46 Pasta Recipes Our Readers Rate 5 Stars, Again and Again

When you’re craving a satisfying bowl of pasta, you want to choose a recipe that hits just right — which is exactly what you’ll find in this collection of 46 pasta recipes, each of which has amassed an impressive 5-star rating based on multiple, glowing reviews. They’re recipes from the Food Network test kitchen and your favorite chefs like Ina Garten, Bobby Flay and Ree Drummond — each one a true fan-favorite.

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.

When you need your gluten fix, we’ve got the gamut! Start with quickie options that can be ready in 30 minutes or less, like Cacio e Pepe (which uses 4 ingredients), One-Pot Spaghetti or Mediterranean Summer Pasta with Salsa Cruda.

Or maybe you need to feed a crowd: We’ve got lasagnas and baked pastas galore, spanning Italian classics like Baked Mostaccioli to American comfort foods like mac and cheese and chicken tetrazzini.

And since pasta is such a vegetarian-friendly option, we’ve got lots of top-rated meat-free pasta recipes, like Pasta Primavera, Pasta with Vegetable “Bolognese,” or Capellini with Spicy Zucchini-Tomato Sauce.

You’ll probably 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!

The Barefoot Contessa adds a bit of nutmeg to bring out the nutty quality of Swiss, gruyere and cheddar cheese. Then, for the ultimate finish, she tops her dish with sweet-and-juicy sliced tomatoes and scattering of toasty breadcrumbs.

Fettuccine alfredo is typically a heavy dish but this version uses low-fat milk and cream cheese to lighten up a classic. It's has all the richness and flavor you'd expect from the classic — with a better-for-you nutrition profile.

Ina's meatballs are exceptionally moist and packed with flavor. Cooked in a red wine and tomato sauce, they're the perfect accompaniment to a mound of spaghetti — topped with freshy shaved cheese, of course.

Ina’s classic spaghetti with garlic and olive oil is simply delicious and completely customizable. Add some extra crushed red pepper for a kick, grilled chicken for protein or roasted veggies to round out your meal.

Customize this recipe with whatever you have on hand in the pantry — really! Ree uses olives, jarred artichoke hearts, onions, garlic, tomatoes and jarred pesto to complete her dish but it will taste just as good with whatever you've got on hand.

A white bechamel sauce base makes Giada's dish ultra-creamy. Combined with garlicky mushrooms, sauteed chicken and pasta then topped with breadcrumbs, this baked dish is a crowd-pleaser.

You can use leftover onions, celery and turkey for this Bolognese sauce. Though it's usually made with beef, Giada's manages to pack all the flavor of the classic into this turkey-based version.

Meaty grilled steak, salty blue cheese and spicy horseradish:Tthis pasta dish has all the flavors of your favorite steakhouse dinner! Ths is the perfect recipe to keep in your back pocket for cold-weather weeknight dinners — it stretches a little bit of skirt steak to feed the whole family.

Don't be surprised when this becomes your new favorite weeknight meal. Made with only four ingredients and ready in about 20 minutes, this dish is everything we want midweek.

Giada's got your greens covered for this pasta. She pairs them with pecorino cheese for a unique bite — but you can always substitute Parmesan if that's what you have on hand.

Ina gives her garlicky shrimp scampi a citrus kick with lemon juice and zest. The perfect finishing touch? She serves the dish with slices of fresh, sunny lemon.

Bring together two crowd-pleasers, Buffalo chicken and mac 'n' cheese, with this recipe that's sure to be a hit. It's rich and gooey, perfectly spicy — and hearty enough to satisfy even the hungriest among us.

Great for vegetarians, Ellie's delicious pasta is loaded with walnuts, parsley and arugula. It's the dinner that will fill you up, while giving you an extra boost of antioxidants.

Guy elevates the classic chicken Alfredo with spicy blackened chicken and sweet, tart sun-dried tomatoes. It's a simple tweak — with a huge flavor payoff.

Anne's lasagna is packed with all of the good stuff — ricotta, sausage, mushrooms and zucchini — and topped with a generous layer of mozzarella, for the hearty dish with classic Italian flavor that you're craving.

There's nothing better than finding mini meatballs tucked into your bowl of pasta. Here, Giada uses ground chicken to make zesty little bites that pair perfectly with the orecchiette and fresh mozzarella.

Ree offers something for everyone with this easy, comforting casserole. She blends chicken with spaghetti in a creamy mushroom sauce and melty cheddar cheese. One bite and you'll see what we mean.

Thought Carbonara was tricky to make? Tyler proves it's not; he uses the heat from just-boiled spaghetti to cook a mixture of eggs and Parmesan cheese, which coats the pasta in a rich, thick sauce. That's it!

This creamy, kid-friendly mac and cheese is ready to go in no time. As an added bonus: There’s only one pot to clean after!

Anne’s bolognese is all about the seasoning. She purees veggies and sautes the mix until browned to develop a sauce that's packed with flavor.

This recipe takes the flavors of a croque monsieur (the French version of a grilled ham and cheese) and uses them to elevate an ordinary mac 'n' cheese. The result is both supremely comforting — and surprisingly refined.

Giada's elegant but easy twist on an Italian classic creates individual portions for easy serving. Make them for a weeknight famiy dinner — or to serve invited guests at your next dinner party.

Mushrooms take the place of beef in this easy, Bolognese-inspired pasta sauce. It's the perfect pick when you're looking for a hearty meatless meal — or short on ingredients and trying to cook with what's already in your kitchen.

We love a good shortcut. That's why we're such fans of Rachael's piccata-inspired recipe. Toss cooked chicken breast tenders with penne and a sauce reminiscent of the traditional piccata dish — and dinner is served!

Heading to a barbecue? Need a make-ahead dish to pass? This creamy, tangy macaroni salad is the perfect accompaniment to burgers, hot dogs, grilled chicken, steaks and more.

Mac and cheese lovers won't be able to resist this spicy, tuna-filled version. You'll use pimiento cheese spread to form the creamy sauce and crushed cracker crumbs to make the golden brown top.

This riff on traditional pasta puttanesca uses canned tuna plus tomatoes, capers and kalamata olives, making it a great choice when you're cooking from the pantry. Plus, it's ready in fewer than 30 minutes.

Perfect for the beginner cook, Food Network Kitchen’s one-pot pasta meal requires little time and almost no cleanup. The pasta will continue to soak up the flavor after cooking, so get excited for leftovers.

Looking for a filling fall meal that's ready fast? Follow Rachael's lead and toss penne pasta in a creamy pumpkin sauce. Add some sweet sausage and you'll have dinner on the table in just 25 minutes.

Twenty-five minutes is all you need to make this savory pasta dish. To make the creamy sauce, you'll combine grated parmesan with eggs and lemon zest.

Giada knows that a good seafood pasta is all about building flavor. That's why she uses clam juice instead of chicken stock in her creamy, herbed sauce. It reinforces the flavor of the shrimp and sets the perfect foundation for the rest of the dish.

Giada draws out the nutty flavor of butternut squash with sweet, spicy amaretti cookies. Serve this seasonally-inspired lasagna as a holiday side dish or a stand-alone dinner.

Fried onions and chopped cauliflower come together for a crisp, crunchy pasta dish that’s low in calories and doesn't skimp on flavor. We'll gladly gobble this one up any night of the week!

A great bowl of pasta is often layered with flavor. Here, the smokiness of the mozzarella and prosciutto are a contrast to the freshness of asparagus and basil. Each flavor stands out — but complements the others well.