Our 30 Most Popular Pasta Recipes Ever

These are the pasta dishes our readers love—and make—the most.

bowl of spaghetti and meatballs

You'll find all of our best pasta dishes in this collection of crowd-pleasing recipes that our readers love most. Of course, there are lasagna and other baked pastas (including classics with meat sauce and vegetarian versions, too), as well as quick options that are just right for a weeknight (like our famed one-pan pasta), rich Italian-American classics like fettuccine Alfredo, and streamlined Italian pastas like carbonara. 

This selection offers plenty of comforting favorites from our archives—and all are dishes you'll make again and again.

01 of 30

One-Pan Pasta With Broccoli and Lemon

one pan pasta pot spoon
Credit: Bryan Gardner

A weeknight winner, this quick pasta uses just five ingredients (penne, broccoli, garlic, lemon, and Parmesan) and one pan. It’s cheesy and comforting, but also packed with everyone's favorite healthy cruciferous vegetable.

02 of 30

Perfect Macaroni and Cheese

perfect macaroni and cheese
Credit: Bryan Gardner

Learn how to make mac and cheese with this master recipe. It calls for a combination of sharp white cheddar and Gruyère cheese for maximum flavor. Serve as is for a softer stovetop version or top with breadcrumbs and bake until bubbling.

03 of 30

Lasagna With Meat Sauce

ultimate lasagna slice on plate with fork
Credit: Justin Walker

Our ultimate lasagna recipe is streamlined, so prep takes just 45 minutes—but the dish tastes like you spent all day making it.

04 of 30

One-Pan Pasta

one-pan pasta
Credit: Maxwell Cozzi

This easy one-pan dish is always one of our most popular pasta recipes. It's made with linguine, cherry tomatoes, garlic, fresh basil, and plenty of freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

05 of 30

Chicken Alfredo With Fettuccine

chicken-fettucini-alfredo-mhlb2027.jpg

Here's a creamy, comforting pasta that's beloved by kids and adults alike. A combination of heavy cream, starchy pasta water, and Parmesan cheese create the ultimate Alfredo sauce.

06 of 30

Pasta With Fresh Tomato Sauce

Pasta with Fresh Tomato Sauce
Credit: Marcus Nilsson

Skip the store-bought, jarred marinara sauce and make your own with just a handful of basic ingredients: 2 pounds of fresh ripe tomatoes, fresh basil and parsley leaves, garlic, and olive oil.

07 of 30

Spaghetti Carbonara

0306_edf_carbonara.jpg

Our interpretation of the classic Roman pasta recipe is indulgent. For the perfect creamy sauce, you'll whisk together whole eggs, half-and-half, and Parmesan cheese, then add the warm pasta and crispy bacon.

08 of 30

Baked Penne With Chicken and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

med10437_0309_0pas012a.jpg

Since this recipe was published in 2009, it has been one of our readers' all-time favorite pasta dishes. It's easy to see why: It has chicken breasts, mushrooms, and sun-dried tomatoes. Shredded provolone and grated Parmesan make it super creamy.

09 of 30

Gnocchi With Tomato Sauce

gnocchi with tomato sauce
Credit: Sonia Bozzo

Start with our basic, fluffy gnocchi recipe for this cloud-like pasta dish and then mix it with a quick tomato sauce made with a combination of canned tomato sauce and whole plum tomatoes.

10 of 30

Freeze-Ahead Lasagna Primavera

lasagna

Looking for a fabulous make-ahead meal that you'll enjoy any night of the week? How about this vegetable-packed baked pasta, which features layers of sliced carrots, frozen peas, and frozen chopped spinach?

11 of 30

Chicken Fettuccine With Pesto Cream Sauce

fd101470_0905_chicken_pesto.jpg

All you need are five ingredients—boneless, skinless chicken breasts, prepared basil pesto, heavy cream, olive oil, and fettuccine noodles—to make this dish. It's one of our readers' favorites.

12 of 30

Linguine With Lemon-Cream Sauce

Linguine with Lemon-Cream Sauce

The zest and juice from a whole lemon brighten up this creamy Alfredo-style sauce. It's a quick and easy pasta dish that you can make any night of the week.

13 of 30

Linguine With Shrimp and White Wine

Linguine with Shrimp and White Wine

Our easy version of shrimp scampi uses a combination of white wine, butter, and fresh lemon juice for a light, fragrant sauce.

14 of 30

Salmon Pasta

edf99593_0103_cavatappi.jpg

Fresh salmon fillets shine in this creamy pasta recipe. They're seasoned with crushed fennel seeds, brown sugar, and fresh parsley. Once cooked, the fish is tossed with corkscrew pasta, sour cream, lemon juice, and starchy pasta water.

15 of 30

John Legend's Macaroni and Cheese

john legends macaroni and cheese
Credit: Andrea Araiza

The superstar singer's baked macaroni and cheese recipe is one of our readers' favorite pasta dishes. It's super creamy and decadent, thanks to a winning combination of evaporated and skim milk and two eggs, plus sharp cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese.

16 of 30

Easy Spaghetti and Meatballs

ed104370_0309_cov005a.jpg

We use ground beef chuck for our take on this popular pasta dish. The beef is mixed with Parmesan, parsley, breadcrumbs, and garlic, resulting in the most flavorful meatballs.

17 of 30

Butternut Squash and Sage Lasagna

mld104002_1008_sage_squash.jpg

We're all about this autumnal lasagna come fall. The baked pasta is layered with a mixture of roasted butternut squash, fresh sage butter, and a trio of cheeses (mozzarella, ricotta, and grated Parmesan).

18 of 30

Spinach Lasagna

lucindas-spinach-lasagna-mhlb2031.jpg

It's not easy being green, unless you're this vegetarian lasagna. Between the layers of this baked pasta are sautéed baby spinach, pan-fried zucchini, creamy béchamel sauce, shredded mozzarella, and grated Pecorino Romano.

19 of 30

Linguine With White Clam Sauce

med102963_0607_linguini.jpg

This Italian-American classic features 2 pounds of small Manila clams, which are cooked in a garlic white wine sauce until the clams open and the meat is tender. Then they're tossed with the linguine, butter, and fresh parsley for a simple yet delicious pasta dish.

20 of 30

One-Pan Orecchiette With Chickpeas and Olives

one-pan-orrchiette-md110878.jpg
Credit: Alpha Smoot

We love orecchiette (which means "little ears" in Italian). This pasta is the perfect vessel for holding a chunky sauce and lots of hearty ingredients—like the chickpeas and kalamata olives in this recipe, which are sautéed with tomato paste, garlic, and rosemary.

21 of 30

Baked Ziti With Crunchy Italian Salad and Garlic Bread

baked ziti
Credit: José Manuel Picayo Rivera

Here's an irresistible pairing and a complete family-friendly dinner: a cheesy baked ziti is served with homemade garlic bread and a simple salad of greens drizzled with an oil-and-vinegar dressing.

22 of 30

Penne With Creamy Pumpkin Sauce

med103255_1107_penne_pump.jpg

Here's a 30-minute pasta dinner you'll make on repeat throughout the fall. It uses a can of fresh pumpkin purée mixed with starchy pasta water, half-and-half, and Parmesan cheese for a creamy, satisfying sauce for penne rigate or your favorite short pasta.

23 of 30

Shrimp, Tomato, and Basil Pasta

Shrimp, Tomato, and Basil Pasta

There are two types of tomatoes in this easy 30-minute pasta dinner. Cherry tomatoes and canned diced tomatoes team up with sautéed shrimp and lots of fresh basil for a fresh sauce for linguine.

24 of 30

Lemony Pasta With Goat Cheese and Spinach

grocery-bag-pasta-008-med109000.jpg

One of our readers' favorite pasta recipes is this nutty, creamy dish. It's packed with greens; there are 5 cups of chopped fresh parsley and cilantro, plus 10 ounces of baby spinach in the sauce.

25 of 30

One-Pan Creamy Tuna Pasta

Creamy Tuna Pasta
Credit:

Jake Sternquist

This modern take on the tuna casserole comes together in under half an hour. A lighter version, it features asparagus, arugula, lemon, and oil-packed tuna for a delicious and satisfying weeknight dinner.

26 of 30

No-Bake Summer Lasagna

med105604_0610_kasagba.jpg

The best part of this lasagna is you don't have to turn on the oven when it's hot! Cooked noodles are layered with sautéed zucchini, garlicky tomatoes, ricotta-Parmesan sauce, and fresh basil.

27 of 30

Pasta Salad With Chickpeas, Green Beans, and Basil

Pasta Salad with Green Beans and Basil
Credit:

Ren Fuller

Bring this delicious pasta salad to a picnic or barbecue this summer. It features chickpeas, green beans, capers, and red onion in a light mayonnaise-based sauce, with a Parmesan-basil garnish.

28 of 30

Pasta With Prosciutto and Peas

edf_jun06_hyt_pros_pasta.jpg

Craving a comforting pasta dish? Try this twist on spaghetti carbonara. It's made with prosciutto, peas, and the zest and juice of lemons.

29 of 30

Vegetable Lasagna

03edf02_x.jpg

Using no-boil lasagna noodles, your favorite store-bought marinara sauce, thawed frozen chopped spinach, and two kinds of cheese (ricotta and fontina) means this vegetable-packed lasagna is easy to put together.

30 of 30

Spaghetti With Turkey Meatballs

msledf_0303_turkeymeatballs.jpg

When you want a pasta dish that's a little lighter and leaner, but still satisfying, try this recipe for spaghetti and meatballs. Instead of a blend of beef and pork, these meatballs are made with ground turkey.

Related Articles