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  1. Midwest Living
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  4. Pasta Recipes with Pizzazz

Pasta Recipes with Pizzazz

By Midwest Living editors Updated January 14, 2023
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Minted Rigatoni with Cauliflower, Sausage and Crispy Panko
Credit: Carson Downing

Our recipes for noodle-based casseroles, salads, bowls and other dishes give you both traditional and innovative flavor options for this family-favorite ingredient.

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Minted Rigatoni with Cauliflower, Sausage and Crispy Panko

<p>Fresh or frozen riced cauliflower clings to the pasta, and toasted breadcrumbs mimic Parmesan in this dairy-free supper dish that's perfect for a fast weeknight meal.</p>
Credit: Carson Downing
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

Fresh or frozen riced cauliflower clings to the pasta, and toasted breadcrumbs mimic Parmesan in this dairy-free supper dish that's perfect for a fast weeknight meal.

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Rainbow Soba Noodle Bowls

Rainbow Soba Noodle Bowls
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Dressed in creamy peanut dressing, these warm noodles are topped with tons of crisp fresh produce. (Feel free to swap different veggies—or add a few shrimp—based on your family's preference.) The recipe comes from the cookbook Pretty Simple Cooking.

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Lemon Shrimp Pasta with Wilted Arugula

Lemon Shrimp Pasta with Wilted Arugula
Credit: Carson Downing
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This recipe is fresh and fast—just what you need on a weeknight. Wilting the arugula into the warm pasta softens its peppery flavor.

Related: Easy Shrimp Recipes

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Green Veggie Pasta

Green Veggie Pasta
Credit: Brie Passano
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Go green with three superfood veggies—collard greens, asparagus, and peas. It's delicious as a meat-free meal, but if you like, add some ham for extra flavor and protein.

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Spaghetti Carbonara

Spaghetti Carbonara
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This recipe for a classic pasta carbonara comes from the cookbook Michael Symon's 5 in 5 ($19.99), a fantastic source for weeknight dinner ideas. Plan to prep the ingredients (grate cheese, chop parsley) before you begin.

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Big-Batch, All-Day Pasta Bolognese

Big-Batch, All-Day Pasta Bolognese
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Start to finish, this incredible pasta takes 8 hours, mostly hands-off and none of it hard. You'll make 18 cups of sauce—enough to serve 24 for a holiday gathering or to freeze for meals all winter long. 

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Thai Beef and Noodle Bowl

Thai Beef and Noodle Salad
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Lean flank steak, whole wheat pasta and crisp vegetables make this Asian-inspired salad a healthy choice. Ditching that time-consuming (and all-too-easy-to-forget) step of marinating the meat makes it genius.

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Mexican Street Corn Macaroni Salad

Mexican Street Corn Macaroni Salad
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In Mexico, grilled corn comes coated in mayonnaise, lime, cheese and cilantro. We just added pasta, plus lots of green onion for bite. It's a macaroni salad that's anything but basic.

Related: 20 Scrumptious Pasta Salad Recipes

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Vietnamese-Style Noodle Bowls

vietnamese-style noodle soup
Credit: Carson Downing
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This soothing, spiced bowl echoes the long-simmered soup called pho (pronounced "fuh") but uses boxed broth and flank steak. Pull sprigs from the gorgeous, leafy mess of cilantro, mint and basil to season as you slurp.

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Buttered Fettucine with Brussels Sprouts and Parmesan

Buttered Fettucine with Brussels Sprouts and Parmesan
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In Italy, this deliciously simple sauce, made with just butter and the pasta cooking water, is known as "fettucine al burro." Our version adds Brussels sprouts, thyme and lemon zest for nutrition and flavor.

Related: Fresh Brussels Sprouts Recipes

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Spring Tortellini Soup

Spring Tortellini Soup
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This family-friendly soup takes advantage of a couple of convenience products to come together in minutes. Broccolini, available in large supermarkets, is a cross between broccoli and Chinese kale. It has longer, thinner stalks than broccoli and a more delicate texture. If you can't find it, use regular broccoli.

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Vietnamese Shrimp and Noodle Bowls

Vietnamese Shrimp and Noodle Bowls
Credit: Jay Wilde
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These bowls check all the boxes with layers of flavors, textures and temperatures. Grab your chopsticks and dig in!

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Penne with Lentils and Feta

Penne with Lentils and Feta
Credit: Brie Passano
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Hearty and wholesome, this pasta salad is loaded with cherry tomatoes, cucumber, lentils, salty cheese and parsley, all cloaked in a light and bright red wine vinaigrette.

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Tomato Pasta with Arugula and Parmesan

Tomato Pasta with Arugula and Parmesan
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Light, no-cook lemon-garlic sauce dresses a tangle of linguine and vegetables. Mix red and yellow cherry tomatoes for the prettiest dish.

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Penne with Arrabbiata Sauce

Penne with Arrabiata Sauce
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Arrabbiata (the Italian word for angry) is a Roman sauce of garlic, tomatoes and red chili cooked in olive oil. This recipe, inspired by a RAGBRAI vendor, offers several variations. Serve cooked penne with either a spicy red sauce or with a classic green pesto sauce. Optional toppings include rosemary-crusted grilled salmon or grilled summer squash. 

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Pasta with Chard and Basil

Pasta with Chard and Basil
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If you have a big bunch of chard from the farmers market or a CSA box, this healthy, easy 30-minute dinner is a great way to use it up. 

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Classic Lasagna

Classic Lasagna
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With its rich meaty sauce and creamy cheese layers, this lasagna is always a favorite main dish.

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Three-in-One Primavera

Three-in-One Primavera
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Our ready-in-minutes recipe starts with pasta and mixed vegetables—then just pick the sauce that suits your mood. Choose among light lemon-basil, creamy Parmesan or peppercorn-ranch dressing for a pasta salad.

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Pizza Pasta Skillet Casserole

Pizza Pasta Skillet Casserole
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A blanket of gooey cheese and the oven-crisped pepperoni make this casserole a guaranteed kid pleaser. Of course, you can switch up the ingredients as easily as the toppings on a pizza. Classics like sweet pepper, black olives and sausage are all fair game—but we'd hold the anchovies!

Related: Easy Casserole and Hotdish Recipes

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Tagliatelle A La Hudson

Tagliatelle A La Hudson
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Lemon and prosciutto flavor this easy pasta dish to perfection.

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Tortellini, Spinach and Mushrooms in Wine-Butter Sauce

Tortellini, Spinach and Mushrooms in Wine-Butter Sauce
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A simple pan sauce and fresh vegetables dress up family-favorite cheese tortellini for a meal that's ready in 25 minutes.

Related: Simple Skillet Suppers

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Pesto Penne with Deli-Roasted Chicken

Pesto Penne with Deli-Roasted Chicken
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Purchased pesto and roast chicken help get this quick and easy main dish on the table in just 20 minutes. Fresh broccoli cooks with the pasta and lends straight-from-the-garden flavor.

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Pea and Mint Pesto

Pea and Mint Pesto
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Fresh mint and sweet peas shine in this bright, versatile pesto. We love it as a dip, sandwich spread and pasta sauce (thinned with a little water), but we suspect that you'll find even more ways to use it for a burst of early-summer flavor.

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    1 of 23 Minted Rigatoni with Cauliflower, Sausage and Crispy Panko
    2 of 23 Rainbow Soba Noodle Bowls
    3 of 23 Lemon Shrimp Pasta with Wilted Arugula
    4 of 23 Green Veggie Pasta
    5 of 23 Spaghetti Carbonara
    6 of 23 Big-Batch, All-Day Pasta Bolognese
    7 of 23 Thai Beef and Noodle Bowl
    8 of 23 Mexican Street Corn Macaroni Salad
    9 of 23 Vietnamese-Style Noodle Bowls
    10 of 23 Buttered Fettucine with Brussels Sprouts and Parmesan
    11 of 23 Spring Tortellini Soup
    12 of 23 Vietnamese Shrimp and Noodle Bowls
    13 of 23 Penne with Lentils and Feta
    14 of 23 Tomato Pasta with Arugula and Parmesan
    15 of 23 Penne with Arrabbiata Sauce
    16 of 23 Pasta with Chard and Basil
    17 of 23 Classic Lasagna
    18 of 23 Three-in-One Primavera
    19 of 23 Pizza Pasta Skillet Casserole
    20 of 23 Tagliatelle A La Hudson
    21 of 23 Tortellini, Spinach and Mushrooms in Wine-Butter Sauce
    22 of 23 Pesto Penne with Deli-Roasted Chicken
    23 of 23 Pea and Mint Pesto

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