Pasta Recipes with Pizzazz

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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. 

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.

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

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.

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

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.

These bowls check all the boxes with layers of flavors, textures and temperatures. Grab your chopsticks and dig in!

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.

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

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. 

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. 

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

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.

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

Lemon and prosciutto flavor this easy pasta dish to perfection.

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

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.

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.