19 easy pasta recipes in 20 minutes
Pasta and 20 minutes are made for each other: the sauce cooks while the water boils and the noodles cook. These are the pasta recipes we make again and again.
Updated October 2026 · ranked by popularity
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1. Stovetop mac and cheese
Creamy, cheddar-coated elbow macaroni made in one pot with evaporated milk, no roux and no oven. Smooth, saucy and ready in under 20 minutes.
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2. Spaghetti carbonara
Classic Roman carbonara with crisp guanciale, egg yolks, Pecorino Romano and black pepper. No cream: just a silky sauce made off the heat with pasta water.
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3. Copycat Olive Garden chicken Alfredo
Our take on Olive Garden's chicken Alfredo: golden chicken over fettuccine in a garlicky butter, cream and parmesan sauce. Rich, silky and on the table in 20.
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4. Penne alla vodka
Penne in a silky, blush-pink sauce of caramelized tomato paste, a splash of vodka, cream and grated cheese, with a little chile heat. Made as the pasta boils.
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5. Spaghetti with meat sauce
Weeknight spaghetti with a rich ground beef and tomato sauce, boosted with tomato paste, garlic and oregano. A family favorite on the table in 20 minutes.
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6. Pesto pasta with cherry tomatoes
Pasta tossed in a quick blender basil pesto (or a good store-bought one) with juicy cherry tomatoes and Parmesan. An easy vegetarian dinner in 17 minutes.
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7. Cajun chicken pasta
Penne in a creamy Parmesan sauce with Cajun-spiced seared chicken, sweet bell peppers and garlic. A restaurant-style pasta that's on the table in 20 minutes.
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8. Spaghetti aglio e olio
Spaghetti tossed in olive oil gently infused with sliced garlic and chili, emulsified with starchy pasta water and finished with parsley.
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9. Copycat Panera mac and cheese
Tender pasta shells in a silky, tangy white cheddar sauce that's smooth, not grainy. Our 18-minute take on Panera Bread's mac and cheese.
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10. Lemon garlic shrimp linguine
Linguine tossed with garlicky shrimp, chile, lemon and a buttery pasta-water sauce, finished with plenty of parsley. Bright, simple and fast.
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11. Cacio e pepe
Spaghetti tossed in a creamy, peppery Pecorino Romano sauce made with nothing but cheese, cracked black pepper and starchy pasta water.
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12. One-pot cheeseburger macaroni
Ground beef and macaroni cooked together in one pot in a tangy tomato and mustard sauce, melted with cheddar and topped with pickles. Tastes like a cheeseburger.
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13. Garlic butter noodles
Spaghetti or egg noodles tossed in foaming garlic butter, parmesan and a splash of starchy pasta water until glossy. Pantry comfort in 15 minutes.
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14. Creamy Tuscan gnocchi
Pan-fried gnocchi in a garlicky cream sauce with sun-dried tomatoes, wilted spinach and parmesan. One pan, crisp edges, hardly any dishes to wash.
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15. Chicken pesto pasta salad
Spirals of pasta tossed with basil pesto, shredded rotisserie chicken, juicy cherry tomatoes, spinach and toasted pine nuts. Warm or cold, it packs well.
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16. Avgolemono soup with orzo
Greek lemon chicken soup: orzo and rotisserie chicken in broth, thickened silky with whisked egg and lemon. Bright, creamy and dairy-free.
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17. Creamy mushroom orzotto
Orzo cooked like risotto in hot broth with browned mushrooms, thyme and a splash of wine, then finished with butter and parmesan until creamy.
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18. Camp stove chili mac
One pot of beefy chili mac on the camp stove: the macaroni cooks right in the spiced tomato broth, then gets a big handful of melted cheddar.
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19. Pea, lemon and ricotta pasta
Spaghetti tossed with sweet peas, lemon zest and a silky ricotta and parmesan sauce, finished with mint. Bright, creamy and on the table in 20 minutes.
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Put the water on before you do anything else, salt it well, and always save a mug of the starchy cooking water. A splash of it is what turns a sauce glossy and helps it cling to the pasta.
Common questions
Can I use a different pasta shape?
Yes. Swap like for like (long for long, short for short) and follow the cooking time on your package.
Can I make these gluten-free?
Most work with gluten-free pasta. Cook it a minute less than the package says, since it softens quickly in the sauce.