20 5-Star Pasta Recipes to Save Right Now

Bookmark these top-rated recipes now for comforting, delicious dinners whenever you need them.

By
Devan Grimsrud
Devan Grimsrud
Devan Grimsrud

Devan Grimsrud is a Berlin-based writer, editor, and recipe developer originally from Minneapolis, Minnesota. After working in television production with James Beard Award-winning chef Andrew Zimmern, she relocated to Berlin and became the managing editor at Kitchen Stories, an international digital cooking platform with millions of active users. 

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Published November 26, 2025
Devan Grimsrud
French onion pasta in a pot at a table

Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

Pasta night will never disappoint, especially when you make one of these top-rated recipes. From Cheesy Hamburger Pasta Skillet to classic Baked Ziti, these comforting pasta dishes earned their 5-stars reviews for a reason. They're perfect for when you need something easy and crowd-pleasing, plus many make enough so leftovers can be turned into effortless weekday lunches. Trust us: you'll want to save these recipes to cozy up to this winter.

Join MyRecipes to save, search, and organize your recipes all in one place! To start saving, click on any recipe below, then tap the heart ❤️ icon.

  • 4-Ingredient Johnny Mac

    overhead view of a baking dish of Johnny Mac (4-Ingredient Casserole) and one serving scooped out onto a plate with a fork

    Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

    "Johnny Mac is my grandma’s simplified version of the classic cheesy tomato and meat-laden Johnny Marzetti casserole. Her version relies on ground beef or turkey instead of sausage, Parmesan cheese only, and a hefty amount of tomato sauce to avoid fiddling with added vegetables." —Joey Firoben, Recipe Developer

  • Cheesy Hamburger Pasta Skillet

    A top view of a skillet with the Cheesy Hamburger Skillet Recipe

    Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

    "This recipe calls for a whole 8-ounce block or about 2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese. High-quality preshredded cheeses, like Tillamook and Cabot, work if you don’t have the energy to grate the block yourself. You can also swap the cheddar cheese for other melty cheese like Monterey Jack or provolone." —Meghan Splawn, Recipe Developer

  • Rattlesnake Pasta

    Overhead view of two light green plates of a chicken and penne pasta dish with cheese and jalapenos along with a fork and next to an orange napkin, bowl of jalapenos, bowl of cheese and a bottle of hot sauce on a beige background

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Morgan Hunt Glaze / Food Styling by Jennifer Wendorf / Prop Styling by Lindsey Lower

    "Heavy pots like Dutch ovens are best for one-pot pasta dishes. They retain heat more evenly and prevent scorching, which can be easy to do in these types of creamy pastas." —Sheela Prakash, Recipe Developer

  • Rotisserie Chicken Alfredo

    A plate of chicken alfredo, ready to serve and eat

    Simply Recipes / Nick Evans

    "In theory, you could use any pasta for Alfredo. But I think wider noodles work best for thicker sauces like this. I would go with fettuccine or linguine, but spaghetti will work fine as well." —Nick Evans, Recipe Developer

    Continue to 5 of 20 below

  • Baked Spaghetti

    Baked Spaghetti

    Simply Recipes / Cambrea Gordon

    "If you don't like mushrooms, please feel free to leave them out. If you love mushrooms, I recommend using shiitake because they are so wonderfully flavorful. Or you could augment creminis with dried porcinis that have been reconstituted in hot water." —Elise Bauer, Founder

  • One-Pan Orzo alla Vodka

    A skillet containing orzo pasta mixed with a creamy vodkabased sauce stirred with a wooden spoon

    Simply Recipes / Alexandra Shytsman

    "This dish goes with just about any protein or veggie side. I served it with sautéed ground chicken sausage, but it would be fabulous with meatballs, leftover roast chicken, or baked fish. To make it more filling on its own, you can stir in some white beans, too. For greens on the side, I love steamed broccoli, a kale salad, or easy broiled green beans." —Rebecca Fennel, Recipe Developer

  • Marry Me Chickpea Pasta

    A close-up of cooked pasta with chickpeas and basil leaves

    Simply Recipes / Frank Tiu

    "This recipe is well-suited to smaller pasta shapes. Look for something that sauce clings to, like fusilli corti bucati, paccheri (especially fun when the chickpeas get hidden inside the pasta), penne, or lumache." —Stephanie A. Ganz, Recipe Developer

  • Creamy Baked Mac and Cheese

    Kraft mac and cheese - a silver spoon is scooping homemade mac and cheese our of a white casserole dish

    Simply Recipes / Alison Bickle

    "Serving a crowd? Feel free to double this recipe and bake it in a 9x13 dish." —Summer Miller, Recipe Developer

    Continue to 9 of 20 below

  • One-Pan Chicken Fajita Pasta

    One-Pan Chicken Fajita Pasta in a pot with a hand scooping some with a wooden spoon, limes, napkins, salt on the side

    Simply Recipes / Sara Haas

    "You can serve this chicken fajita pasta as is or topped with your favorite fajita toppings, like sour cream, salsa, hot sauce, or guacamole. A splash of fresh lime juice is also a great finishing touch." —Sara Haas, Recipe Developer

  • Lasagna Roll-Ups

    Baked lasagna rollups in a dish topped with melted cheese and basil leaves with a serving on a plate nearby

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Josh Hoggle

    "You’ll need to use traditional lasagna noodles here, not the no-boil kind, as they’ll need to be pliable to roll up all of the goodness inside. And make sure not to oil the noodles after boiling—this creates a slippery surface that prevents the sauce from sticking to the noodles." —Amanda Stanfield, Food Studio Coordinator

  • Pasta Carbonara

    Two bowls os pasta carbonara, ready to serve and eat

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Julia Gartland / Food Styling by Barrett Washburne

    "Some people add cream to their carbonara. It's not traditional, but you can certainly do this and make an even creamier sauce for the pasta. Personally, I think it's rich enough without it." —Elise Bauer, Founder

  • Sloppy Joe Skillet Dinner

    overhead view of Sloppy Joe Skillet Dinner

    Simply Recipes / Coco Morante

    "Optional toppings for this dish include fresh chopped parsley, pickle chips, thinly sliced onions, pickled or candied sliced jalapeños, and fried onions." —Coco Morante, Recipe Developer

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  • Baked Ziti

    Casserole dish of cheesy baked ziti

    Simply Recipes / Cambrea Bakes

    "Ziti is a pretty common pasta shape, but you can substitute penne pasta if you can't find it. You want a substantial short pasta shape with places to hold the sauce and meat." —Elise Bauer, Founder

  • Chili Mac and Cheese

    Spoon in Chili Mac Dish

    Simply Recipes / Aaron Hutcherson

    "The chili mixture is mild in terms of the spice level, so heat seekers might want to add some crushed red pepper flakes or a diced jalapeño." —Aaron Hutcherson, Recipe Developer

  • French Onion Pasta

    French onion pasta in a pot at a table

    Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

    "Salting the onions helps to draw out moisture faster, so they can begin caramelizing sooner." —Julie and Amy Luxemberg, Recipe Developers

  • Pumpkin Chicken Pasta Bake

    Baked pasta with chicken and cheese served in a white casserole dish topped with chopped chives

    Simply Recipes / Frank Tiu

    "This dish is meant to use a whole rotisserie chicken, but it can also be made with whatever leftover cooked chicken you have on hand. Cooked pork works well here, too; medallions are wonderful, but shredded is even better." —Lou Perseghin, Recipe Developer

    Continue to 17 of 20 below

  • Pasta Puttanesca

    Pasta Puttanesca
    Elise Bauer

    "Holy cow! Made this tonight and the family LOVED it! Even the kiddos :)" —Rebecca, Reader

  • Turkish Pasta

    Pasta dish with ground meat, yogurt sauce, and parsley

    Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

    "If you have it on hand, season the meat with 1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds or 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin for more flavor." —Devan Grimsrud, Recipe Developer

  • Cheesy Tortellini Casserole

    Casserole dish of tortellini casserole, serving spoon removing a cheesy spoonful

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Nico Schinco / Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne

    "You can also use boxed tortellini or even fresh tortellini; cook it according to the package instructions until just al dente before assembling the casserole." —Elise Bauer, Founder

  • Vegan Mac and Cheese

    Two Bowl of Vegan Mac and Cheese Next to Two Spoons and a Table Napkin

    Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek

    "The cashews contribute some fat, which is important for the sauce’s body. But adding one tablespoon of oil really goes a long way in making this sauce taste like macaroni and cheese and not just cooked pasta tossed with puréed potato goop. You can use any mild oil you like." —Sara Bir, Former Senior Editor

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