17 pasta dishes that should be in your recipe box

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Toss out the notion that your pasta routine has to be boring—these 17 pasta dishes are game-changers that belong in your recipe box. Whether it’s a cozy night in or a dinner party, these recipes promise to spice up your pasta game with flavors that everyone will love. Don’t settle for the same old spaghetti; these pasta creations are your ticket to cooking excitement!

Gnocchi in Lemon-Parmesan Sauce on a black plate.
Gnocchi with Lemon-Parmesan Sauce. Photo credit: Cook What You Love.

Pasta e Fagioli Soup

Pasta e Fagioli Soup in 2 bowls with spoons.
Pasta e Fagioli Soup. Photo credit: Cook What You Love.

Listen up, soup lovers and pasta aficionados, because Pasta e Fagioli Soup is where your worlds collide. This is no ordinary bowl of liquid; it’s a hearty embrace of pasta, beans, and all things Italian in a soup that’s more like a festa in a bowl. You’ll want to grab a spoon and shout “Buon appetito” with every bite.
Get the Recipe: Pasta e Fagioli Soup

Pasta with Fresh Cherry Tomato Sauce

A bowl of pasta with cherry tomato sauce, cherry tomatoes, and garlic.
Pasta with Fresh Cherry Tomato Sauce. Photo credit: Cook What You Love.

In a world of overcomplicated meals, Pasta with Fresh Cherry Tomato Sauce is the breath of fresh air your kitchen needed. It’s like taking a summer stroll with cherry tomatoes bursting with juiciness in every bite. Simple, fresh, and utterly delicious, this dish reminds you why sometimes, the best things in life aren’t that complicated.
Get the Recipe: Pasta with Fresh Cherry Tomato Sauce

Steak & Pasta Salad

A black bowl filled with a pasta salad containing farfalle, steak slices, radishes, cherry tomatoes, lettuce, nuts, and crumbled blue cheese, garnished with parsley, on a wooden board next to a spoon.
Steak & Pasta Salad. Photo credit: Cook What You Love.

Whoever said you can’t have your steak and eat pasta too clearly never met Steak & Pasta Salad. It’s like that cool hybrid vehicle, only yummier—you get the hearty kick of steak with the twirlable fun of pasta. It’s for those times when you’re indecisive and the only decision you want to make is to fork up a steak-tossed pasta whirlwind.
Get the Recipe: Steak & Pasta Salad

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

Chicken cordon bleu casserole on a black plate with a fork.
Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole. Photo credit: Cook What You Love.

Imagine chicken and ham got cozy in a dish, blanketed under a creamy, cheesy sauce—that’s Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole for you. It’s like someone took all the fancy out of chicken cordon bleu, made it super chill, and said, “Let’s just bake this and call it awesome.” Comfort food just levelled up and threw on a stretchy pants suit.
Get the Recipe: Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

Mediterranean Orzo Salad with Shrimp

A bowl of Mediterranean orzo salad on a black plate.
Mediterranean Orzo Salad with Shrimp. Photo credit: Cook What You Love.

Ahoy, flavor adventure seekers! Mediterranean Orzo Salad with Shrimp is your first-class ticket to a cooking cruise across the Med. Orzo and shrimp are throwing a party with olives and feta, and guess what? You’re the guest of honor. Put on your sailor hat because this salad is setting sail straight to Yum Town.
Get the Recipe: Mediterranean Orzo Salad with Shrimp

Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup

A hand holding a spoonful of creamy chicken noodle soup with vegetables over a bowl, accompanied by slices of bread on a plate.
Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup. Photo credit: Dinner by Six.

Sick days or snow days, Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup is the trusty friend you call on when you need a little TLC. It’s got all the comforts of your classic chicken noodle but wrapped in a creamy hug that says, “Everything’s gonna be all right.” It’s the spoonful of comfort we all crave when the going gets tough, or when we just want soup.
Get the Recipe: Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup

Blackstone Tortellini with Meatballs

A close-up of a dish featuring colorful tortellini mixed with meatballs, spinach, and chopped red bell peppers, topped with melted cheese, served in a white bowl.
Blackstone Tortellini with Meatballs. Photo credit: Cook What You Love.

Imagine being a knight at the round table, but instead of fighting dragons, you’re battling the urge not to devour the entire pan of Blackstone Tortellini with Meatballs. This dish is where pasta meets valiant meatballs in a legendary saucy encounter. You’ll slay your hunger beast and probably ask for seconds. Armor not required, but an appetite surely is.
Get the Recipe: Blackstone Tortellini with Meatballs

Rotisserie Chicken Pasta Salad

A black bowl filled with rotisserie chicken pasta salad.
Rotisserie Chicken Pasta Salad. Photo credit: Cook What You Love.

So, you’ve got leftover chicken again, and you’re about as excited as a wet cat. Enter: Rotisserie Chicken Pasta Salad. This dish turns your “meh” chicken into a “wow” salad faster than you can say “leftover makeover.” It’s like giving your chicken a spa day, complete with a pasta pool and a veggie massage.
Get the Recipe: Rotisserie Chicken Pasta Salad

Smoked Shotgun Shells

Smoked shotgun shells on a white plate.
Smoked Shotgun Shells. Photo credit: Cook What You Love.

Welcome to the wild west of flavor town, where Smoked Shotgun Shells are the sheriff, and boring dinners are the outlaw. Loaded with smoky goodness, each bite is like firing off a round of deliciousness straight into your flavor saloon. Saddle up, partner, because this meal’s about to take you on a tastebud roundup like no other.
Get the Recipe: Smoked Shotgun Shells

Salmon Pasta Salad

Salmon pasta salad in a black dish.
Salmon Pasta Salad. Photo credit: Cook What You Love.

When salmon said, “I’m going on a carb vacation,” it packed its bags and nestled into a Salmon Pasta Salad. Imagine the omega-3 superstar taking a dive into a refreshing pool of pasta, greens, and a dressing that screams “summertime vibes.” It’s the cooking equivalent of a beach holiday, minus the sand in your shoes.
Get the Recipe: Salmon Pasta Salad

Tortellini Soup with Kale & Chicken

Kale and tortellini soup in a bowl on a wooden table.
Tortellini Soup with Kale & Chicken. Photo credit: Cook What You Love.

If Superman had a favorite soup, it would probably be Tortellini Soup with Kale & Chicken. It’s the Clark Kent of soups—mild-mannered chicken and tortellini at first, then BAM! Kale swoops in to save the day, packing a superfood punch. It’s the kind of soup that’s ready to rescue your dinner plans at a moment’s notice.
Get the Recipe: Tortellini Soup with Kale & Chicken

Pesto Orzo Salad

Orzo salad resting on a dark plate.
Pesto Orzo Salad. Photo credit: Cook What You Love.

On days when you want to feel fancy without donning the tux, Pesto Orzo Salad steps in. It’s like tiny pasta pearls adorned with the green jewels of pesto, making every forkful a ritzy affair. You’ll feel like royalty dining in the garden of freshness, and no one has to know it was oh-so-easy.
Get the Recipe: Pesto Orzo Salad

Giant Cheese Stuffed Shells

Giant Cheese Stuffed Pasta Shells in two black serving dishes.
Giant Cheese Stuffed Shells. Photo credit: Cook What You Love.

Ever wished you could fall into a cheesy, saucy embrace? Giant Cheese Stuffed Shells are your dream come true, with pasta shells so packed with cheese they’re practically bursting. This dish is the cooking hug you’ve been searching for, with every forkful saying, “It’s gonna be okay.” Just dive into the cheesy abyss and forget your worries.
Get the Recipe: Giant Cheese Stuffed Shells

Greek Spaghetti

A bowl of pasta with tomatoes, feta and kalamata olives.
Greek Spaghetti. Photo credit: Cook What You Love.

Forget about smashing plates; let’s twirl forks with Greek Spaghetti. This dish takes you on a Grecian holiday faster than you can say “Opa!” It’s spaghetti gone wild on a feta-fueled adventure, mingling with olives and herbs in a way that’ll make your heart do the Zorba dance.
Get the Recipe: Greek Spaghetti

Tortellini Soup with Sausage

Tortellini Soup with Sausage in a white bowl.
Tortellini Soup with Sausage. Photo credit: Cook What You Love.

Ever found yourself cuddled up in a blanket, dreaming of something warm and comforting? Cue in the superstar of comfort foods: Tortellini Soup with Sausage. It’s like getting a warm hug from a bowl of sausage, tortellini, and all that broth-y goodness. Seriously, if meals could hug, this one would be your grandma in soup form.
Get the Recipe: Tortellini Soup with Sausage

Turkey Stuffed Shells with Pesto

Turkey and Pesto Stuffed Pasta Shells in a black cast iron dish.
Turkey Stuffed Shells with Pesto. Photo credit: Cook What You Love.

It’s Thanksgiving, but Italiano style! With Turkey Stuffed Shells with Pesto, you’re not just eating; you’re embarking on a flavor trip to the heart of Italy—without the jet lag. Think of it as traditional turkey’s cooler, trendier cousin who studied abroad and brought back some saucy, pesto-packed recipes. Oh, and it’ll charm the apron off your nonna.
Get the Recipe: Turkey Stuffed Shells with Pesto

Gnocchi with Lemon-Parmesan Sauce

Gnocchi in Lemon-Parmesan Sauce on a black plate.
Gnocchi with Lemon-Parmesan Sauce. Photo credit: Cook What You Love.

Picture this: You’re lounging in a gondola, and Gnocchi with Lemon-Parmesan Sauce is your gondolier gently rowing you through canals of creamy, citrusy goodness. This dish is the vacay to Italy your mouth was dreaming of, with every bite whispering “ti amo” in flavors so divine, you might just whisper it back.
Get the Recipe: Gnocchi with Lemon-Parmesan Sauce

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