13 Recipes That Start With A Box Of Pasta

Whether you need a quick and easy meal or one that's bursting with flavors, pasta is ready to help. In fact, there is a world of recipes that start with a box of pasta, and thanks to the versatility of noodles, you can build on top of them to your heart's content. However, inspiration doesn't always strike the moment you need it, especially when time is of the essence. So, if you are looking for some yummy pasta recipe ideas to get you started, we've got you covered.

We rounded up a collection of fun, easy pasta recipes that, once tried, are sure to become repeat meals in your home. From classics like creamy fettuccine alfredo and macaroni and cheese to creative pasta salads, the dishes we compiled are just what you need to make light work of your next meal. Actually, they may even sort out what you'll be eating for the next couple of weeks. After all, there's no bad time for pasta, and its versatility ensures it never gets boring.

Bucatini Cacio E Pepe is a classic Italian dish that defines simplicity at its finest. Made with just five ingredients — butter, Pecorino Romano cheese, salt, black peppercorns, and, of course, a box of bucatini pasta — it's not only simple to make, but the result is much greater than the sum of its parts. Creamy, peppery, salty, and full of buttery, cheesy goodness, it's a dish anyone can love. Just remember to boil the noodles halfway so they don't overcook, saving some of the starchy water to make the sauce, and you'll be well on your way to mastering this recipe.

Recipe: Bucatini Cacio E Pepe

If you like a bit of heat, Spicy Rigatoni Pasta is the classic red sauce and pasta remix you've been searching for. Obviously, pasta and red sauce are a match made in heaven as-is, but spicing it up with Calabrian chili paste and crushed red pepper flakes takes it to the next level. The fresh basil also balances out the heat beautifully, and whipping up the sauce from scratch with ingredients like canned, crushed tomatoes, heavy cream, tomato paste, and onion is quick and easy. In fact, once you get the hang of it, you can pull off this meal in under 30 minutes.

Recipe: Spicy Rigatoni Pasta

Chicken fettuccine Alfredo is a classic comfort food, and our ultra-creamy recipe will remind you why. Made with heavy cream and lots of Parmesan cheese, it hits all the marks of a drool-worthy pasta dish. Think of it like a sophisticated version of mac and cheese with lots of Italian flair. While fettuccine Alfredo pairs wonderfully with lots of proteins, breaded chicken gives you a wonderful textural contrast and lots of down-home flavor. The fact that the sauce, pasta, and chicken can all be prepared in about 40 minutes makes the meal even better. Just make sure to serve immediately, when the sauce is at its best.

Recipe: Ultra Creamy Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo

Cheesy Baked Ziti features lots of creamy ricotta, hearty ground Italian sausage, chewy noodles, and a crispy cheese layer on top. Yum! It may need more time to prepare — it spends 30 to 35 minutes in the oven alone — but the gooey, hearty results are well worth the wait. Plus, you can always prep earlier in the day and simply pop it in the oven shortly before dinnertime. When prepping, remember to boil the ziti only until it is al dente and rinse it after draining so it doesn't overcook and become mushy while baking.

Recipe: Cheesy Baked Ziti

Another baked recipe that features red sauce and a box of pasta that's perfect for dinner tonight is Cottage Cheese Lasagna. A little different from the standard recipe, it swaps out ricotta for cottage cheese, leading to a tangy, bright taste with a slightly more involved texture — the curds don't smooth out like ricotta, after all. So, if you're ready for a minor deviation that pays off in a major way, look no further. For the best results, opt for whole-milk cottage cheese and mozzarella, with freshly grated Parmesan cheese. They'll provide the richest flavors and most melty textures.

Recipe: Cottage Cheese Lasagna

As-is, Marry Me Chicken is a legendary dish rumored to be tasty enough to convince your significant other to propose, but our version also gets a major protein infusion, so it's tasty and nutritious. Like the classic recipe, High Protein Marry Me Chicken Pasta calls for chicken breasts glazed in white wine, sun-dried tomatoes, fresh basil, and grated Parmesan cheese. However, it swaps out the typical heavy cream for whole milk Greek yogurt and adds even more protein with chickpea pasta, preferably penne or rotini.

Recipe: High Protein Marry Me Chicken Pasta

Pasta bakes, like our Pepperoni and Mushroom Pizza Pasta, are the perfect meal to help you streamline dinner when you are on a tight schedule. You can make it in advance and then stick it in the oven whenever you're ready. Unlike other similar dishes, Pepperoni and Mushroom Pizza Pasta also gives the dish some much-loved pizza flair with pepperoni slices, mushrooms, and a mix of beef and pork. With so many savory flavors, a simple Caesar salad on the side is all you need to create a complete meal.

Recipe: Pepperoni and Mushroom Pizza Pasta

Macaroni and cheese is a quintessential American comfort food that's beloved by kids and adults alike. As such, it's a no-brainer when pasta is on the menu. Fortunately, it doesn't have to be super elaborate, either. In fact, all you need is Gruyere cheese, milk, macaroni noodles, salt, and pepper to make a mean rendition of the recipe. The trick is to cook the noodles directly in the milk to enhance creaminess. Just make sure to stir it frequently to prevent scorching, and cook the pasta only until al dente; it'll soften up even more in the oven.

Recipe: 3-Ingredient Baked Mac & Cheese

Hearty stews, like our Super Creamy One-Pot Lasagna Soup, are another outstanding way to incorporate a box of pasta into your next meal. Featuring tomato cream sauce, wilted spinach, Italian sausage, lasagna noodles, and a mix of Italian cheeses, it is just what you need to warm you up on a cold winter night. Instead of layering the ricotta, Parmesan, and mozzarella into the main dish, as is typically done in lasagna, the soup uses them as a garnish. Once melted, you get a lovely temperature contrast and a level of creaminess that must be tasted to be believed.

Recipe: Super Creamy One-Pot Lasagna Soup

As if BLT sandwiches weren't already tasty enough, you can also turn the legendary recipe into a yummy pasta salad. Made with radiatore pasta, cherry tomatoes, romaine lettuce, thick-cut applewood-smoked bacon, sourdough breadcrumbs on top, and bacon fat mayo dressing, it offers the same textures and flavors as the classic sandwich, but takes it up a level or two. You can also experiment with the type of bread for the crumbs and additional toppings to turn up the flavor even more. Add-ins like hard-boiled eggs, avocado, and diced onion all fit into the equation like a charm.

Recipe: Over-the-Top BLT Pasta Salad

Whether you are grilling or cooking over a campfire, our Foil Packet Summer Pasta brings a delicious dose of summertime flavor to your plate thanks to juicy cherry tomatoes, a bright lemony sauce, sweet corn, and chewy cavatappi noodles. Best of all, it's cooked inside individual foil packets, so not only is serving a breeze (you don't even need a bowl or plate), but cleanup is, too. After steam-grilling, leave your foil packets to rest for five minutes before opening, then top with fresh basil and thinly sliced prosciutto for even more fresh and salty flavor.

Recipe: Foil Packet Summer Pasta

Nothing says summer like grilled corn, so adding some to pasta salad is a surefire way to hone in on the seasonal fun. With this in mind, our Summery Grilled Corn and Orzo Salad is a show-stopping choice for the warmer months of the year. In addition to grilled corn and orzo, it also contains sugar snap peas, sliced nectarines, peppery arugula, salty cotija cheese (added after chilling so it doesn't melt), crushed pistachios, and creamy basil vinaigrette. All together, the elements come together in a bright, zesty way that screams backyard cookout.

Recipe: Summery Grilled Corn and Orzo Salad

Macaroni salad is basically a blank canvas for all kinds of ingredients, but all you really need is three things to pull off a tasty version: bagged broccoli slaw with carrots and cabbage, mayo, and a box of macaroni noodles. Thanks to the bagged slaw, you can forget about chopping, so it couldn't be simpler. You can bulk it up with endless options, such as celery, bell peppers, pickles, capers, or some type of protein, like chickpeas, white beans, chicken, ham — or even tofu. However, even in its most basic format, it's a crowd-pleaser for sure.

Recipe: 3-Ingredient Macaroni Salad