47 Essential Pasta Recipes for Olive-Oiled, Red-Sauced Happiness

Twirl your way to greatness with our best pasta recipes—from linguini to tortellini and lasagna

By SAVEUR Editors
Updated: October 1, 2019

Pasta—the most comforting carb with limitless varieties—is a staple the world over. A cousin of Asian noodles, pasta was brought to Italy where it became the starchy staple for a cuisine synonymous with simple, hearty, home cooking.

In most cases, pasta perfection is simple: boil your noodles to the firmness of your liking, add a lovely pasta sauce, add some toppings, and voila! You have yourself the ultimate meal. And as any Italian will tell you, labor-intensive homemade pasta is a nice touch, but though there's no shame in using dried pasta. While some pastas, like lasagna, rank among our most time-consuming recipes, pasta at home can also be lightning quick when needed: easy, quick pasta recipes come together in less than 30 minutes. Pasta is so versatile, you can shape the dough in pretty much any shape you want, and the versatility of pasta makes it perfect for both winter and summer.

From fettuccine to tortellini, here are the 47 essential pasta recipes in our arsenal.

Spaghetti al Pomodoro

Spaghetti al Pomodoro
Simplicity is key in this recipe, which relies on just a handful of ingredients and comes together in less than 30 minutes. Get the recipe for Spaghetti al Pomodoro »Thomas Payne

Seafood Pasta with Tomatoes, Chiles, and Mint

Seafood Pasta with Tomatoes, Chiles, and Mint
Cooling fresh mint tempers the heat of the spicy tomato sauce in this bountiful seafood pasta.Get the recipe for Seafood Pasta with Tomatoes, Chiles, and Mint »Jenny Huang

Spaghetti with Shrimp Rundown Sauce

Spaghetti with Shrimp Rundown Sauce
Shrimp pulls double duty here: the shells are used to make the flavorful rundown sauce, and the meat is marinated with citrus and lightly cooked with the pasta. Get the recipe for Spaghetti with Shrimp Rundown Sauce »Jenny Huang

Potato Gnocchi with Pork Ragu

Potato Gnocchi with Pork Ragu
Pillowy gnocchi are gently tossed with a robust meat sauce and finished with Parmigiano-Reggiano and cracked black pepper. Get the recipe for Potato Gnocchi with Pork Ragu »Thomas Payne

Ravioli with Ricotta and Greens

Ravioli with Ricotta and Greens
These ravioli with greens from chef JoMarie Pitino are perfect for a holiday menu. Get the recipe for Ravioli with Ricotta and Greens »Stacy Adimando

Pasta with Mushroom Trifolata

Pasta with Mushroom Trifolata
Sometimes, olive oil is the only pasta sauce you need. For centuries, Mediterranean cooks have used olive oils to make vinaigrettes, baste and drizzle over roasts, and infuse with flavors to use as pasta sauces on their own. Mushroom trifolata—a sauce made by searing then gently confiting mushrooms in a bath of olive oil—is best when made using a robust extra virgin olive oil and a mix of wild mushrooms like oyster, crimini, and chanterelles. The mushrooms turn silky and tender while releasing their rich, umami flavor into the oily sauce. Get the recipe for Pasta with Mushroom Trifolata »Matt Taylor-Gross

Baked Macaroni in Pastry (Timpana)

A blend of coriander, cumin, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves adds oomph to the meat sauce for this baked pasta in puff pastry.
A blend of coriander, cumin, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves adds oomph to the meat sauce for this baked pasta in puff pastry. Get the recipe for Baked Macaroni in Pastry »Jenny Huang

Pasta with Octopus Ragu and Stracciatella

Pasta with Octopus Ragu and Stracciatella
Giorgia Goggi mixes this slow-cooked tomato sauce with octopus and saffron into paccheri pasta di Gragnano, a thick, air-dried Italian macaroni. But any robust pasta shape will do. Get the recipe for Pasta with Octopus Ragu and Stracciatella »Eva Kolenko

Lemon-Infused Spaghetti with Oil and Provolone

Lemon-Infused Spaghetti with Oil and Provolone
Cook your pasta in fragrant lemon water. Get the recipe for Lemon-Infused Spaghetti with Oil and Provolone »Matt Taylor-Gross

Spaghetti With Garlic and Olive Oil

Nick Pasta Recipe
Classically Roman, this garlicky pasta dish—as interpreted by Nick Anderer of Maialino and Marta in New York City—is brightened with pepperoncino and a handful of vibrant parsley. It gets a hit of salt from grated Grana Padano and roundness from extra-virgin olive oil. Get the recipe for Spaghetti With Garlic and Olive Oil »Michelle Heimerman

Drunken Spaghetti

Drunken Spaghetti
Spaghetti gets cooked in red wine in this quick pasta dish that comes together in under half an hour. Get the recipe for Drunken Spaghetti »Michelle Heimerman

Tortellini in Broth

Tortellini in Broth
Adapted from Trattoria Sostanza, a Florentine institution, this prosciutto-and-cheese-stuffed pasta is served in a simple chicken broth. Get the recipe for Tortellini in Broth »Michelle Heimerman

Chestnut Tortellini with Shallots and Sage Sauce

chestnut tortellini
These fresh tortellini are made from a mixture of all-purpose flour and subtly sweet chestnut flour, then stuffed with pungent, savory chestnut purée and fluffy ricotta. Resting the dough overnight gives the tortellini a saturated brown color and deep, complex flavor. Get the recipe for Chestnut Tortellini with Shallots and Sage Sauce »Heami Lee

Pasta Cacio e Pepe (Cheese and Pepper Pasta)

Cacio e Pepe
Less is more in an elemental Roman pasta dish which takes its spiciness from cracked black pepper toasted in oil. Get the recipe for Pasta Cacio e Pepe (Cheese and Pepper Pasta) »Helen Rosner

Spring Pea Ravioli with Prosciutto & Pea Shoots

Dinner Party, Spring Pea Ravioli
Homemade ravioli is a great weekend project recipe. Make them on a Sunday and freeze them for the week ahead; you can pop them directly in the boiling water from the freezer—they'll just need an extra minute or so to cook. Get the recipe for Spring Pea Ravioli with Prosciutto & Pea Shoots »Farideh Sadeghin

Summer Bolognese

Simple Weeknight Meal, Summer bolognese
This recipe for summer bolognese has the classic comfort of bolognese, but without the heaviness of a red sauce, instead embracing the summer's bounty of gorgeous tomatoes and fresh basil. Get the recipe for Summer Bolognese »Farideh Sadeghin

Pasta Primavera

Pasta Primavera
Hearty roasted vegetables and cheesy Parmigiano-Reggiano adorn this welcoming pasta. Get the recipe for Pasta Primavera »Matt Taylor-Gross

Penne alla Vodka

Penne alla Vodka
Whether or not this dish of tube-shaped penne pasta lavished with a peppery, vodka-laced cream and tomato sauce was created in Italy is a matter of heated debate in some quarters; some say it was the result of aggressive marketing on the part of vodka importers. Whatever the case, it has become firmly entrenched as an Italian American classic. Get the recipe for Penne alla Vodka »Landon Nordeman

Fettucine with Corn Crema and Charred Green Onions

Fettucine with Corn Crema and Charred Green Onions
For a creamy texture—without the cream—purée fresh, starchy corn into a thick sauce and toss with smoky scallions for a succulent summer pasta. Get the recipe for Fettucine with Corn Crema and Charred Green Onions »Matt Taylor-Gross

Linguine with Clam Sauce

Linguine with Clam Sauce
The secret to this simple and satisfying pasta dish is boiling the linguine until it's just al dente, so that it will absorb plenty of the briny, winey sauce when the two are cooked together. Get the recipe for Linguine with Clam Sauce »Landon Nordeman

Lobster Linguine with Chiles

Lobster Linguine with Chiles
This summery pasta, from award-winning chef Fulvio Pierangelini at his restaurant, Irene, in Florence, Italy, is enriched with the lobsters' coral, or roe sac. It adds a pop of briny flavor to the pasta, but can be omitted if the lobsters you buy don't contain it. Get the recipe for Lobster Linguine with Chiles »Christina Holmes

Spaghetti With Lamb and Sweet Pepper Ragù

Spaghetti Alla Chitarra
Lighter than the rich beef and pork ragùs of other Italian regions, this Abruzzo specialty features bell peppers mixed into the sauce and cooked briefly so they retain their shape and lend a pop of sweetness. It is typically served over spaghetti alla chitarra. Get the recipe for Spaghetti With Lamb and Sweet Pepper Ragù »Marcus Nilsson

Pasta with Sweetbread and Tripe Ragù (Rigatoni Pajata alla Finta)

Pasta with Sweetbread and Tripe Ragù (Rigatoni Pajata alla Finta)
Braised in a spicy tomato sauce, sweetbreads and tripe become tender and succulent, while ricotta adds rich creaminess and mint a refreshing, springlike accent to this Italian pasta. Get the recipe for Pasta with Sweetbread and Tripe Ragù (Rigatoni Pajata alla Finta) »Matt Taylor-Gross

Fusilli With Scampi, Cranberry Beans, and Peas

Fusilli with scampi, cranberry, beans and peas, Maine picnic
We whipped up this tasty dish during a trip to Venice, using fresh ingredients we found at the local markets. Substitute good-quality baby shrimp for Venetian scampi. Get the recipe for Fusilli With Scampi, Cranberry Beans, and Peas »Farideh Sadeghin

Spaghettini with Carrots, Olives, and Red Endive

Spaghettini with Carrots, Olives, and Red Endive
Carrot ribbons cooked al dente and lightly braised red endive add color to this simple vegetable-packed pasta dish, brightened with lots of lemon zest. Get the recipe for Spaghettini with Carrots, Olives, and Red Endive »Matt Taylor-Gross

Sausage and Arugula Pasta Salad

Sausage and Arugula Pasta Salad
Pasta salads are essential summer food: they travel well; they're easy to adapt to whatever produce you have on-hand; and they're simple to make in large portions, making them perfect dishes to carry to parties, picnics, and barbecues. Get the recipe for Sausage and Arugula Pasta Salad »Farideh Sadeghin

Homemade Pasta With Spicy Cabbage and Bacon

Homemade Pasta with Spicy Cabbage and Bacon (Krpice)
Cabbage is a staple vegetable in Slovenia; here it is wilted in bacon fat and spiced with cayenne before being tossed with homemade noodle dough for this traditional pasta dish. Get the recipe for Homemade Pasta With Spicy Cabbage and Bacon »Chris Court

Pappardelle with Mixed Mushrooms, Ricotta, and Walnuts

Pappardelle with Mixed Mushrooms, Ricotta, and Walnuts
A mix of sautéed mushrooms, toasted walnuts, ricotta, thyme, honey, and pappardelle, this pasta dish needs only a green salad on the side. Get the recipe for Pappardelle with Mixed Mushrooms, Ricotta, and Walnuts »Farideh Sadeghin

Corzetti Pasta with Dried Mushroom Ragù

Corzetti Pasta with Dried Mushroom Ragù
The silver-dollar-size rounds of corzetti (sometimes called croxetti) are elevated with a mushroom sauce bolstered by a savory veal stock. Get the recipe for Corzetti Pasta with Dried Mushroom Ragù »Ingalls Photography

Noodles with Peas (Pasta e Piselli)

Noodles with Peas (Pasta e Piselli)
The always-comforting combination of peas, bacon, and cheese comes together in less than half an hour. Get the recipe for Noodles with Peas (Pasta e Piselli) »Matt Taylor-Gross

Classic Easy Lasagna

Lasagna
Lasagna gets a bad rap for being a labor-intensive dish, but with a few shortcuts, like starting with store-bought lasagna sheets, you can make a great version any night of the week. Get the recipe for Classic Easy Lasagna »Farideh Sadeghin

Spaghetti with Garlic, Olive Oil, and Peperoncino Chiles

Spaghetti with Garlic, Olive Oil, and Peperoncino Chiles
Once served at the end of a meal—post dessert—this simple, classic Roman pasta dish has become a staple first-course across the city. Get the recipe for Spaghetti with Garlic, Olive Oil, and Peperoncino Chiles »Andrea Wyner

Pasta e Fagioli

Pasta e Fagioli
This version of the soup bean and pasta dish reverses the order of its stars turning it into a pasta dish laden with creamy beans and a creamy sauce. Get the recipe for Pasta e Fagioli »Simon Pearce

Corkscrew Pasta With Eggplant and Tomato-Basil Pesto

Corkscrew Pasta with Eggplant and Tomato-Basil Pesto (Busiate con Pesto alla Trapanese)
The North African tradition of serving almonds in savory dishes is reflected in the pesto for this dish, in which the nuts are mixed with tomatoes and basil and tossed with busiate, the traditional corkscrew-shaped pasta from Trapani. Get the recipe for Corkscrew Pasta With Eggplant and Tomato-Basil Pesto »William Hereford

Turkey Tetrazzini

Simple Week Night Meal Tetrazzini
This version of the American classic has a smattering of colorful vegetables and a sauce enriched by sherry and parmesan. Get the recipe for Turkey Tetrazzini »Matt Taylor-Gross

Chickpea and Pasta Soup

Chickpea and Pasta Soup
This soup is a meal in and of itself, full of lots of vegetables, chickpeas, and pasta. Get the recipe for Chickpea and Pasta Soup »Farideh Sadeghin

Spaghetti alla Primavera

Primavera
Invented in 1975 by Sirio Maccioni of Le Cirque restaurant in New York City, this classic is a colorful combination of pasta, cream, parmesan, and lightly sautéed spring and summer vegetables. Get the recipe for Spaghetti alla Primavera »Todd Coleman

Apple & Sausage Macaroni and Cheese

Mac and Cheese with Sausage and Apple Casserole
Fresh apples plus hard cider give this easy mac and cheese a double dose of fall flavor. Get the recipe for Apple & Sausage Macaroni and Cheese »Farideh Sadeghin

Spaghetti Carbonara

Spaghetti Carbonara
Real Roman spaghetti carbonara is pasta, whole eggs, pancetta or guanciale (cured pork jowl), and pecorino romano cheese—never cream. The sauce should gild, not asphyxiate, the noodles. Get the recipe for Spaghetti Carbonara »Matt Taylor-Gross

Pappardelle with Cauliflower and Mustard Brown Butter

Pappardelle with Cauliflower and Mustard Brown Butter
Simple ingredients—chewy, charred cauliflower, fried capers and bread crumbs, and browned butter, bolstered by whole grain mustard—combine for the ultimate late-winter pasta. Get the recipe for Pappardelle with Cauliflower and Mustard Brown Butter »Joseph De Leo

Seafood Pasta (Bucatini ai Frutti di Mare)

Seafood Pasta (Bucatini ai Frutti di Mare)
This pasta is filled with all kinds of seafood—clams, squid, shrimp, and lobster. Get the recipe for Seafood Pasta (Bucatini ai Frutti di Mare) »Michael Kraus

Busiate Sicilian Pesto

Busiate Sicilian Pesto
This flavorful pesto from Sicily is traditionally served with homemade busiate, a spiral-shaped pasta; you can substitute dried fusilli in a pinch. Get the recipe for Busiate Sicilian Pesto »Todd Coleman

Morel and Asparagus Spaghetti

Morel and Asparagus Spaghetti
In this bright spring pasta dish of morels, asparagus, and cream, dried morels are rehydrated in boiling water that is then used to cook spaghetti, infusing the pasta with an earthy, mushroomy flavor. Get the recipe for Morel and Asparagus Spaghetti »Yossy Arefi

Garlic Scape and Cherry Tomato Pasta

Garlic Scape and Cherry Tomato Pasta
Roasting garlic scapes with tomatoes and red onion sweetens them and enriches their flavor; toss them with pasta, lemon juice, and arugula for a simple meal. Get the recipe for Garlic Scape and Cherry Tomato Pasta »Farideh Sadeghin

Shrimp Scampi

Shrimp Scampi
An Italian-American classic, shrimp scampi is a simple dish of sauteed shrimp tossed with a sauce of white wine, garlic, lemon juice, and butter, then served with pasta. Get the recipe for Shrimp Scampi »Farideh Sadeghin

Spaghetti with Oven-Roasted Tomatoes and Caramelized Fennel

Spaghetti with Oven-Roasted Tomatoes and Caramelized Fennel
We like to serve this pasta topped with a little shaved bottarga, the dried salted roe of tuna or gray mullet; a sprinkle adds a briny, salty note that beautifully offsets sweet, oven roasted plum tomatoes. Get the recipe for Spaghetti with Oven-Roasted Tomatoes and Caramelized Fennel »Laura Sant

Trenette with Pesto, Beans & Potatoes

Trenette with Pesto, Beans & Potatoes
In this classic Genoese dish, fettuccine pasta is combined with string beans, baby red potatoes, and tossed with basil pesto. Get the recipe for Trenette with Pesto, Beans & Potatoes »Todd Coleman

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