Best Pasta Recipes

Why Pasta Never Gets Old

Pasta is one of the most versatile, affordable, and satisfying foods on earth. With a box of pasta and a handful of pantry staples, you can make dozens of completely different meals. Here are the best ones.

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Spaghetti Carbonara

The real deal — no cream. Just eggs, pecorino Romano, guanciale (or pancetta), and black pepper. Simple ingredients, incredible result.

Key technique:

• Toss the hot pasta with the egg-cheese mixture off the heat
• The residual heat cooks the eggs into a silky sauce without scrambling
• Use pasta water to loosen the sauce — it’s liquid gold

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One-Pot Creamy Tomato Pasta

Everything cooks in one pot — pasta, garlic, canned tomatoes, broth, and cream. The starch from the pasta thickens the sauce as it absorbs the liquid.

Why it works:

• Zero draining, zero extra pots
• Rich and creamy without heavy cream — just a splash at the end
• Add spinach or basil in the last minute

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Baked Ziti

Layers of ziti pasta, ricotta, mozzarella, and a meaty marinara sauce — baked until bubbly and golden. Feeds a crowd.

Assembly:

• Cook ziti to al dente (it keeps cooking in the oven)
• Layer: sauce → pasta → ricotta dollops → mozzarella → repeat
• Bake at 375°F for 25 minutes, broil for 2 minutes at the end

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Cacio e Pepe

Three ingredients: pasta, Pecorino Romano, and black pepper. The simplest pasta that’s also one of the hardest to perfect.

The secret:

• Toast cracked black pepper in olive oil to bloom the flavor
• Create the sauce by emulsifying cheese with starchy pasta water
• Work quickly — the sauce seizes if it cools down

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Pesto Pasta with Cherry Tomatoes

Fresh basil pesto tossed with pasta, halved cherry tomatoes, and pine nuts. Bright, herby, and ready in 15 minutes.

Homemade pesto:

• Blend basil, garlic, pine nuts, parmesan, olive oil, salt
• Toss with hot pasta and a splash of pasta water
• Top with burrata for an elevated touch

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Chicken Alfredo

Creamy, garlicky Alfredo sauce with tender sliced chicken over fettuccine. A comfort food classic.

From-scratch sauce:

• Butter, garlic, heavy cream, and parmesan — that’s it
• Simmer until thickened (5 minutes)
• Season generously with black pepper and nutmeg

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Pasta Tips

• Salt your water like the sea — it’s the only chance to season the pasta itself
• Save pasta water before draining — it’s the best sauce thickener
• Cook to al dente — firm to the bite, especially for baked dishes
• Finish cooking pasta in the sauce for the last 1–2 minutes
• Never rinse cooked pasta — the starch helps sauce cling