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Pasta night is (always!) the best night. 🍝
And you can never go wrong by starting with a box of spaghetti. Below you'll find a ton of easy pasta recipes for your next one — including creamy one-pot classics, hands-off dishes made in the Crock Pot or Instant Pot, seasonal veggie-packed versions, and more.
1. Shortcut Instant Pot Spaghetti
Joe Lingeman / Via thekitchn.com
The shortcut here is using your favorite jarred or canned marinara sauce. The noodles cook directly in it — so they absorb a ton of flavor from the inside out. (Also: Bonus points for a hands-off, one-pot cook!)
Recipe: Shortcut Instant Pot Spaghetti
2. Spaghetti Four Ways
All four recipes — chicken bacon broccoli Alfredo, garlic shrimp scampi, spinach mushroom pesto, and tomato basil with sausage — start with a box of spaghetti.
Recipe: Spaghetti Four Ways
3. Slow Cooker Spaghetti Bolognese
The hearty sauce cooks low and slow in the Crock Pot and makes enough for two boxes worth of spaghetti. You can also save or freeze half and then use it as the base for other meals — like sloppy Joes or stuffed shells.
Recipe: Slow Cooker Spaghetti Bolognese
4. Spaghetti with Spinach-Artichoke Chicken
Joe Lingeman / Via thekitchn.com
This one-pot pasta only has a 10-minute cook time, and can easily be made vegetarian if you leave out the chicken sausage.
5. Spaghetti with Marcella Hazan's Famous 3-Ingredient Sauce
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This classic sauce proves you don't need a laundry list of ingredients to make something rich and delicious. (In this case: only tomatoes, butter, onion, and salt.)
Recipe: Spaghetti with Marcella Hazan's Famous 3-Ingredient Sauce
6. Creamy Pasta Primavera
This version — packed with summer vegetables — uses linguine noodles, but you could easily swap in spaghetti, bucatini, or whatever else you have on hand.
Recipe: Creamy Pasta Primavera
The meatballs cook directly in the sauce so they retain a ton of moisture and flavor. Using whole wheat noodles also boosts the fiber a bit!
Recipe: Instant Pot Whole Wheat Spaghetti with Turkey Meatballs
Adding shredded carrots and zucchini to the sauce adds texture, nutrients, and a subtle depth of flavor. Wins all around!
9. One-Pot Cajun Chicken Alfredo
Super creamy —and the leftovers reheat well.
Recipe: One-Pot Cajun Chicken Alfredo
10. Filipino Spaghetti
Filipino spaghetti is sweeter than what you're used to. That's because the sauce often contains banana ketchup, a favorite condiment of the cuisine.
Recipe: Filipino Spaghetti
11. One-Pot Broccoli Parmesan Pasta
This makes enough for four people and only needs about 10 minutes of active cooking time.
Recipe: One-Pot Broccoli Parmesan Pasta
The ultra-savory sauce — spiked with red wine and salty anchovies — is a bit of a project. (But if you want to impress, it's worth it!)
Fun fact: The singular word for spaghetti is spaghetto.
Recipe: Garlic Butter Parmesan Pasta
14. Veggie-Packed Spaghetti with Zucchini and Spinach
This works with any seasonal vegetables you have on hand. To make it vegan, swap the Parmesan for nutritional yeast.
Sauces taste better when they basically make themselves.
16. Cacio e Pepe with Lemony Arugula
Fresh arugula and lemon brighten up the classic here.
Recipe: Cacio e Pepe with Lemony Arugula
17. One-Pot Pasta with Spicy Sausage and Tomato
Joe Lingeman / Via thekitchn.com
If you're short on time, sausage is an ideal protein for pasta dishes. It doesn't require browning or pre-cooking, and when left unopened, can last for a long time in the fridge.
18. Vegan Pasta Primavera
This would also be great with sliced cherry tomatoes or zucchini ribbons swirled in.
Recipe: Vegan Pasta Primavera
19. Spaghetti Carbonara with Chorizo
Carbonara on its own is great. Carbonara with spicy, salty chunks of chorizo is even better. 😋
Recipe: Spaghetti Carbonara with Chorizo
20. Copycat Red Lobster Cajun Shrimp Alfredo Pasta
No judgment if you serve these with a side of Cheddar Bay biscuits.
This version uses zucchini noodles made by hand with a spiralizer. To save time, swap in pre-packaged zoodles.
Recipe: Low-Carb Zoodles with Marinara
22. Aglio e Olio
Super garlicky without being overpowering —and pairs perfectly with a fresh green salad or antipasti.
Recipe: Aglio e Olio
There's a ton of ways to customize this: Try ground turkey instead of beef, add sautéed mushrooms or zucchini to the sauce, or add bread crumbs on top for extra texture.
Recipe: Baked Spaghetti Casserole
24. Summer Spaghetti with Tomatoes and Burrata
Thanks to the fresh tomatoes and creamy burrata, this manages to feel both light and indulgent at the same time.
25. Classic Spaghetti and Meatballs
If all else fails, go for the classic.
Recipe: Classic Spaghetti and Meatballs
