47 Pasta Recipes with Tons of Glowing, 5-Star Ratings

When you’re craving carbs, nothing is quite as satisfying as a plate (or bowl!) of pasta. Whether you break out your best pasta pot for a stovetop recipe like spaghetti or tortellini or fill up your favorite casserole dish to make a baked pasta like lasagna, noodles paired with the perfect sauce and topped with a mountain of freshly grated cheese are the ultimate comfort food. And, while we would gladly gobble up any dish of pasta you put in front of us, there are a few that are undeniable masterpieces—recipes that have amassed hundreds of 5-star ratings and positive reviews from fans. These are those recipes. So, prepare to want to make them all—starting with the super popular baked feta pasta you’ve seen all over TikTok. It’s easy to see why the recipe has achieved such fame: Cherry tomatoes and a whole block of feta are baked until soft and melty, then tossed with garlic, basil and cooked noodles for a beautifully cheesy dish. Better make a double batch!

Cacio e uova – translating to “cheese and eggs” in Italian – is a Neapolitan dish traditionally made with short, tubular pasta and a rich, creamy sauce. Like in carbonara, the sauce combines finely grated cheese, eggs and starchy pasta water, but eliminates the meaty guanciale or pancetta. While lard may commonly be used in cacio e uova, we opted instead for butter, resulting in a pantry-friendly vegetarian dish that comes together in minutes. Perfectly toasted breadcrumbs, Parmesan and finely chopped parsley add extra texture and flavor to the topping. In this amped-up version, we also add lemon zest for a hit of brightness then top it all off with finely grated hard-boiled eggs to emphasize the beautiful egg flavor and give the dish an unexpected fluffy texture.

The best baked mostaccioli has everything you love about lasagna — a savory meat sauce, creamy ricotta and melty mozzarella bubbling at the edges. But instead of flat lasagna noodles, the pasta is mostaccioli, a type of penne with a smooth exterior. The short, tubular shape encourages plenty of sauce and cheese to get trapped inside so every bite is satisfying. We upped the ante with a combination of ground beef and sweet Italian sausage, providing the classic meatiness in the tomato sauce. While mostaccioli originates from the Campania region in southern Italy, this specific dish has ties to Chicago and St. Louis as a hearty casserole to serve at large family gatherings.

Bobby created this recipe when he was training for a marathon. He says, “Crab is high in protein but low in fat, so it's a great balance to the carbs." We couldn’t agree more!