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

These fan-favorites earn rave reviews, time and time again.

June 23, 2022

By: Food Network Kitchen

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Calling All Carb Lovers

When you’re craving carbs, nothing is quite as satisfying as a plate 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!

Get the Recipe: Baked Feta Pasta

Giada's Lasagna Rolls

Giada's elegant but easy twist on an Italian classic creates individual portions for easy serving.

Get the Recipe: Lasagna Rolls

Ina's Mac and Cheese

The Barefoot Contessa adds nutmeg to bring out the nutty quality of Swiss gruyere and cheddar cheese then tops her dish with sliced tomatoes and breadcrumbs.

Get the Recipe: Mac and Cheese

Healthy Pasta with Spicy Crab

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!

Get the Recipe: Healthy Pasta with Spicy Crab

Low-Cal Fettuccine Alfredo

Fettuccine alfredo is typically a heavy dish but this version uses low-fat milk and cream cheese to lighten up a classic.

Get the Recipe: Low-Cal Fettuccine Alfredo

Ina's Real Meatballs and Spaghetti

Ina Garten adds a bit of warm water to keep these meatballs exceptionally moist. They are cooked in a red wine and tomato sauce and are the perfect accompaniment to a mound of spaghetti.

Get the Recipe: Real Meatballs and Spaghetti

Giada's Chicken Tetrazzini

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

Get the Recipe: Chicken Tetrazzini

Turkey Bolognese

You can use leftover onions, celery and turkey for this Bolognese sauce. Though it's usually made with beef, Giada's Bolognese is delicious with turkey.

Get the Recipe: Turkey Bolognese

Steakhouse Pasta

Meaty grilled steak, salty blue cheese and spicy horseradish: this pasta dish has all the flavors of your favorite steakhouse dinner!

Get the Recipe: Steakhouse Pasta

Cacio e Pepe Pasta

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.

Get the Recipe: Cacio e Pepe Pasta

Whole Wheat Spaghetti with Swiss Chard and Pecorino Cheese

Giada's got your greens covered for this pasta. Although the pecorino cheese adds a unique bite, you can always substitute Parmesan.

Get the Recipe: Whole-Wheat Spaghetti with Swiss Chard and Pecorino Cheese

Linguine with Shrimp Scampi

Ina gives her garlicky shrimp scampi a citrus kick with lemon juice and zest. She even serves the dish with slices of fresh lemon.

Get the Recipe: Linguine with Shrimp Scampi

Buffalo Chicken Macaroni and Cheese

Bring together two crowd-pleasers, Buffalo chicken and mac 'n' cheese, with this recipe that's sure to be a hit.

Get the Recipe: Buffalo-Chicken Macaroni and Cheese

Fettuccine with Walnuts and Parsley

Great for vegetarians, Ellie's delicious pasta is loaded with walnuts, parsley and arugula to boost your intake of antioxidants.

Get the Recipe: Fettuccine with Walnuts and Parsley

Extra-Creamy Cacio e Uova with Grated Egg

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.

Get the Recipe: Extra-Creamy Cacio e Uova with Grated Egg

Cajun Chicken Alfredo

Guy elevates the classic chicken Alfredo with spicy blackened chicken and sweet, tart sun-dried tomatoes.

Get the Recipe: Cajun Chicken Alfredo

Lasagna

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.

Get the Recipe: Lasagna

Orecchiette with Mini Chicken Meatballs

Using ground chicken, make Giada's zesty meatballs to serve in a hearty pasta dish with orecchiette and fresh mozzarella.

Get the Recipe: Orecchiette with Mini Chicken Meatballs

Chicken Spaghetti

Using light and dark meat chicken, mushroom sauce, and melty cheddar cheese, Ree offers something for everyone with the ultimate comfort food casserole.

Get the Recipe: Chicken Spaghetti

Spaghetti alla Carbonara

Tyler 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.

Get the Recipe: Spaghetti alla Carbonara

5-Ingredient Instant Pot Mac and Cheese

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

Get the Recipe: 5-Ingredient Instant Pot Mac and Cheese

Pasta Bolognese

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.

Get the Recipe: Pasta Bolognese

Pasta, Pesto and Peas

Ina's pesto uses both walnuts and pine nuts for a more robust flavor. Make the pasta ahead of time and chill for a nice pasta salad, or serve warm with fresh pasta.

Get the Recipe: Pasta, Pesto, and Peas

Croque Monsieur Mac and Cheese

This recipe takes the flavors of a croque monsieur — the French version of a grilled ham and cheese — to elevate an ordinary mac 'n' cheese.

Get the Recipe: Croque Monsieur Mac and Cheese

Pasta with Vegetable “Bolognese”

Mushrooms take the place of beef in this easy, Bolognese-inspired pasta sauce, making it the perfect pick for a meatless meal.

Get the Recipe: Pasta with Vegetable "Bolognese"

Pasta Primavera

Giada's simple take on a classic Primavera is full of roasted vegetables. Just cut all your veggies into matchsticks, toss in some olive oil and herbs, and let the roasting do its trick.

Get the Recipe: Pasta Primavera

Chicken Piccata Pasta Toss

Toss cooked chicken breast tenders with penne plus a sauce reminiscent of the traditional piccata dish.

Get the Recipe: Chicken Piccata Pasta Toss

American Macaroni Salad

Heading to a barbecue? This creamy, tangy macaroni salad is the perfect side dish for burgers and hot dogs.

Get the Recipe: American Macaroni Salad

Pimiento Mac and Cheese

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.

Get the Recipe: Pimiento Mac and Cheese

Linguine with Tuna Puttanesca

This riff on traditional pasta puttanesca uses canned tuna plus tomatoes, capers and kalamata olives and is ready in fewer than 30 minutes.

Get the Recipe: Linguine with Tuna Puttanesca

Pasta, Pancetta and Peas

Use the fat that renders from the cooked pancetta to sautee the onions, which will give more flavor to the overall pasta dish. A squeeze of lemon for a bit of acid before serving brightens up the meal.

Get the Recipe: Pasta, Pancetta and Peas

Grilled Seafood Pasta Fra Diavolo

Giada tops her pasta fra diavlo with tender shrimp, clams and lobster meat. The seafood's subtle sweetness helps to offset the heat of the tomato sauce.

Get the Recipe: Grilled Seafood Pasta Fra Diavolo

One-Pot Spaghetti with Fresh Tomato Sauce

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.

Get the Recipe: One-Pot Spaghetti with Fresh Tomato Sauce

Spaghetti Aglio E Olio

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

Get the Recipe: Spaghetti Aglio E Olio

Pantry Pasta

Customize this recipe with whatever you have on hand in the pantry. Ree Drummond uses olives, jarred artichoke hearts, onions, garlic, tomatoes and jarred pesto to complete her dish.

Get the Recipe: Pantry Pasta

Mediterranean Summer Pasta with Salsa Cruda

Melissa D'Arabian serves this pasta with a no-cook "salsa cruda" of tomatoes, olives, garlic and capers. All you have to do is boil the pasta and toss it all together.

Get the Recipe: Mediterranean Summer Pasta with Salsa Cruda

Pasta with Pumpkin and Sausage

Rachael tosses penne pasta in a sauce of creamy pumpkin and sweet sausage for a filling fall meal that's ready in just 25 minutes.

Get the Recipe: Pasta with Pumpkin and Sausage

Bacon-Tomato Linguine

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.

Get the Recipe: Bacon-Tomato Linguine

Orecchiette with Mixed Greens and Goat Cheese

Cooking for one? Giada's quick and simple pasta is tossed with salad greens while still warm so the greens wilt and become an integral part of the overall dish.

Get the Recipe: Orecchiette with Mixed Greens and Goat Cheese

Bacon-Tomato Linguine

A simple take on the traditional carbonara, this ridiculously easy pasta dish makes the perfect dinner for busy nights.

Get the Recipe: Bacon-Tomato Linguine

Penne with Shrimp and Herbed Cream Sauce

Giada uses clam juice instead of chicken stock in her herbed and creamy sauce to reinforce the flavor of the shrimp.

Get the Recipe: Penne with Shrimp and Herbed Cream Sauce

Spaghetti with Spicy Scallop Marinara

Adding a parmesan rind to the pasta sauce means it will infuse great flavor as all of the ingredients cook. Sometimes it will dissolve completely, but if not, just remove it at the end.

Get the Recipe: Spaghetti With Spicy Scallop Marinara Sauce

Butternut Squash Lasagna

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.

Get the Recipe: Butternut Squash Lasagna

Cauliflower-Onion Linguine

Fried onions and chopped cauliflower come together for a crisp, crunchy pasta dish that’s low in calories and doesn't skimp on flavor.

Get the Recipe: Cauliflower-Onion Linguine

Giada's Spaghetti with Asparagus, Smoked Mozzarella, and Prosciutto

The smokiness of the mozzarella and prosciutto in this dish is a nice contrast to the freshness of asparagus and basil.

Get the Recipe: Spaghetti with Asparagus, Smoked Mozzarella and Prosciutto

Capellini with Spicy Zucchini-Tomato Sauce

This vegetarian dish, bursting with flavor from fresh zucchini and tomato sauce, is a quick and easy weeknight option.

Get the Recipe: Capellini With Spicy Zucchini-Tomato Sauce

The Best Baked Mostaccioli

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.

Get the Recipe: The Best Baked Mostaccioli