Easy Pasta Recipes: 20 Dinners With Few Ingredients

The best pasta dishes are often the simplest. With a few ingredients and one technique, starchy pasta water, you can make restaurant-quality pasta in 15 minutes.

Three techniques that change everything

1. Salt the water well. It should taste pleasantly seasoned. It's the only chance to season the pasta itself.
2. Save the pasta water. Starchy water emulsifies sauces and makes them glossy and clingy. Scoop a mug before draining.
3. Finish the pasta in the sauce. Drain 1–2 minutes early and toss in the pan with sauce and a splash of pasta water.

Classic Italian (5 ingredients or fewer)

1. Aglio e olio: garlic, olive oil, chili, parsley.
2. Cacio e pepe: pecorino, black pepper, pasta water.
3. Carbonara: eggs, pecorino or parmesan, guanciale or pancetta, black pepper.
4. Pomodoro: tinned tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, basil.
5. Burro e parmigiano: butter and parmesan.
6. Pesto alla Genovese.
7. Amatriciana: tomato, guanciale, pecorino, chili.

Weeknight favorites

1. Creamy lemon pasta with parmesan.
2. Spinach and ricotta pasta.
3. Tuna, caper and lemon spaghetti.
4. Sausage and broccoli orecchiette.
5. Roasted red pepper sauce (blended with feta or cream).
6. Mushroom and garlic pasta with thyme.
7. Shrimp scampi linguine.
8. Pasta alla vodka (tomato, cream, vodka, chili).

Baked and one-pot

1. Baked feta pasta with cherry tomatoes.
2. Baked ziti.
3. One-pot tomato basil pasta. See one-pot meals.
4. Stuffed shells with spinach and ricotta.
5. Mac and cheese.

How much pasta per person?

Around 80–100 g (3–3½ oz) dry pasta per person for a main, less for a starter. Cooking for two? See dinner ideas for two.

Matching shapes and sauces

• Long, thin (spaghetti, linguine): oil, butter and light tomato sauces.
• Tubes and ridges (penne, rigatoni): chunky and baked sauces.
• Cups and shells (orecchiette, conchiglie): sauces with small bits like sausage or peas.

Save the pasta you love

Import pasta recipes from TikTok and food blogs into a "Pasta" collection in SmartChef AI, and use servings scaling when friends come over. Ask Cook AI "how do I fix a carbonara that scrambled?" mid-cook.

Common pasta mistakes

• Not enough water: pasta gets sticky; use a large pot.
• Rinsing pasta: washes off starch that helps sauce cling (only rinse for cold pasta salads).
• Overcooking: drain 1–2 minutes before the package time and finish in the sauce.
• Sauce in a separate bowl: toss pasta and sauce together in the pan.
• Forgetting pasta water: keep a mugful to loosen and emulsify sauces.

Frequently asked questions

What's the easiest pasta recipe?

Aglio e olio or butter and parmesan pasta need just a few pantry ingredients and 15 minutes.

Why is my pasta sauce watery?

It hasn't emulsified. Toss the pasta in the sauce over heat with a splash of starchy pasta water until glossy.

Should I add oil to pasta water?

It's not necessary. Stir in the first minute to prevent sticking instead.