Some pasta recipes earn a permanent spot in your weeknight rotation, and these are exactly that kind of recipe. These are the dishes that turn an ordinary Tuesday into a cozy dinner you’ll think about for days. I rounded up the best of the best from trusted food bloggers — real recipes that real people make over and over again, and that I think you’re going to love too.
Whether you want a 30-minute weeknight pasta, a Sunday sauce, or something to impress your in-laws, this list has you covered. Grab a fork and dig in.
What’s Inside
Here’s the full lineup — click any recipe to jump straight to it.
- Creamy Lemon Pasta (Pasta al Limone)
- Simple Carbonara
- Cacio e Pepe
- Rigatoni with Easy Vodka Sauce
- Pasta Primavera
- Spaghetti Pomodoro
- Pasta with Brown Butter, Whole Lemon, and Parmesan
- Creamy Tomato Pasta
- Creamy Garlic Penne Pasta
- Tomato, Basil, and Garlic Pasta
- Jo Mama’s World Famous Spaghetti
- Balsamic Tomato-Basil Pasta
- Pasta, Pesto and Peas
- Penne alla Vodka
- Creamy Garlic Butter Pasta
- Bucatini Pasta with Garlic Butter Sauce
- Mediterranean Pasta
- Penne Pasta with Spinach Cream Sauce
The 18 Recipes
From quick weeknight staples to the special-occasion showstoppers, here are the 18 pasta recipes that I think everyone should know how to make. Each one has been tested, loved, and made-on-repeat by home cooks all over the world.
Creamy Lemon Pasta (Pasta al Limone)
Butter, cream, lemon zest, and parmesan — five minutes of cooking, a lifetime of cravings. Bon Appétit’s take is bright, rich, and exactly what pasta was made for.
Simple Carbonara
This Roman classic gets its silkiness from eggs and Pecorino Romano, never cream. Bon Appétit’s version is the one I keep coming back to.
Cacio e Pepe
Three ingredients. Zero room for error. This is the Bon Appétit version that finally got me to stop ordering it out.
Rigatoni with Easy Vodka Sauce
Tomato paste, cream, vodka, and a slow simmer make a sauce that clings to every noodle. Bon Appétit’s take is weeknight-easy and dinner-party-worthy.
Pasta Primavera
Whatever’s in season gets tossed with pasta in this endlessly adaptable Bon Appétit recipe. It’s a great fridge-cleanout move.
Spaghetti Pomodoro
Good tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, and patience — that’s the whole game. Bon Appétit’s version lets each ingredient shine.
Pasta with Brown Butter, Whole Lemon, and Parmesan
Butter, cream, lemon zest, and parmesan — five minutes of cooking, a lifetime of cravings. Bon Appétit’s take is bright, rich, and exactly what pasta was made for.
Creamy Tomato Pasta
Salt & Lavender’s take on creamy tomato pasta is one of the most-loved versions on the internet. It’s the kind of recipe that turns an ordinary weeknight into something a little bit special.
Creamy Garlic Penne Pasta
Food.com’s take on creamy garlic penne pasta is one of the most-loved versions on the internet. It’s the kind of recipe that turns an ordinary weeknight into something a little bit special.
Tomato, Basil, and Garlic Pasta
Good tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, and patience — that’s the whole game. Food.com’s version lets each ingredient shine.
Jo Mama’s World Famous Spaghetti
Food.com’s take on jo mama’s world famous spaghetti is one of the most-loved versions on the internet. It’s the kind of recipe that turns an ordinary weeknight into something a little bit special.
Balsamic Tomato-Basil Pasta
Good tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, and patience — that’s the whole game. Food.com’s version lets each ingredient shine.
Pasta, Pesto and Peas
Basil, pine nuts, garlic, and parmesan blitzed into a bright green sauce. Food.com’s version is the kind of thing you put on everything.
Penne alla Vodka
Tomato paste, cream, vodka, and a slow simmer make a sauce that clings to every noodle. Food.com’s take is weeknight-easy and dinner-party-worthy.
Creamy Garlic Butter Pasta
Food.com’s take on creamy garlic butter pasta is one of the most-loved versions on the internet. It’s the kind of recipe that turns an ordinary weeknight into something a little bit special.
Bucatini Pasta with Garlic Butter Sauce
Bucatini’s hollow strands trap every drop of garlicky butter. The Cozy Apron’s version is the comfort bowl I want on cold nights.
Mediterranean Pasta
Grilled chicken, roasted veggies, feta, and a lemony yogurt dressing. The Cozy Apron’s version is the Mediterranean diet in pasta form.
Penne Pasta with Spinach Cream Sauce
Creamy spinach and artichoke baked into pasta is comfort food at its best. The Cozy Apron’s take is the one I keep in regular rotation.
That’s a lot of pasta (and I mean that as a compliment)
That’s twenty (or eighteen, or fifteen) of my favorite pasta recipes in one place — and I think you’ll find at least one or two new family favorites in here. My personal favorite from this list changes with my mood, but if I had to pick one right now, I’d go with the creamy lemon pasta (pasta al limone) — it’s the one I make when I need a quick win on a Tuesday night.
If you try any of these, I’d love to hear which one becomes your go-to. Drop a comment and let me know — and happy cooking.
—Elowen Thorn
Sources & Credits
Every recipe in this roundup is the work of a talented food blogger. I’m just the messenger. If you love one of these dishes, please click through to the original source and leave a kind comment — these creators make the internet a more delicious place.
- Creamy Lemon Pasta (Pasta al Limone) — Bon Appétit
- Simple Carbonara — Bon Appétit
- Cacio e Pepe — Bon Appétit
- Rigatoni with Easy Vodka Sauce — Bon Appétit
- Pasta Primavera — Bon Appétit
- Spaghetti Pomodoro — Bon Appétit
- Pasta with Brown Butter, Whole Lemon, and Parmesan — Bon Appétit
- Creamy Tomato Pasta — Salt & Lavender
- Creamy Garlic Penne Pasta — Food.com
- Tomato, Basil, and Garlic Pasta — Food.com
- Jo Mama’s World Famous Spaghetti — Food.com
- Balsamic Tomato-Basil Pasta — Food.com
- Pasta, Pesto and Peas — Food.com
- Penne alla Vodka — Food.com
- Creamy Garlic Butter Pasta — Food.com
- Bucatini Pasta with Garlic Butter Sauce — The Cozy Apron
- Mediterranean Pasta — The Cozy Apron
- Penne Pasta with Spinach Cream Sauce — The Cozy Apron