20 Diverse Mouthwatering Pasta Recipe Ideas

Why pick pasta?

Pasta is convenient, easy to cook, and lends so much versatility. For instance, pasta complements red meat, fish, and poultry, and can be relished as a cold or warm dish. You can also use pasta in your vegetarian dishes. Here’s a look at some scrumptious pasta recipe ideas for inspiration. 

20 Delicious pasta recipes for your dinner party

Impress your guests with this array of mouthwatering pasta recipe ideas. 

1. Asparagus pesto pasta

Gather ingredients like asparagus, Parmesan cheese, frozen peas, lemon zest, pine nuts, salt, black pepper, olive oil, fresh garlic, and dried fettuccine. Prepare and cook your peas and asparagus. To prepare your pesto, blend your peas and asparagus before adding your pine nuts, seasoning, and lemon zest. Meld your pesto with your cooked fettuccine, and voila! 

2. Awesome pasta salad

If you’re looking for healthy pasta recipes, this one’s for you. Cook fusilli pasta with a bit of salt. Add cherry or cocktail tomatoes, diced salami, Italian salad dressing, black olives, bell peppers, and pimientos to complete your dish. 

3. Basil, shrimp, and zucchini pasta

Gather some deveined raw shrimp, orecchiette pasta, squash or zucchini, salt, cayenne pepper, ground pepper, extra virgin olive oil, tomato sauce, basil leaves, and garlic. Cook your pasta, and add all your ingredients, except the zucchini or squash. Mix the shrimp well with the rest of the ingredients. Place your squash or zucchini in a pan with your oil. Throw in your shrimp, and cook. Add your pasta and season. 

4. Browned butter and garlic pasta

You’ll need penne pasta for this, along with ingredients like sliced almonds, olive oil, butter, garlic, spinach, black pepper, raisins, sun-dried tomatoes, salt, and Parmesan cheese. Cook your pasta. In a separate pan, add your garlic, butter, pepper, almonds, and olive oil. Pour the mixture over your pasta before adding your spinach, tomato, and cheese mixture to the pasta. 

5. Cartwheel pasta with peppers & onions

This vegetarian pasta recipe requires wagon wheels pasta, tomatoes, parsley, red and green bell peppers, and onion. Prepare your pasta before mixing in the rest of your ingredients.  

6. Cheesy one-pot pasta 

This tasty must-have weekly recipe is simple to prepare. Grab penne pasta, shredded cheddar cheese, low-salt chicken broth if you're health-conscious, cocktail tomatoes, whole milk, garlic, onion, bread crumbs, and Parmesan cheese. 

7. Chicken cacciatore pasta 

This recipe comprises tomato puree, red bell pepper, dried thyme, oregano, garlic, and cannellini beans. Prepare your chicken, and add the rest of your ingredients. Prepare your pasta and mix that with the rest of this delicious chicken mix. 

8. Cilantro-lime pasta salad 

This has to be one of the simplest pasta recipe ideas to concoct. Just combine cooked chicken breasts, cilantro, lime juice, red onions, tomatoes, bell peppers, jalapeno pepper, avocado, mango, grape tomatoes, and rotini for the perfect taste! 

9. Creamy broccoli pasta 

Whip this one up by melding ricotta cheese, red pepper, broccoli, cooked gemelli pasta, salt, olive oil, Parmesan cheese, black pepper, and garlic. 

10. Creamy Cajun chicken pasta  

A simple, delicious pasta dish, this is fairly easy to put together. Gather up chicken breasts, rotini or fusilli pasta, sliced bacon, garlic, onion, canned tomatoes, sour cream, scallions, and Cajun seasoning to make this. 

11. Edamame pasta salad 

For this recipe, get some fusilli pasta, shelled edamame, walnuts, feta cheese, lemon wedges, olive oil, black pepper, and salt. Prepare your pasta with salt before adding your edamame. Place your lemons in a skillet to cook, and drain your pasta and edamame. Throw in the remaining ingredients and enjoy. 

12. Eggplant Pomodoro pasta

This pasta recipe made easy requires spaghetti or whole-wheat angel hair pasta. You’ll also need capers, red pepper, diced tomatoes, olives, garlic, and of course the eggplant! 

13. Farmer’s market pasta  

For this delicious pasta blend, grab some rotini pasta, tomatoes, chopped zucchini, kernels, onion, basil, and arugula. Once mixed, garnish with shaved Parmesan cheese. 

14. Fire-roasted tomato & feta pasta with shrimp 

Nothing quite beats a seafood pasta mix. Get shrimp, linguine pasta, fire-roasted canned tomatoes, olive oil, basil, garlic, peppercorns, salt, and feta cheese for this recipe. 

15. Italian sausage & kale one-pot pasta 

This pasta recipe idea comprises penne or rotini pasta, Italian sausage, kale, canned diced tomatoes, basil pesto, red pepper, onion, and garlic. You can garnish it with shredded Parmesan cheese. 

16. Lemony cucumber & herb pasta salad

For those who love a tangy and filling dish, try this recipe comprising of orecchiette pasta. Add lemon zest and mustard for that zing. Then throw in your sliced cucumbers, red pepper, garlic, mint leaves, cilantro, and feta cheese. 

17. Low-carb zucchini pasta 

A great recipe for the carb-conscious, you'll need zucchini pasta for this. Then add water, olive oil, salt, and ground pepper to taste.

18. Melon & chicken pasta salad

Use whole-wheat farfalle pasta, cubed cantaloupe, dried cranberries, baby spinach, prosciutto, low-fat mayonnaise, and buttermilk for this refreshing dish. You’ll also require garlic, white vinegar, and tarragon. 

19. Mexican pasta salad with creamy avocado dressing 

Make this mouthwatering pasta and veggie blend with fusilli pasta. Add cherry tomatoes, red onion, corn, black beans, cumin, cilantro, avocado, mayonnaise, garlic, lime juice, and salt to taste. 

20. Pasta with savory bolognese sauce

Ingredients here include ground beefor Italian sausage, onion, a carrot, seasoning, tomato paste, whipping cream, and dry red wine. Cook your ground beef or sausage. Then add your tomato paste, seasoning, and wine, and place your cooked Bolognese over the cooked pasta. 

Pasta recipe ideas for everyone

Pasta caters to all types of dietary needs. Besides using regular pasta, you can also use whole wheat variations or zucchini pasta for low-carb recipes. Browse Instacartfor our array of pasta types near you today.