15 Essential Pasta Recipes That Everyone Should Know How to Make   (2024)

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Moriah Ayana Mason

15 Essential Pasta Recipes That Everyone Should Know How to Make (1)

Moriah Ayana Mason

Moriah Mason is part of the fellowship program at Dotdash Meredith, currently with Allrecipes. Moriah writes trending news articles, updates existing articles, and analyzes site traffic. She is an experienced writer who has contributed to several publications, including Samford Crimson and Alabama Political Reporter.

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Published on September 30, 2022

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15 Essential Pasta Recipes That Everyone Should Know How to Make (2)

Pasta is the perfect blank canvas that allows you to experiment while also fulfilling your wildest cooking dreams. From simple dishes like pesto pasta to labors of love like classic lasagna, there's an endless number of pasta dishes to try. But these 15 must-make recipes — including bolognese, cacio e pepe and carbonara — are the essential dishes every home cook should have in their repertoire.

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Baked Ziti

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Cheese lovers rejoice! This baked ziti has not one but three types of cheese — provolone, mozzarella, and Parmesan — loaded in it for a gooey, melty masterpiece.

02of 16

Fettuccine Alfredo

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This simple yet delicious pasta dish is bound to satisfy even the pickiest eater in your household. Containing only butter, heavy cream, Romano cheese, Parmesan cheese, fettuccine pasta, and a dash of garlic salt, it's simple but oh so delicious.

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Spaghetti Carbonara

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Revel in the meaty taste of bacon in this flavorful carbonara recipe. It's ready in just 40 minutes and makes a whopping 8 helpings making it perfect for an easy entertaining dinner.

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Spaghetti Cacio e Pepe

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There's no denying cacio e pepe is a beloved dish and it's easy enough to make at home. Trust us, this recipe has more than 200 5-star ratings! So there's no second-guessing the deliciousness of this perfect pasta dish.

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Slow Cooker Bolognese

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Bolognese is usually a labor of love, simmering all day on the stove. Make it easier on yourself with this hands-off recipe that utilizes the slow cooker. Pair it with any kind of pasta for a filling family dinner.

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Gnocchi with Tomato Sauce and Mozzarella

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15 Essential Pasta Recipes That Everyone Should Know How to Make (8)

Fresh mozzarella cheese and fresh basil give this gnocchi recipe bright flavor. Recipe creator Alemarsi says this recipe works with both homemade gnocchi and store-bought.

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Bucatini All' Amatriciana

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This pasta dish featuring guanciale (a type of cured pork) is Chef Carlo Apolloni's signature dish. It makes just two servings, making it the perfect recipe to try for a date night in.

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Pesto Pasta

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Whether you like your pasta hot or cold, this Pesto Pasta is delicious either way! This recipe is for those times when you need to get lunch or dinner on the table in 15 minutes! Quick but lip-smacking good.

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Classic and Simple Meat Lasagna

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You can't beat a warm slice of lasagna that's been filled with juicy ground beef, savory tomato-basil sauce, creamy ricotta and melty mozzarella cheese.

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One Pan Orecchiette Pasta

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Skip cleaning a mountain of dishes and make a scrumptious orecchiette pasta all in a matter of 40 minutes using just one pot. From the spicy Italian sausage, chicken broth, and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, this is one recipe that you'll want to make on repeat.

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Garlic-Herb Linguine

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This simple Garlic-Herb Linguine is the perfect side dish for any protein. Here's what reviewer Lisa D. Thompson had to say about it, "Simple and delicious! Great side dish."

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Bow Ties with Sausage, Tomato, and Cream

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The creamy tomato base of this pasta dish is infused with flavor thanks to sausage. If you like it spicy try it with hot Italian sausage.

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Three Cheese Manicotti

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Impress your family with this Three Cheese Manicotti dish that is not only made using three different types of cheeses but kicks up the flavor with garlic, basil, and pasta sauce.

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Tomato Basil Penne Pasta

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A little pepper Jack cheese adds a hint of spiciness to this simple and savory Tomato Basil Penne Pasta.

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Pantry Puttanesca

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"Quick, easy, and full of flavor!" says reviewer Jillian. This delicious pasta is ready in just 20 minutes and uses ingredients you probably already have on hand.

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15 Essential Pasta Recipes That Everyone Should Know How to Make (18)

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15 Essential Pasta Recipes That Everyone Should Know How to Make   (2024)

FAQs

What are the 4 main pasta dishes? ›

There are four classic Roman pasta dishes: cacio e pepe, carbonara, amatriciana, and alla gricia. Each one is a variation on the other — alla gricia is cacio e pepe plus guanciale, carbonara is gricia plus egg, and so on. These four dishes are famous in all of Italian cooking, not just in Rome.

What are the essential of pasta? ›

The basic ingredients are simple and cheap: flour, water, salt, and maybe some eggs. Whether you make your own or buy it at the store, pasta is a great way to feed the family without breaking the bank.

What are the 5 things to remember in cooking pasta? ›

5 Tips On How To Cook Pasta
  • Cook Your Pasta In A Big Pot.
  • Don't Cook The Pasta In Advance.
  • Salt The Water.
  • Save The Pasta Cooking Water.
  • Add The Cheese At The End.
Feb 4, 2020

What are the golden rules of pasta? ›

The pasta should be “al dente”, which means it should be “firm to the bite”, yet cooked through. It's better to taste the pasta before draining it. When it's ready drain the pasta but don't rinse it with cold water. The pasta should be hot when mixed with the sauce.

Is pasta good for gut health? ›

Is pasta good for gut health? A diet high in refined carbohydrates is generally not good for your gut health, since being on a high-refined carbohydrate diet can reduce the presence of good bacteria in your gut. This can result in digestion issues.

What are the 5 main types of pasta? ›

Bonus: Zoodles
Type of PastaPasta Shape
LongSpaghettiThin, round-shaped
ShortFusilliSpiral-shaped
FarfalleBowties
MacaroniSemicircular, curve-shaped
6 more rows
Apr 4, 2019

What is the rarest pasta dish? ›

Su filindeu—literally “threads of God” in Sardo—is unfathomably intricate. It's made by only three women on Earth, all of whom live on Sardinia. And they make it only for the biannual Feast of San Francesco. It's been this way for the last 200 years.

Which is the tastiest pasta in the world? ›

  • Pasta. Pasta alla Norma. CATANIA, Italy.
  • Pasta. Spaghetti alla puttanesca. ISCHIA, Italy.
  • Pasta. Tagliatelle ai funghi. ITALY.
  • Pasta. Spaghetti aglio olio e peperoncino. LAZIO, Italy.
  • Pasta. Pizzoccheri alla Valtellinese. VALTELLINA, Italy.
  • Vegetable Soup. Pasta e ceci. ITALY.
  • Pasta. Makaronia me kima. GREECE.
  • Pasta.

What is the 10 100 1000 rule pasta? ›

The pasta is flavored by the salt water, so not enough salt will leave the pasta bland. If you want to get technical you can use the golden rule of 10-100-1000, 10 grams of salt to 100 grams of pasta, to 1000 grams of water.

What not to do when making pasta? ›

Cooking pasta: 5 mistakes
  1. Toss the pasta when the water is cold. This is probably the most common and also the most serious mistake you can make in cooking pasta. ...
  2. Using the wrong measure of salt. ...
  3. Cooking pasta in a small pot. ...
  4. Overcooking the pasta. ...
  5. Drain the pasta too much.
Sep 14, 2023

What is the most popular pasta dish in Italy? ›

So, from an Italian perspective (I'm from Italy) the most common dish is spaghetti aglio, olio e peperoncino. It's just spaghetti tossed in a pan with olive oil, garlic and hot pepper.

What is the healthiest pasta to eat? ›

Whole-Wheat Pasta

Also called whole-grain pasta, this type of pasta keeps the bran, endosperm, and germ of the grain together. It's filled with fiber, vitamins, and minerals. This helps you feel full longer and keeps your blood sugar from spiking.

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