18 Easy Pasta Recipes You Can Make in Under 30 Minutes

With a box of pasta and a few extra ingredients, dinner is done in a snap.

By
Robin Shreeves
Robin Shreeves
Robin Shreeves
Robin Shreeves is a food and beverage writer.
Learn about Simply Recipes' Editorial Process
Updated April 25, 2025
Robin Shreeves
easy pasta pomodoro in a dutch oven

Simply Recipes / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Jennifer Wendorf / Prop Styling by Phoebe Hauser

Few things are more satisfying than coming home from a long day and sitting down to a big bowl of pasta. And knowing you can throw it together quickly and make your whole family happy? Even better.

These pasta dishes come together in 30 minutes or less, make the most of fresh or pantry-friendly ingredients, and are usually flexible enough to allow you to change out the pasta for whatever you happen to have on hand for a weeknight win.

  • Creamy Cavatappi

    Bowl of Creamy Cavatappi Topped With Shredded Parmesan Next to a Small Bowl With Blocks of Parmesan and Two Forks, All on an Olive Green Kitchen Linen

    Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek

    If you have 20 minutes, you can make this pasta dish with cavatappi—fancy elbow macaroni—that holds onto all the creamy cheese sauce. While the pasta cooks, make the sauce with butter, garlic, heavy cream, Parmesan, and lemon juice. Adding peas is optional, but doing so helps you get some veggies in if you're not serving it alongside a salad.

  • Easy Pasta Pomodoro

    easy pasta pomodoro in a dutch oven

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Jennifer Wendorf / Prop Styling by Phoebe Hauser

    "While this easy pasta pomodoro tastes just like summer, cherry tomatoes are good year-round, so you can make this recipe whenever the mood strikes." —Laurel Randolph, Associate Editorial Director

  • 5-Ingredient Broccoli Pasta

    Overhead shot of a bowl of rigatoni pasta with broccoli and parmesan cheese

    Simply Recipes / Molly Adams

    "I often serve this pasta on its own, but if I have a rotisserie chicken or leftover roasted chicken on hand, I’ll toss that into the mix for a dose of protein." —Molly Adams, Recipe Developer

  • One-Pot Sausage and Orzo

    Angled view of a wooden spoon in a skillet of orzo, italian sausage, sun-dried tomatoes and baby spinach

    Simply Recipes / Sara Haas

    "If you’re not familiar with orzo, it’s a small, rice-shaped pasta that’s commonly used for pasta salads or soups. It falls in the category of pastina, or 'little pasta,' and like other little pastas, it cooks quickly, making it handy for weeknight dinners." Sara Haas, Recipe Developer

    Continue to 5 of 18 below

  • Easy Green Pasta

    Swiss chard, lemon, and parmesan pasta heaped in a low bowl.

    Simply Recipes / Alison Bickel

    This vibrant sauce is made with fresh Swiss chard, pasta water, olive oil, garlic, and Parmesan cheese. It's simple and goes with the pasta of your choice. Substitute kale, spinach, or collard greens for the Swiss chard if you'd like.

  • Spaghetti Aglio e Olio with Green Olives

    Spaghetti Aglio e Olio with green olives

    Simply Recipes / Molly Adams

    "I’m wise enough to know that improving on a dish as outstanding as spaghetti aglio e olio is a fool’s errand, but by adding a few of my family’s favorite ingredients that I always have on hand, I’ve turned it into what I consider the perfect plate of pasta." —Molly Adams, Recipe Developer

  • Pasta Carbonara

    Overhead view of a bowl of Spaghetti Carbonara.

    Simply Recipes / Karishma Pradhan

    This indulgent recipe takes just 30 minutes to make. Fry up pancetta or bacon in a skillet, then create the silky Carbonara sauce of Parmesan and beaten eggs tossed with the hot pasta and a little fat from the pork. It's a real treat.

  • Cheesy Hamburger Skillet

    A top view of a skillet with the Cheesy Hamburger Skillet Recipe

    Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

    "Everything cooks in a single skillet and takes less than 20 minutes to cook. The result is an ultra-creamy pasta balanced with acidic tomatoes and a beefy flavor." —Meghan Splawn, Recipe Developer

    Continue to 9 of 18 below

  • 20-Minute Spaghetti with Tuna and White Beans

    Pasta with tuna, white beans, herbs, and breadcrumbs in a bowl, fork resting on the side.

    Simply Recipes / Frank Tiu

    "This is the quintessential affordable pantry dinner, made exclusively with staples I keep stocked at all times: pasta, canned tuna, and canned white beans. It’s delicious with just those simple ingredients, but I also love adding a few extra garnishes to make it even more satisfying." —Stephanie A Ganz, Recipe Developer

  • Stovetop Stuffed Shells

    Stovetop Stuffed Shells in a large pan with a large serving spoon - small dish with crushed red pepper and small dish with chopped parsley

    Simply Recipes / Sara Haas

    "There’s no need to turn on the oven with this easy (and quicker) recipe. It starts with cooking the shells, which should be very al dente so they’re easier to fill and don’t end up overcooked. A ricotta and Parmesan filling are added and the shells are arranged atop store-bought marinara. Topped with cheese, covered, and cooked for just a few more minutes, it’s a weeknight winner." —Sara Haas, Recipe Developer

  • Spring Carbonara

    large bowl of Spring Carbonara with serving spoon and fork

    Simply Recipes / Ali Redmond

    "I always use a 12- to 16-ounce bunch of asparagus as the primary vegetable because I cannot get enough of the grassy spears come spring. The rest of the veggies are super adaptable–I’ve used snow peas, snap peas, shelled English peas, peeled fava beans, tiny baby carrots, and even delicate morel mushrooms. Buy whatever seasonal veggies look good and cut them into pieces that will cook in the last 3 or so minutes with the spaghetti." —Ivy Manning, Recipe Developer

  • Chicken Scampi with Angel Hair Pasta

    A skillet full of chicken scampi with angel hair pasta

    Simply Recipes / Aaron Hutcherson

    "The most important thing to remember with this recipe is to reserve some of the pasta cooking water. It helps to make a luscious sauce that brings all of the ingredients together." —Aaron Hutcherson, Recipe Developer

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  • Lemony Sardine Pasta

    A plate of sardine linguine topped with breadcrumbs

    Simply Recipes / Karishma Pradhan

    "I recommend a long pasta shape you can twirl around your fork to pick up all those jammy, crispy bits. Spaghetti, bucatini, or fusilli col buco are all great options." —Karishma Pradhan, Recipe Developer

  • Skillet Cacio e Pepe Tortellini With Wilted Greens

    Skillet Cacio e Pepe Tortellini With Wilted Greens in a Pot With a Serving Spoon, All on a White Kitchen Towel on the Counter, and Next to It, a Bowl of Cracked Pepper, a Glass of Water, and a Block of Pecorino Romani Cheese

    Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

    Fresh or frozen cheese tortellini cooks right in the same pan you'll later add the sauce ingredients to, saving the time you'd normally take it boil the pasta (and saving you one more to wash). The sauce is made with salty Pecorino Romano cheese and plenty of freshly ground black pepper. A few handfuls of spinach finish the dish.

  • 5-Ingredient Fresh Tomato Pasta

    fresh tomato pasta in a bowl next to a bowl of shaved parmesan and small plate with basil

    Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek

    This recipe comes together in around 15 minutes since you make the sauce while the pasta is cooking and then toss everything together in the saucepan at the end. Fast, fresh, and flavorful!

  • Midnight Pasta

    bowl of midnight pasta at a table with a drink, a table napkin, and utensils

    Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek

    "Midnight pasta is flexible, and very much depends on what you have in your pantry at that very moment. This iteration is what I most often make, given that olive oil, garlic, and anchovies are staples in my pantry." —Sheela Prakash, Recipe Developer

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  • Shrimp and Artichoke Pasta

    A serving bowl of shrimp and artichoke pasta

    Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

    "Even though it looks like a lot is going on—shrimp, artichokes, peas, pesto, pasta—the whole dish can be made in the time it takes to cook the pasta!" —Elise Bauer, Founder

  • Creamy Miso Mushroom Pasta

    Two Plates of Creamy Miso Mushroom Pasta

    Simply Recipes / Hannah Zimmerman

    This creamy pasta made with white miso, Parmesan, and mushrooms comes together in 30 minutes. It uses a whole pound of spaghetti so you get an umami-filled pasta dinner that easily serves four.

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