Italian-Style Pasta Recipes

Serve it as a first course, or primo, like the Italians do, or as a satisfying main. Either way, our collection of pastas is perfect for tonight.

From: Best Italian Recipes and Menus

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Pasta Al Forno

The surprising addition of briney olives to the cheesy pasta and eggplant bake is an easy way to kick up this classic dish.

Get the Recipe: Pasta Al Forno: Oven Baked Pasta

Orecchiette with Mini Chicken Meatballs

Tender, twisty orecchiette noodles are the perfect pasta vehicle for simple chicken meatballs, simmered tomatoes, globs of mozzarella and a sprinkling of basil. Who needs sauce?

Get the Recipe: Orecchiette with Mini Chicken Meatballs

Giada's Italian Lasagna

Giada's family recipe for lasagna layers creamy bechamel sauce, homemade tomato sauce, spinach and tender lasagna noodles.

Get the Recipe: Classic Italian Lasagna

Pasta With Winter Squash and Tomatoes

Italian food is all about seasonality; when it's cold out, dress up tomato sauce with tender butternut squash.

Get the Recipe: Pasta with Winter Squash and Tomatoes

Old School Lasagna with Bolognese Sauce

Channel the bright flavors of Italy by starting your lasagna with homemade sauces.

Get the Recipe: Old School Lasagna with Bolognese Sauce

Shrimp Scampi With Linguini

Shrimp scampi is an Italian classic: Tyler sautees shrimp with shallots, then deglazes with lemon and white wine.

Get the Recipe: Shrimp Scampi with Linguini

Baked Penne with Roasted Vegetables

This vegetable-loaded dish's three-cheese combination — fontina, Parmesan and smoked mozzarella — gives it complex, varied flavors.

Get the Recipe: Baked Penne with Roasted Vegetables

Pasta With Beans and Mussels

Italy's huge coastline means fresh seafood is often on the menu, like the mussels in this hearty bean-and-pasta mix.

Get the Recipe: Pasta with Beans and Mussels

Roasted Vegetable and Sausage Lasagna

This easy lasagna can be prepped in 35 minutes, thanks to no-boil noodles, and it is bulked up with hearty — almost meaty — eggplant and delicate zucchini.

Get the Recipe: Roasted Vegetable and Sausage Lasagna

Lemon-Basil Orzotto

Kelsey uses orzo instead of traditional Arborio rice to make this lemony, risotto-like dish in less than 30 minutes.

Get the Recipe: Lemon-Basil Orzotto

Short Rib and Bechamel Lasagna

Tender short rib and creamy bechamel add up to an extra-rich lasagna.

Get the Recipe: Short Rib and Bechamel Lasagna

Tagliatelle with Mushrooms

Homemade pasta makes all the difference in Debi Mazar and Gabriele Corcos' dish. Tender mushrooms are mixed with butter, mint, olive oil and pecorino for a simple tagliatelle, ready for twirling around your fork.

Get the Recipe: Tagliatelle with Mushrooms

Baked Ziti

This bubbling casserole — filled with pasta, an easy tomato sauce, lots of cheese and fresh basil — can be on the table in less than an hour.

Get the Recipe: Baked Ziti

Pesto Lasagne

Freshly ground pesto shines when tucked between layers of lasagna noodles and creamy bechamel sauce.

Get the Recipe: Pesto Lasagne

Italian Sausage, Spinach and Ricotta Cannelloni

Kelsey rolls homemade sheets of pasta to make these cannelloni, stuffed with Italian sausage, ricotta and spinach.

Get the Recipe: Italian Sausage, Spinach, and Ricotta Cannelloni

Spicy Italian Sausage Lasagna

Creamy mozzarella and spicy sausage balance each other beautifully in this rich take on lasagna.

Get the Recipe: Spicy Italian Sausage Lasagna

Baked Ziti With Spinach and Veal

Rachael's American-Italian take on pasta combines whole-wheat ziti with fresh spinach and nutmeg-spiced ground veal in a white wine sauce.

Get the Recipe: Baked Ziti with Spinach and Veal

Pasta al Forno with Sugo

Take this traditional oven-baked pasta over the top by adding a slow-cooked, sausage-studded sauce.

Get the Recipe: Laura's Pasta al Forno with Sugo

Zesty Spaghetti a la Puttanesca

Spaghetti puttanesca is the ultimate from-the-pantry meal » use kalamata olives, capers and anchovies to make traditional tomato sauce shine.

Get the Recipe: Zesty Spaghetti a la Puttanesca

Pasta With Prosciutto and Lettuce

Lettuce takes on a whole new flavor profile when wilted with prosciutto and chicken broth. Toss it with fresh or frozen peas and your favorite pasta shape.

Get the Recipe: Pasta with Prosciutto and Lettuce

Ricotta and Grana Padano Gnocchi

Gnocchi are often made with potato, but David makes his pasta dumplings with creamy ricotta, yielding a light, pillowy result.

Get the Recipe: Ricotta and Grana Padano Gnocchi

Eggplant Timbale

Inspired by her Neapolitan roots, Giada makes a Southern Italian classic: The eggplant timbale, with penne, meat sauce and vegetables inside an eggplant shell. Slice it like a pie for your next dinner party.

Get the Recipe: Eggplant Timbale

Sausage and Radicchio Orecchiette

Orecchiette pasta, which translates to "little ears," is the perfect pasta shape to soak up the flavors of pork sausage, white wine and bitter radicchio.

Get the Recipe: Sausage and Radicchio Orecchiette

Red Sauce and Spaghetti

Every Italian has their own recipe for the perfect red sauce: Gabriele Corcos keeps his classic with high-quality canned tomatoes, onion, garlic, basil and good extra-virgin olive oil.

Get the Recipe: Red Sauce and Spaghetti

Pasta al Burro con Formaggino: Pasta with Butter and Cheese

Rich and nutty Parmigano Reggiano needs little adornment; David Rocco simply dresses penne with Italian cream cheese, Parmigano and butter for an Italian take on an American favorite: macaroni and cheese.

Get the Recipe: Pasta al Burro con Formaggino: Pasta with Butter and Cheese

Lazy Man's Lasagna

David Rocco’s easy béchamel and five-minute tomato sauce — which he loads with ground meat, chili peppers and celery to form a hearty Bolognese — serve as the base of this cheesy Italian casserole. Simply layer the sauces on sheets of dried pasta and let the oven work its bubbling magic.

Get the Recipe: Lazy Man's Lasagna

Tomato Cream Sauce With Tuna

Italian canned tuna comes in big, olive oil-packed fillets. David jazzes up simple tomato sauce with high-quality tuna, olives, sun-dried tomatoes and cream.

Get the Recipe: Tomato Cream Sauce with Tuna

Zia Carolina's Pasta: Aunt Carolina's Pasta

Top al dente spaghetti with crisp, deep-fried zucchini, capers and fresh mint.

Get the Recipe: Zia Carolina's Pasta: Aunt Carolina's Pasta

Conghilie With Clams and Mussels

Pasta with clams is a classic on the Italian coast. Giada cooks the clams with wine and red pepper flakes to add aromatic flavor.

Get the Recipe: Conchiglie With Clams and Mussels

Fettuccine con Carciofi: Fettuccine With Artichokes

They take a little time to clean, but the crisp, slightly acidic flavor of fresh artichokes is worth the time. Finish cooking the pasta with the sauce so the fettuccine absorbs the tomato, lemon and artichoke flavors.

Get the Recipe: Fettuccine con Carciofi: Fettuccine with Artichokes

Beet Risotto With Truffle Oil

David Rocco uses packaged roasted beets as the not-so-secret ingredient in this bright risotto. Adding beet puree as the rice cooks lets the risotto absorb the earthy flavor and magenta hue.

Get the Recipe: Beet Risotto with Truffle Oil

Insalata di Pasta con Tonno: Pasta Salad With Tuna

David tops cooked bowties with tuna, fresh mozzarella, arugula, tomato and a little extra-virgin olive oil. When making a cold pasta salad, rinse the pasta before you dress it to keep it al dente.

Get the Recipe: Insalata di Pasta con Tonno: Pasta Salad with Tuna

Totani E Tubetti: Squid and Tubetti Pasta

Quick-cooking squid and tubetti pasta make for a fast, fresh dish.

Get the Recipe: Totani E Tubetti: Squid and Tubetti Pasta

Drunken Spaghetti

Cooking pasta part of the way in red wine gives it a bright red color and bold wine flavor. Finish with parsley and Parmigiano cheese.

Get the Recipe: Drunken Spaghetti

Nonna Maria's Spaghetti alla Puttanesca

David Rocco still makes pasta puttanesca the way his grandmother did: a fiery-hot tomato sauce infused with black olives, capers, anchovies and chopped walnuts.

Get the Recipe: Nonna Maria's Spaghetti alla Puttanesca

Tagliolini con Tartufo: Tagliolini With Truffles

When you have freshly-foraged truffles, they don't need much help to be delicious. David shaves truffles atop butter- and Parmesan-dressed pasta.

Get the Recipe: Tagliolini con Tartufo: Tagliolini with Truffles

Zia Orsola's Spinach Risotto

For this modified risotto, David simmers the rice until partially cooked, then finishes it the traditional way, stirring in spinach puree and ricotta cheese.

Get the Recipe: Zia Orsola's Spinach Risotto

Pasta e Fagioli

Part pasta and part stew, this comforting bean-and-spaghetti dish is perfect for a cold afternoon.

Get the Recipe: Pasta E Fagioli

Penne al Cioccolato con Anchovies: Penne with Chocolate and Anchovies

Chocolate and anchovies might not sound like a good combination, but the rich, slightly bitter unsweetened chocolate and the salty fish filets complement each other surprisingly well.

Get the Recipe: Penne al Cioccolato con Anchovies: Penne with Chocolate and Anchovies

Spaghetti Alla Caprese

Turn the classic caprese salad into a fresh, delicious pasta dish with only a few ingredients: tomato, basil, fresh mozzarella and extra-virgin olive oil.

Get the Recipe: Spaghetti Alla Caprese