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100 Pasta Recipes

100 Pasta Recipes

March 21, 2012

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100 Healthy Pasta Recipes

Photo: Johnny Autry

View Recipe: Sausage, Tomato, and Arugula Fettuccine

There is more to pasta night than a jar of marinara—much more. We've gathered 100 of our most deliciously saucy recipes, so you can be a dinnertime rock star.

We'll start you off with super simple Sausage, Tomato, and Arugula Fettuccine.

This 20-minute recipe has become a favorite among staff and readers alike for its ease to prepare and use of bold ingredients like peppery arugula and savory sausage. A sprinkling of shaved pecorino Romano cheese gives a salty bite.

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Creamy, Light Macaroni and Cheese

Photo: Randy Mayor

View Recipe: Creamy, Light Macaroni and Cheese

Nothing defines comfort food better than mac and cheese, and nothing gives "comfort" a bad nutritional name quite so deliciously: A typical bowl can contain a half-day's worth of calories and two days' saturated fat. So, we gave the well-loved classic dish a much needed makeover.

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Mushroom Lasagna

Photo: Johnny Autry

View Recipe: Mushroom Lasagna

Rich porcini broth and nutty Parmigiano-Reggiano add deep umami taste to this vegetarian lasagna. Plain white button mushrooms will work in place of cremini. Serve with a simple green salad for a satisfying meal.

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Bacon and Butternut Pasta

Photo: Johnny Autry

View Recipe: Bacon and Butternut Pasta

Broth, thickened with flour and enriched with crème fraîche, forms the savory sauce in this dish. We like the addition of earthy, hearty kale which helps balance the sweetness from the squash.

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Fusilli with Caramelized Spring Onions and White Wine

Photo: Francesco Tonelli

View Recipe: Fusilli with Caramelized Spring Onions and White Wine

Spring onions are those that have been harvested early—they look like scallions with large white bulbs. If they're unavailable, use Vidalia onions. Rotini (corkscrew pasta) will work in place of fusilli.

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Quick Pastitsio

Photo: Johnny Autry

View Recipe: Quick Pastitisio

This creamy baked pasta comes together quickly. Melted, gooey part-skim mozzarella cheese makes it even more decadent—without leaving you feeling guilty. Use any short pasta—ziti or rotini also work.

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Orecchiette with Kale, Bacon, and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Photo: Johnny Autry

View Recipe: Orecchiette with Kale, Bacon, and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Orecchiette (little ears pasta) is a classic shape that's ideal for this chunky sauce. You can also substitute short pasta shapes like penne or rigatoni. If you can find mild-tasting cavolo nero (black kale), try it here.

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Garganelli with Asparagus and Pecorino Cheese

Photo: Francesco Tonelli

View Recipe: Garganelli with Asparagus and Pecorino Cheese

Pasta laced with rich, salty cheese puts asparagus on full display. Substitute penne if garganelli is unavailable.

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Orzo Salad with Spicy Buttermilk Dressing

Photo: Johnny Autry

View Recipe: Orzo Salad with Spicy Buttermilk Dressing

Pasta salad gets a southwestern twist with the addition of corn, black beans, chili powder, and fresh cilantro. Make ahead for lunch, dinner, or even a picnic.

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Shrimp-Stuffed Shells

Photo: Johnny Autry

View Recipe: Shrimp-Stuffed Shells

The shrimp goes into the pasta shells raw to prevent it from overcooking while the pasta bakes. Look for potato starch near the cornstarch in your supermarket.

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Tomato-Basil Lasagna with Prosciutto

View Recipe: Tomato-Basil Lasagna with Prosciutto

Instead of full-fat ricotta, which is used in traditional recipes, we combine low-fat cottage cheese and fat-free cream cheese for just enough creaminess without all the heft. This tasty lasagna is a great make-ahead option. After assembling the lasagna, cover and freeze for up to 1 month. Thaw in the refrigerator; bake as directed.

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Bucatini with Mushrooms

Photo: Randy Mayor

View Recipe: Bucatini with Mushrooms

A large assortment of mushrooms, including luxurious dried porcinis, is the key to the huge earthy flavor of this dish. It's meatless, but you'd never know it with all the savory flavor of mushrooms, Parmesan, and truffle oil. A generous splash of cream gives the sauce its luscious texture.

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Artichoke, Spinach, and Feta Stuffed Shells

Photo: Randy Mayor

View Recipe: Artichoke, Spinach, and Feta Stuffed Shells

To fill the shells, simply spoon the cheese mixture into a heavy-duty zip-top plastic bag; squeeze out the air. Snip a one-inch hole in one corner of the bag, and pipe the filling into the shells.

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Gemelli Salad with Green Beans, Pistachios, and Lemon-Thyme Vinaigrette

Photo: Johnny Autry

View Recipe: Gemelli Salad with Green Beans, Pistachios, and Lemon-Thyme Vinaigrette

Haricots verts are thin, tender green beans. If you can't find them, use trimmed regular green beans, but add them to the pasta after 8 minutes of cooking since they'll take longer to cook. You can make the salad ahead, but dress it just before serving so the beans don't turn drab.

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Linguine with Clams and Fresh Herbs

Photo: Ellie Miller

View Recipe: Linguine with Clams and Fresh Herbs

Try this Italian-inspired dish featuring quick-cooking linguine and clams in a light, fresh white wine sauce—you won't be sorry you did.

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Shrimp Fra Diavolo

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner

View Recipe: Shrimp Fra Diavolo

Shrimp Fra Diavolo recipes can often be very hot, but you can adjust the spice to your preference by adding more or less red pepper. To save money, be sure to use inexpensive medium-size shrimp in this garlicky, spicy classic.

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Baked Mac and Cheese

Photo: Johnny Autry

View Recipe: Baked Mac and Cheese

Panko breadcrumbs provide the perfect crunchy topping to this mac and cheese. To complete the meal, serve a spinach salad with sliced red onion and tomato.

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Mini Farfalle with Roasted Peppers, Onions, Feta, and Mint

Photo: Johnny Autry

View Recipe: Mini Farfalle with Roasted Peppers, Onions, Feta, and Mint

This light and easy pasta will pull together in a flash. Fresh basil and mint give an unbelievably fresh and delicious flavor boost that will take this recipe to the next level.

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Mushroom Bolognese

Photo: Johnny Autry

View Recipe: Mushroom Bolognese

Food journalist and author Mark Bittman retooled classic bolognese sauce giving it less meat, more flavor, and the same luxurious creaminess as the traditional version.

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Truffled Mac and Cheese

Photo: Johnny Autry

View Recipe: Truffled Mac and Cheese

White truffle oil has an intense earthy flavor that wakes up ordinary mac and cheese. We also get extra flavor by steeping the milk with onion and bay leaf.

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Antipasto-Style Penne

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner

View Recipe: Antipasto-Style Penne

This one-dish Italian-style meal with olives, red bell peppers, and prosciutto is sure to hit the spot tonight.

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Shrimp Fettuccine Alfredo

Photo: Johnny Autry & Randy Mayor

View Recipe: Shrimp Fettuccine Alfredo

Refrigerated pasta is a time-pressed cook's secret weapon, cooking up in a flash. Reserved pasta water will give your alfredo sauce the right consistency.

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Spring Linguine with Basil

Photo: Randy Mayor

View Recipe: Spring Linguine with Basil

Seek out the freshest produce you can find. The success of simple dishes depends on the quality of their ingredients.

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Wild Mushroom Pastitsio

Photo: Johnny Autry

View Recipe: Wild Mushroom Pastitsio

This meatless version of pastitsio swaps ground beef for wild mushrooms but keeps the creamy, cheesy goodness of the classic dish. Entertaining? Serve alongside Swiss Chard with Crème Fraîche and an earthy pinot noir.

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Quick-Roasted Cherry Tomato Sauce with Spaghetti

Photo: Gentl & Hyers

View Recipe: Quick-Roasted Cherry Tomato Sauce with Spaghetti

Sweet, sun-ripened tomatoes collapse into a beautifully rustic sauce. For the prettiest dish, use multicolored tomatoes from the farmers' market or, if you're lucky, your backyard.

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Fontina and Mascarpone Baked Pasta

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner

View Recipe: Fontina and Marscapone Baked Pasta

This is mac and cheese for adults. It's got all the creamy comfort of the original, with the sophisticated flavors of Italian cheeses standing in for the traditional cheddar. The garlicky breadcrumb topping adds crunch and visual interest.

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Baked Pasta with Spinach, Lemon, and Cheese

Photo: Johnny Autry

View Recipe: Baked Pasta with Spinach, Lemon, and Cheese

This dish makes use of casarecce pasta—a short noodle with a curled edge that provides a large groove to hold the creamy sauce. If you can't find it, use fusilli, campanelle, or radiatore. Use a large, deep pot for the pasta so the spinach will fit inside, as well.

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Orecchiette with Peas, Shrimp, and Buttermilk-Herb Dressing

Photo: Anna Williams

View Recipe: Orecchiette with Peas, Shrimp, and Buttermilk-Herb Dressing

This herby pasta salad is perfect for a picnic or potluck gathering; you can easily double the recipe to serve a crowd. Can't find orecchiette? Medium shell-shaped pasta will also work in its place.

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Truffled Wild Mushroom Lasagna

Photo: José Picayo

View Recipe: Truffled Wild Mushroom Lasagna

You don't have to spend a lot on truffle oil; look for small 2- or 3-ounce bottles, which are less likely to go bad before you use up the oil.

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Pasta with Fresh Tomato-Basil Sauce

Photo: Johnny Autry

View Recipe: Pasta with Fresh Tomato-Basil Sauce

Though we paired this chunky sauce with fettuccine, it would also be nice with short pasta shapes, like penne, gemelli, or farfalle. For a more dramatic presentation, use multicolored cherry tomatoes, or a combination of cherry and pear (or teardrop-shaped) tomatoes.

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Butternut Squash, Caramelized Onion, and Spinach Lasagna

Photo: Johnny Autry

View Recipe: Butternut Squash, Caramelized Onion, and Spinach Lasagna

Full of warm flavors—butternut squash, sweet caramelized onion, fresh sage, and even a hint of nutmeg—this is the perfect company-worthy dish if you want to impress. Serve with a fresh salad of grapefruit and fennel, and sip our Pomegranate Fizz.

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Peppery Monterey Jack Pasta Salad

Photo: Randy Mayor

View Recipe: Peppery Monterey Jack Pasta Salad

This 20-minute pasta salad is great as either an entrée or side and is packed with tons of flavor. Readers rave about the dish's versatility; you can customize it easily by using whatever veggies you have on hand. For the pasta, we use acini di pepe [ah-CHEE-nee dee-PAY-pay]: tiny pasta rounds resembling peppercorns. Feel free to use ditalini (very short tube-shaped macaroni) or any other small pasta shape if you can't find acini di pepe in your supermarket.

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Chorizo-Mussel Noodle Bowl

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner

View Recipe: Chorizo-Mussel Noodle Bowl

For this filling dish, mussels are joined by big chunks of smoky Spanish chorizo (don't use spicy Mexican chorizo) and lots of noodles in a big bowl of goodness. It's a fine meal by itself, but a small salad or garlic bread would make great sides.

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Orzo Salad with Radish and Fennel

Photo: Francesco Tonelli

View Recipe: Orzo Salad with Radish and Fennel

Lemony dressing and fresh mint add vibrant flavor to this pasta salad. Serve chilled or at room temperature, and garnish with pretty mint leaves, if desired.

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Penne with Sausage, Eggplant, and Feta

Photo: Randy Mayor

View Recipe: Penne with Sausage, Eggplant, and Feta

Meaty breakfast sausage, earthy eggplant, and zesty feta complement each other in this hearty pasta dish.

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Farfalle with Fava Beans, Morel Mushrooms, and Mascarpone

Photo: Francesco Tonelli

View Recipe: Farfalle with Fava Beans, Morel Mushrooms, and Mascarpone

You can also use shiitake mushrooms and edamame, good year-round alternatives to morels and fava beans.

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100 Pasta Recipes

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100 Healthy Pasta Recipes

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Creamy, Light Macaroni and Cheese

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Mushroom Lasagna

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Bacon and Butternut Pasta

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Fusilli with Caramelized Spring Onions and White Wine

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Quick Pastitsio

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Orecchiette with Kale, Bacon, and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

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Garganelli with Asparagus and Pecorino Cheese

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Orzo Salad with Spicy Buttermilk Dressing

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Shrimp-Stuffed Shells

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Tomato-Basil Lasagna with Prosciutto

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Bucatini with Mushrooms

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Artichoke, Spinach, and Feta Stuffed Shells

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Gemelli Salad with Green Beans, Pistachios, and Lemon-Thyme Vinaigrette

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Linguine with Clams and Fresh Herbs

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Shrimp Fra Diavolo

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Baked Mac and Cheese

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Mini Farfalle with Roasted Peppers, Onions, Feta, and Mint

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Mushroom Bolognese

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Truffled Mac and Cheese

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Antipasto-Style Penne

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Shrimp Fettuccine Alfredo

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Spring Linguine with Basil

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Wild Mushroom Pastitsio

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Quick-Roasted Cherry Tomato Sauce with Spaghetti

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Fontina and Mascarpone Baked Pasta

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