20 Creamy Meatless Pasta Recipes Ready in 30 Minutes or Less

December 01, 2020

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Credit: Brie Passano

Make one of these creamy pasta recipes for a vegetarian-friendly dinner tonight. These rich, yet healthy, dinners take just 30 minutes or less to make. Plus, they’re meatless, which is perfect if you’re looking to eat more veggies. Recipes like Creamy Broccoli Pasta and Creamy Fettuccine with Brussels Sprouts & Mushrooms are flavorful, delicious and a great choice for tonight’s menu.

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Creamy Broccoli Pasta

Credit: Brie Passano

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If you're looking for a simple weeknight pasta dish, look no further. This vegetarian dinner is done in only 20 minutes and packs plenty of broccoli along with creamy goodness thanks to mascarpone cheese and low-fat Greek yogurt.

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Creamy Fettuccine with Brussels Sprouts & Mushrooms

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Sliced Brussels sprouts and mushrooms cook quickly and cling to the pasta in our fall version of pasta primavera. Look for presliced mushrooms to cut prep time. Serve with a tossed salad.

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Pressure-Cooker Mac & Cheese

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Make a healthier version of classic macaroni and cheese with this recipe that adds broccoli for a nutritional boost and an easy way to eat more vegetables. Using an electric pressure cooker, such as the InstantPot, gets dinner on the table in just 30 minutes.

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Spinach & Artichoke Dip Pasta

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If you've ever wanted to make a meal out of warm spinach and artichoke dip, this creamy pasta is for you. And here's what's almost as good as the flavor of this comforting dish: the fact that this healthy dinner takes just 20 minutes to prepare.

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Quick Fettuccine Alfredo

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In this healthy fettuccine Alfredo recipe, the sauce for this classic pasta dish gets a makeover, using yogurt. Although we like to toss this creamy pasta sauce with fettuccine, any whole-wheat pasta can be used.

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Butternut Squash Chickpea Mac & Cheese

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This gluten-free butternut squash mac and cheese packs plenty of cheesy goodness in every bite. Chickpea pasta gets coated in a sauce made with pureed butternut squash that gives this comforting meal a nutrient boost and adds a sweet note to complement the savory flavors.

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Quick Stovetop Mac & Cheese with Red Beets

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Red beets give this healthy mac and cheese recipe a pink hue. If that's a little too much for you, try using yellow beets instead.

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Creamy Spinach Pasta

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This might be one of the creamiest light pasta dishes you've ever had! The mascarpone cheese adds a richness to the spinach pasta that's unexpected--especially in a healthy pasta recipe.

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Gnocchi with Mushrooms & Pumpkin Cream Sauce

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Pumpkin isn't just for pie! In this healthy gnocchi recipe, canned pumpkin serves as the base for a creamy sauce. For the best flavor, top with real Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Save the leftover pumpkin puree for a smoothie or pancakes.

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Quick Stovetop Mac & Cheese with Broccoli Rabe

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A swirl of prepared pesto gives this healthy mac and cheese recipe instant delicious flavor. If broccoli rabe is too bitter, try using broccolini or regular broccoli instead.

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Vegan Cauliflower Alfredo

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Unbelievably rich and creamy, this easy vegan Alfredo is bound to become a favorite. Be sure to check the ingredient list on your unsweetened almond milk, as some contain vanilla flavoring even if they aren't labeled as such. For this recipe, you'll want almond milk without any vanilla.

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Easy Pea & Spinach Carbonara

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Fresh pasta cooks up faster than dried, making it a must-have for fast weeknight dinners like this luscious yet healthy meal. Eggs are the base of the creamy sauce. They don't get fully cooked, so use pasteurized-in-the-shell eggs if you prefer.

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Quick Stovetop Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese

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Precut butternut squash in your grocery store's produce section makes this healthy mac and cheese recipe come together in a flash. For extra flavor, try smoked Gouda cheese.

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Mushroom & Asparagus Fettuccine

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Mushrooms add flavor and a meaty texture to this vegetarian pasta dinner. Evaporated fat-free milk makes a rich sauce that's lower in fat than the traditional recipe so you can feel good indulging in this creamy fettuccine recipe.

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Vegan Mushroom Stroganoff

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

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One-Pot Mac & Cheese with Cauliflower & Brussels Sprouts

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Taking a minute to sizzle some garlic in olive oil is a simple way to pep up the cheese sauce for this easy homemade mac and cheese, and the flavor plays well with the cauliflower and Brussels sprouts in this family-friendly pasta dish. This recipe is designed for you to make a big batch of the cheese sauce to use in different dishes: Stir it into pasta and veggies to make this pasta a one-pot dinner then use it for Cheesy Beef Enchilada Casserole later in the week (see Associated Recipes). Or simply serve it over your favorite steamed vegetables for an easy side dish. If you'd rather make just enough sauce for this pasta, simply cut the sauce amounts in half.

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Avocado and Yogurt Pasta Sauce with Veggies

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

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Lemony Linguine with Spring Vegetables

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Instead of cooking pasta in a huge pot of water, here we use just 3 1/2 cups for this one-pot pasta recipe. When the pasta is al dente, most of the water has evaporated and the bit that's left is thickened with the starch that cooks off the pasta. With just a few add-ins like lemon and Parmesan cheese you have a delicious silky sauce. Want to use up your veggie stash in the freezer? Swap in 8 ounces frozen spinach for fresh.

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Spinach Ravioli with Zucchini Ribbons

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For this light vegetarian ravioli recipe, we combine gorgeous long ribbons of zucchini with spinach-and-cheese-stuffed ravioli and a light cream sauce for a satisfying vegetarian pasta dinner.

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Quick Stovetop Mac & Cheese with Peas

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Fresh basil and green peas give this healthy mac and cheese recipe a pretty green hue. We like the buttery, nutty flavor of fontina, but provolone, Gruyère or Gouda could be used as a substitute.

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