5 Pasta Recipes You’ll Want to Cook Tonight (and Tomorrow Too)

Let’s be honest pasta recipes are basically life savers. Busy night? Pasta. Craving comfort food? Pasta. Date night disaster because you forgot to book that trendy restaurant? Yep, pasta.

I’ve always believed pasta is the universal love language. It’s quick, affordable, and endlessly versatile. The best part? Even when you mess it up, it usually still tastes amazing. Ever boiled the noodles a little too long? Congrats, you’ve just made a creamy pasta base. See happy accidents. 🙂

Today, I’m sharing 5 pasta recipes that I make on repeat. They’re easy, flavorful, and they cover the whole spectrum from classic Italian vibes to comfort food indulgence. Ready to carb-load like a champ? Let’s go.

1. Spaghetti Carbonara

Ah, carbonara. The dish that makes you feel like an Italian nonna even if you’re cooking in a tiny apartment kitchen. It’s creamy, savory, and the best part it doesn’t even use cream (real carbonara is all about eggs and cheese).

Ingredients

• 12 oz spaghetti
• 4 oz pancetta (or bacon if you’re desperate)
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• Salt and black pepper

Instructions

1. Cook spaghetti until al dente. Save 1 cup pasta water.
2. Cook pancetta in a pan until crispy. Add garlic and sauté briefly.
3. Whisk eggs and Parmesan together in a bowl.
4. Toss hot pasta with pancetta and garlic. Remove pan from heat.
5. Stir in egg-cheese mixture quickly, adding pasta water as needed to create a silky sauce.
6. Season with black pepper.

Pro Tips

• Don’t scramble the eggs remove the pan from heat before adding the mixture.
• Freshly cracked pepper makes a big difference.
• IMO, pancetta tastes better, but bacon does the job too.

Why it rocks: It looks fancy but takes 20 minutes. Perfect for date night when you want to seem impressive with minimal effort.

2. Creamy Garlic Alfredo Pasta

This one’s for my fellow cream-sauce lovers. Alfredo pasta is rich, indulgent, and best eaten in sweatpants on the couch. Bonus: it only needs a handful of ingredients.

Ingredients

• 12 oz fettuccine
• 2 tbsp butter
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 ½ cups heavy cream
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• Salt and pepper
• Fresh parsley for garnish

Instructions

1. Cook fettuccine until al dente. Save ½ cup pasta water.
2. Melt butter in a pan, then sauté garlic.
3. Pour in cream and simmer for 5 minutes.
4. Stir in Parmesan until smooth.
5. Add pasta and toss, using pasta water if needed.
6. Garnish with parsley.

Pro Tips

• Don’t let the cream boil too hard or it’ll separate.
• Add grilled chicken or shrimp if you want protein.
• Garlic bread on the side is basically mandatory.

Why it rocks: It’s comfort food at its finest. And let’s be real, there’s no such thing as too much cheese.

3. Baked Ziti

If lasagna and pasta casserole had a baby, it would be baked ziti. This dish screams comfort food and is perfect when you’re feeding a crowd (or just yourself for three days straight).

Ingredients

• 1 lb ziti pasta
• 1 lb ground beef or Italian sausage
• 1 jar marinara sauce (about 24 oz)
• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella
• ½ cup grated Parmesan
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• Salt and pepper

Instructions

1. Cook ziti until just under al dente.
2. Brown meat in a skillet. Stir in marinara sauce and Italian seasoning.
3. In a baking dish, layer pasta, ricotta, meat sauce, and mozzarella.
4. Repeat layers, ending with mozzarella and Parmesan.
5. Bake at 375°F for 25 minutes until bubbly and golden.

Pro Tips

• Add spinach for a healthier twist (so you can justify that extra cheese).
• Let it rest 10 minutes before serving so it doesn’t collapse.
• Make it ahead and reheat it tastes even better the next day.

Why it rocks: It’s cheesy, hearty, and feeds an army. Or one very hungry person. 😉

4. Pesto Pasta with Chicken

Sometimes you want pasta that’s light but still packed with flavor. Enter pesto pasta. The herby, garlicky sauce transforms a simple dish into something that tastes fresh and fancy.

Ingredients

• 12 oz penne or spaghetti
• 2 cups fresh basil leaves
• ½ cup olive oil
• ½ cup Parmesan cheese
• ⅓ cup pine nuts (or walnuts for budget-friendly option)
• 3 cloves garlic
• 2 grilled chicken breasts, sliced
• Salt and pepper

Instructions

1. Cook pasta until al dente. Save ½ cup pasta water.
2. Blend basil, olive oil, Parmesan, nuts, and garlic in a food processor.
3. Toss pasta with pesto, thinning with pasta water if needed.
4. Top with sliced chicken.

Pro Tips

• Toast the nuts before blending they add depth of flavor.
• Store leftover pesto in the fridge with olive oil on top to keep it fresh.
• Add cherry tomatoes for color and sweetness.

Why it rocks: It’s fresh, flavorful, and comes together in 20 minutes. Also, pesto makes your kitchen smell like summer.

5. Mac and Cheese (Homemade and Worth It)

Yes, mac and cheese counts as pasta. And no, the boxed stuff doesn’t compare to homemade. This version is creamy, cheesy, and baked with a crispy breadcrumb topping. Comfort food level: expert.

Ingredients

• 1 lb elbow macaroni
• 4 tbsp butter
• 4 tbsp flour
• 4 cups milk
• 4 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese
• 1 cup breadcrumbs
• 2 tbsp butter (for topping)
• Salt and pepper

Instructions

1. Cook macaroni until al dente.
2. Melt butter in a pan, whisk in flour, and cook 1 minute.
3. Slowly whisk in milk to form a béchamel sauce.
4. Stir in cheeses until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Combine sauce with pasta and pour into baking dish.
6. Mix breadcrumbs with melted butter, sprinkle on top.
7. Bake at 375°F for 20 minutes until golden.

Pro Tips

• Mix different cheeses (Gruyere, sharp cheddar) for depth.
• Add bacon bits or jalapeños if you like adventure.
• Leftovers reheat beautifully with a splash of milk.

Why it rocks: It’s cheesy heaven with a crunchy topping. Need I say more?

Final Thoughts: Pasta Is Always the Answer

So there you have it 5 pasta recipes that cover all the bases: quick weeknight dinners, indulgent comfort food, and crowd-pleasers for when you need to impress.

The best thing about pasta is how forgiving it is. Overcooked it? Call it “rustic.” Forgot an ingredient? Swap it. Ever noticed how pasta adapts to your mood? Spaghetti carbonara when you feel fancy, mac and cheese when life gets rough, pesto when you’re pretending to be healthy.

IMO, pasta is proof that cooking doesn’t have to be complicated to be delicious. So grab a pot, boil some noodles, and make magic happen. And hey, save me a plate, okay? 😉