Quick & Easy Pasta Recipes

Classic tomato-basil sauce smothers tender gnocchi in this easy recipe. Using shelf-stable gnocchi makes this an easy vegan dinner. Eating gluten-free or just want to eat more vegetables? Try frozen cauliflower gnocchi instead.

Skip the frying pan and make a full meal out of store-bought dumplings with this quick and easy 30-minute soup. Shao Hsing (or Shaoxing) is a seasoned rice wine used in Chinese cooking. Look for it in Asian specialty markets or with other Asian ingredients in large supermarkets.

The rich mushroom sauce in this vegan version of classic beef stroganoff gets thick and creamy thanks to vegan sour cream.

Thanks to the quick-cooking power of chicken tenders, this honey-mustard chicken dinner comes together fast and easily for a family-friendly weeknight meal. The baby carrots are cooked in a simple orange juice and butter sauce which is lovely drizzled over the chicken and couscous.

This one-pan pasta that combines lean chicken breast and sautéed spinach for a one-bowl meal is garlicky, lemony and best served with a little Parm on top. I call it "Mom's Skillet Pasta" and she called it "Devon's Favorite Pasta." Either way it's a quick and easy weeknight dinner we created together and scribbled on a little recipe card more than a decade ago, and it remains in my weekly dinner rotation to this day. It's a simple dinner the whole family will love.

This Asian-inspired Udon Noodle Bowl can be ready in just 30 minutes. It's a perfect weeknight meal, quick and incredibly satisfying.

This whole grain, creamy pasta dish is ready in just 30 minutes -- perfect for a weeknight meal.

No sneaky ingredients here, just delicious comfort food. You can enjoy this super-cheesy mac and cheese in the same time it takes to cook the boxed version. Whole-wheat noodles add fiber, while sharp Cheddar adds richness. A hefty twist of black pepper balances the cheese's salty tang.

Ready in under 30 minutes, this weeknight meal will be a new family favorite.

Ready in 10 minutes, this meal for one could not be easier to make!

Mix udon and zucchini noodles for a lower-carb noodle bowl that's full of flavor thanks to the finger-licking-good peanut sauce. Using leftover chicken will save you even more time on this quick dinner recipe--you can whip it up in about 10 minutes.

This refreshing side dish is the perfect addition to any barbeque or picnic.

You won't miss the scrambled eggs and fish sauce in this vegan version of the Thai favorite because the flavorful sauce hits just the right balance of sweet, spicy and umami.

Some people prefer rice noodles to pasta. In this Asian-inspired salad recipe, wide rice noodles are combined with crunchy lettuce, cucumber and carrots and tossed in a ginger-sesame dressing.

Whole-wheat couscous is a simple side dish, yet by adding garlic and peppery mustard greens to the cooking liquid, it feels much more sophisticated.

Fat-free half-and-half makes this elegant pasta dish rich and creamy, yet ideal for diabetic meal plans.

Fresh cheese tortellini and classic Greek salad ingredients like tomatoes, cucumbers and red onion come together for a fast side dish that's perfect for potlucks, picnics and other casual gatherings.

A creamy pesto sauce turns this simple pasta salad into a delightful dinner. Adding broccoli to the pasta cooking water just before the pasta is done is a convenient way to briefly cook it so that it turns a vivid shade of green and softens slightly.

Recite your ABC's while you enjoy this kid-friendly soup that you can feel good about serving--it's packed with healthy vegetables. If you can't find alphabet noodles, any small pasta (like orzo) will work.

A delicious balance of sweet, sour and salty flavors complements rice noodles and chicken in this quick and easy pad thai. We trimmed calories and boosted flavor by cutting back on the sugar you'll find in many restaurant versions. As with any stir-fry, be sure to have all your ingredients prepped before you begin--the steps move quickly once the cooking starts.