Recipes by Ingredient

What to Make With Pasta

Pasta is the ultimate pantry staple. With a box of spaghetti and a few basic ingredients, you can have dinner on the table in 15-30 minutes. These recipes prove you don't need much to eat well.

6 Easy Pasta Recipes

Pasta Aglio e Olio

The simplest Italian classic — garlic, olive oil, red pepper flakes, and parmesan. 15 minutes, 5 ingredients.

15 minEasyServes 3

Cacio e Pepe

Just pasta, pecorino cheese, black pepper, and pasta water. Deceptively simple, incredibly satisfying.

15 minMediumServes 3

One-Pot Creamy Tomato Pasta

Pasta cooked directly in a creamy tomato sauce. Everything in one pot, done in 20 minutes.

20 minEasyServes 4

Baked Ziti

Pasta baked with ricotta, mozzarella, and marinara sauce. Crowd-pleasing comfort food.

40 minEasyServes 6

Butter Noodles

The ultimate lazy dinner — pasta tossed with butter, parmesan, and a crack of pepper. Kids love it.

12 minEasyServes 3

Pasta Primavera

Pasta with whatever seasonal vegetables you have — broccoli, zucchini, bell peppers — in a light garlic sauce.

20 minEasyServes 4

Tips for Cooking With Pasta

Salt your pasta water generously — it should taste like the sea. This is your only chance to season the pasta itself.
Save a cup of pasta water before draining. The starchy water helps sauces cling to the noodles.
Don't rinse cooked pasta unless you're making a cold salad — the starch helps sauce stick.
Cook pasta 1 minute less than the package says if you're finishing it in a sauce.

Get Personalized Suggestions

ChefsPantry's AI builds meal plans around everything in your pantry — not just one ingredient. Plus it tracks expiry dates and orders your groceries.

Try ChefsPantry Free for 14 Days