20 Creative Pasta Recipes You'll Probably Want To Whip Up ASAP (2024)

Curly pasta, a creamy sauce, tender chicken pieces, crispy bacon, and either spinach or broccoli (your choice!) all prepared in a simple, one-pot recipe. Any time ranch is involved, you know it's going to be good.

Recipe: Instant Pot Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta

Sure, you've had avocado on toast or mashed up with tortilla chips, but it actually makes for a super delicious, creamy pasta sauce, which is exactly what you'll learn to make here! This may just become your new go-to recipe.

Recipe: Creamy Avocado Pasta

Have you ever made your own ravioli? If not, you'll see it's actually pretty easy! With a fava bean and ricotta filling? Yes, please. Honestly though, once you have the ravioli made, you can feel free to experiment with whichever fillings satisfy your cravings.

Recipe: Homemade Ravioli with Ricotta and Fava Beans

If the words "One Pot BBQ Chicken Pasta" weren't enough to convince you, how about the fact that it takes less than 30 minutes to prepare? It's BBQ-y, cheesy goodness, and who can say no to that?

Recipe: One Pot BBQ Chicken Pasta

If you're looking for a cold pasta salad recipe that's a bit different, then this one should hit the spot. The pepperoni gives it a nice kick and perfectly balances the fresh mozzarella and vegetables.

Recipe: Pepperoni Pizza Pasta Salad

This recipe opts for broccolini, because it's cheaper than asparagus, but has a similar taste and texture. This fancy schmancy recipe only takes about a half hour total with both prepping and cooking, yet makes you feel as if you're a professional chef.

Recipe: Broccolini Pasta with Creamy White Wine Sauce

YES, CHOCOLATE PASTA! You can totally go down the sweet or savory route with this kind of pasta — here, despite the recipe being titled "savory," it kinda does both. The goat cheese and hazelnuts add to it being savory, while the cherries bring out the sweetness.

Recipe: Savory Chocolate Pasta with Goat Cheese, Hazelnuts, and Cherries

The ultimate comfort food. Anytime you balance out the flavors of spicy buffalo chicken with creamy cheese, you know it's going to be *chef's kiss.* If buffalo chicken isn't quite your thing, you can of course still follow the recipe for just the mac and cheese here, because TBH, it's just as mouthwatering.

Recipe: Buffalo Chicken Macaroni and Cheese

This 10-minute recipe takes everything you love about everything bagels and just applies it to a delicious pasta dish. If you don't own or you're not interested in buying a pre-made everything bagel seasoning, you can easily make your own at home! Plus, if you're salt-sensitive, you can control how much or how little goes into the recipe!

Recipe: Everything Bagel Spice Aglio E Olio Pasta

Walnut pesto? Yup. The best part of this recipe is the fact that the tortellini shape catches the chunks from the pesto, so none of that good pesto sinks and stays at the bottom of the bowl/plate. You're making some really good pesto here, it would be a shame for it to go to waste.

Recipe: Tortellini with Walnut Pesto

Pasta? A perfect food. Tacos? A perfect food. Taco pasta that also happens to have the word "cheesy" in the recipe's title? You're not dreaming — this is real life. Plus, it's all made in one pot and ready in about half an hour. You can thank us later.

Recipe: One Pot Cheesy Taco Pasta

Spaghetti with meat sauce is undeniably good, sure. It's basic though, and we're here to get creative. This recipe is an interesting, simple way of taking spaghetti with meat sauce to a fun and exciting level the whole family will enjoy.

Recipe: Gluten-Free Spaghetti Pie

Before you scoff at the whole "mustard sauce" idea, think about the bold, rich flavors that await your taste buds in this dish. This is a great option for those cooking meatless, that want something different from the same ol' same marinara sauce.

Recipe: Pasta with Mushrooms in a Creamy Mustard Sauce

Have you ever eaten a jalapeño popper and wondered how you could turn it into a pasta dish? Don't worry, I haven't either, although I'm glad someone has, because now you're combining two wonderful comfort foods into one.

Recipe: One Pot Creamy Jalapeño Popper Chicken Pasta

This vegan pasta dish calls for using either chow mein or rice noodles, making an easy, but delicious peanut sauce, and throwing in whatever fresh veggies or vegan protein you have at-home. Plus, it all takes about 15 minutes total, so it's a quick one!

Recipe: Easy Vegan Thai Peanut Noodles

Who says pumpkin is only good in the fall? I say you can enjoy that cozy flavor year-round, especially in pasta form. In fact, once you make this creamy, spiced pumpkin sauce, you're going to want to make it over and over again.

Recipe: Chorizo-Spiced Pumpkin Pasta

If you thought you loved Philly cheesesteaks in sandwich form, wait until you try it in pasta form. Plus, this recipe calls for some more cleaned-up ingredients. Philly Cheesesteak as a pasta dish with nutritious ingredients? Yes, yep, yup!

Recipe: Philly Cheesesteak Pasta

This vegan recipe is the perfect way to make use of vegetables that are still good to eat, but nearing the end of their shelf-life. You can toss it altogether with your choice of noodles, and a creamy sunflower seed Alfredo sauce.

Recipe: "Kitchen Sink" Pasta with Sunflower Seed Alfredo Sauce

This recipe is pretty much your standard paella, but instead of rice, you'll have pasta! Can't go wrong with that! Plus, this recipe calls for toasting the pasta, which will give it a nuttier flavor.

Recipe: Quick One Pan Pasta Paella

This stuffed-shell recipe will teach you how to make vegan ricotta cheese, aka "chicotta," aka chickpea ricotta. All you need are chickpeas and a few other simple ingredients you probably already have in the pantry and you'll be on your way to stuffing your own pasta shells. That is, if you don't finish all the chicotta by the spoonful first.

Recipe: Spinach "Chicotta" Stuffed Pasta Shells