85 Perfect Weeknight Pasta Recipes That Will Transport You To Italy (& Beyond!)

Come spring and summer, our obsession with pasta primavera comes back in full force. This version lightens up the classic recipe, replacing the heavy cream with low-fat cream cheese. The result is a veggie-packed pasta dish with a sauce that is every bit as creamy as the original.

Get the Bowtie Primavera recipe.

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.

Nothing says love like pasta, and this creamy sauce will have you falling in love with yourself for making it. It's based after our beloved Marry Me Chicken, which is quite possibly even better tossed in some pasta.

Get the Marry Me Pasta recipe.

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.

If you didn’t grow up with this comfort food, allow us to introduce you to your new favorite easy weeknight dinner. Chicken, spaghetti, and veggies combine with a creamy, cheesy sauce for a baked and bubbling casserole that’s just as perfect for busy weeknights as it is for parties.

Get the Chicken Spaghetti recipe.

Here, we tossed crispy bacon, spinach, chicken breasts, and spaghetti in our creamy Tuscan-inspired sauce for a hearty chicken pasta dinner that's just as perfect for date night as it is for a simple and quick weeknight dinner.

Get the Tuscan Chicken Pasta recipe.

Few dishes mean “spring” like pasta primavera. Primavera in the name alone brings to mind fresh veggies, like zucchini, English peas, leeks, and peppers, all of the things beginning to bloom for a vibrant season of produce ahead. Feel free to swap in whatever you can find at the farmer's market.

Get the Pasta Primavera recipe.

In this recipe, gnocchi gets the taco treatment for a simple weeknight meal. Alongside some ground beef, black beans, and plenty of cheddar cheese, it’s a fun twist on the potato-based pasta.

Get the Taco Gnocchi Bake recipe.

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.

Not only do we have recipes for homemade everything bagels, we've also turned the everything bagel into everything eggrolls, everything chicken, and even everything popcorn. Now, we present to you the new frontier: everything bagel pasta.

Get the Everything Bagel Pasta recipe.

This recipe is proof that a killer tomato sauce doesn’t need a long simmer on the stovetop. Instead, you'll create a robust sauce by concentrating the cherry tomatoes' flavor through bursting them in the skillet, along with other classic enhancers, like olive oil, garlic, balsamic vinegar, and red pepper flakes. Yum!

Get the Cherry Tomato Pasta recipe.

Dreaming of a big bowl of your favorite creamy pasta with less fat and more protein but with all of the flavor and texture you’re looking for in a good Alfredo? We've got you! Add meat, à la classic chicken Alfredo, or keep it simple—it's guaranteed to impress no matter what.

Get the Cottage Cheese Alfredo recipe.

Green goddess is a classic formula for a refreshing salad dressing, on goddess bowls, a lovely spread for sandwiches and wraps, and even a spoonable soup. Now, it’s the silky-smooth, pastel green pasta sauce you’ve been looking for.

Get the Green Goddess Gnocchi recipe.

This ramen take on classic beef and broccoli might be our favorite easy dinner. Thinly sliced steak and tender broccoli join those unmistakable noodles in a savory ginger soy sauce for an all-in-one dinner that’s sure to become a weeknight classic.

Get the Beef & Broccoli Ramen recipe.

Picture perfectly cooked, cheese-filled tortellini delicately simmering in a lusciously velvety cream sauce, generously infused with vibrant fresh greens, and you're close to knowing the bliss that is this pasta dish. With this one-pot wonder and a handful of ingredients, you can have it all—in just 20 minutes.

Get the One-Pot Creamy Tortellini & Greens recipe.

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.

Combined with buttery earthy chard, Tuscan kale, spinach, salty cheese, and a little chili oil, the ricotta salata featured here will quickly become a pantry staple. Add this to your weeknight pasta rotation and feel a little less guilty when going back for seconds.

Get the 3-Green Whole Wheat Pasta recipe.

Who can resist rice noodles bathed in an abundance of sweet and creamy peanut sauce? Not us! In this recipe, the prep actually takes longer than the cooking, so feel free to make some elements ahead. With all them behind you, the dish comes together in a snap!

Get the Creamy Peanut-Lime Chicken With Noodles recipe.

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.

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.