranean Olive and Feta Pasta
Transport your taste buds to sunny Greece with this flavor bomb that requires zero cooking beyond boiling pasta! Briny olives, tangy feta, and sweet tomatoes create Mediterranean magic in minutes.
The warm pasta slightly melts the feta, creating a light, creamy coating. A drizzle of good olive oil and handful of fresh herbs finish this effortless dish that tastes like vacation.
Perfect for hot summer nights when cooking feels impossible.
6. Cacio e Pepe
Proof that simplicity creates culinary genius! With just pasta, cheese, and black pepper, this Roman staple delivers sophisticated flavor that belies its three-ingredient list.
The secret lies in the technique—creating a creamy sauce from starchy pasta water and cheese without clumping. Last winter, during a power outage, I made this by candlelight using residual heat from my gas stove.
Sometimes the simplest dishes create the most magical memories!
7. Tuna Pasta Salad
Pantry ingredients transform into lunch magic with this no-fuss favorite! Canned tuna becomes gourmet when mixed with al dente pasta, crunchy vegetables, and a zesty dressing.
The beauty lies in its adaptability—use whatever veggies are lurking in your fridge. Make it ahead for even better flavor as it chills. This protein-packed meal saved countless lunches during my work-from-home days when the refrigerator seemed perpetually empty.
8. Garlicky Broccoli Orecchiette
Little ear-shaped pasta creates the perfect vessels for capturing garlicky goodness and tiny broccoli florets! This vegetable-forward dish packs a nutritional punch without sacrificing flavor.
The trick is cooking the broccoli and pasta together—the vegetable becomes perfectly tender as the pasta finishes cooking. When I first made this for my veggie-hating nephew, he asked for seconds!
A generous shower of Parmesan cheese makes this green machine irresistible to even the pickiest eaters.
9. Creamy Tomato Vodka Rigatoni
Restaurant luxury at home without the wait! This blush-colored sauce strikes the perfect balance between tangy tomatoes and rich cream, with vodka adding mysterious depth (while the alcohol cooks off).
The tube-shaped rigatoni captures the velvety sauce inside each piece. Don’t worry—the vodka cooks away, leaving only flavor behind! A handful of fresh basil brightens everything up. Ready in 25 minutes but tastes like you spent hours.
10. Lemon Asparagus Primavera
Spring sunshine on a plate! Crisp-tender asparagus and sweet peas bring seasonal freshness to this light yet satisfying pasta. The vegetables retain their vibrant color and crunch when quickly sautéed.
Lemon zest adds brightness without heaviness. A light cream sauce brings everything together without overwhelming the delicate vegetables.
I’ve converted many vegetable skeptics with this pretty pasta that celebrates the best of spring produce in just 20 minutes.
11. Buffalo Chicken Rotini
Game day flavors meet weeknight simplicity in this saucy, spicy creation! The spiral shape of rotini pasta perfectly captures the creamy, tangy buffalo sauce in every bite.
Shredded rotisserie chicken is the ultimate time-saver here—pre-cooked and ready for flavor. Blue cheese crumbles provide cooling contrast to the spicy kick.
The first time I made this for friends during football season, it disappeared faster than any other dish on the table!
12. Brown Butter Sage Ravioli
Store-bought ravioli becomes gourmet with this 5-minute sauce that tastes like fancy restaurant magic! The nutty aroma of brown butter will fill your kitchen with irresistible fragrance as it transforms into liquid gold.
Crispy sage leaves add earthy flavor and beautiful garnish. A sprinkle of toasted walnuts provides delightful crunch against the tender pasta pillows. This elegant dish requires minimal effort but delivers maximum “wow” factor for unexpected dinner guests.