21 Pasta Meals That Aren't the Average Spaghetti Dinner - Salt in my Coffee (2024)

Tired of reaching for the same old box of spaghetti, but need the speed and ease that pasta offers, when getting dinner on the table for a busy weeknight?

Here are 21 easy pasta dishes, just waiting to become your new pasta night go-to.

From comforting cheesy baked pastas, to quick and easy seafood dishes, to hearty main-dish pasta salads, there's bound to be a new family favorite for just about everybody on this list.

1. Harissa Pasta With Oranges

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This beautiful orange pasta is as vibrantly flavorful as it looks. Spicy harissa and spring onions give heat to this dish, while the oranges offer a bright sweetness that brings a nice balance.

With just 7 ingredients, the whole dish comes together in just 15 minutes. It's truly an easy weeknight meal!

Get the recipe here.

2. Fig Bacon Jam Pasta

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Definitely not your regular old plate of spaghetti and meatballs, here's a recipe that relies on some ingredients you don't usually think of when it comes to pasta. Bacon and fig jamcome together in this dish for a combination ofsweet and salty, creamy and crispy.

The recipe writer suggests making the bacon and fig jam ahead of time, so this meal can quickly be made just the time it takes to cook the pasta.

Get the recipe here.

3. Pumpkin Manicotti in Béchamel Sauce

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Tender pasta tubes are filled with a robust pumpkin and ricotta filling flavored with fresh sage and thyme, in this warm and comforting recipe.

A fragrant brown butter béchamel sauce is applied to the pasta before baking it, for a flavor that's rich and complex. This is one of those hearty dishes that would be just perfect for "Meatless Monday."

Get the recipe here.

4. Stout Mac and Cheese with Pronghorn Italian Sausage

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Good old "mac and cheese" is perhaps one of the most well known and loved comfort foods there is. For nights you want to take that soothing classic, and give it an exciting twist, here's a fun recipe to try.

The recipe author describes this recipe as "a grown-up version of cheeseburger mac meets beer cheese dip, mixed with spicy Italian sausage, and topped with crunchybreadcrumbs". It sounds pretty convincing!

Get the recipe here.

5. Linguini with Prosciutto and Spot Prawns

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Here's aquick and easy recipefeaturing sweet, succulent spot prawns. These delicious little crustaceans are similar to shrimp, but have a flavor more like lobster, so this dish is really a decadent treat.

Crisped prosciutto adds a savory umami layer to the flavors, and everything mingles perfectly together on a comforting bowl of fresh linguini.

Get the recipe here.

6. Cajun Spinach Stuffed Manicotti

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This Spinach Stuffed Manicotti is made with creamy ricotta, leafy spinach, cajun spices, and salty parmesan. This is a meal that's just absolutely packed with flavor in every bite.

The recipe is also easier to make than you might think. With just a few simple steps, it comes together quickly and easily!

Get the recipe here.

7. Beef Birria Ramen

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Juicy birria de res meets ramen noodles, to make a flavorful and spicy birria ramen. Exploding with rich, umami flavor, this recipes is one of those social media tends that blends two traditional comfort foods into a rich and savory dish!

The bright, fresh lime really ties the flavors all together and finishes this off perfectly.

Get the recipe here.

8. Fusilli Alfredo with Lemon Tuna & Fresh Herbs

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This summer-worthy fusilli alfredo recipe features decadent fillets of perfectly-seasoned tuna with an abundance of fresh, flavorful herbs.

This is one of those easy, easy weeknight meals that just comes together fast, and is an easy win every time. This is a fun meal to make after a springtime foraging walk through the yard. Toss in any edible blossoms you find, like violets and chive blossoms, for a bright and festive dinner.

Get the recipe here.

9. Sweet Potato Gnocchi With Brown Butter And Sage

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Homemade sweet potato gnocchi with brown butter and sage may sound like a recipe that's a time-consuming labor of love, but it's actually more doable than you might think, and is a great first gnocchi recipe to try.

Chances are, once you've made your first homemade gnocchi you will never go back to store bought again! This recipe makes light, pillowy gnocchi tossed in a delicious nutty brown butter sauce topped off with crispy sage.

Get the recipe here.

10. Scallop and Bacon Pasta

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With just 6 ingredients, and ready in only 30 minutes, this is a company-worthy dish, that's weeknight easy.

This fragrant, silky pasta features scallops and bacon, for a dish reminiscent of a carbonara. Pair it with a good glass of wine, for an easy, memorable dinner.

Get the recipe here.

11. Creamy Mushroom Pasta With Burrata

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This creamy mushroom pasta with burrata will switch up your weeknight pasta routine, for sure. That cream sauce is so decadent, and the mushrooms bring a umami flavor that gives this a wonderful depth.

Like most pasta dishes, it's also very easy to make. The only hands-on work is chopping some shallots and garlic. Easy, weeknight perfection.

Get the recipe here.

12. Calamarata Pasta

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In this recipe, fresh calamari is slowly, slowly simmered in tomato sauce and garlic, until it's ready to be is combined with a wonderfully loopy pasta that has a shape similar to the calamari rings.

The result looks like a giant, grown-up version of Spaghetti-O's, but oh, so much more flavorful. It would be easy to argue that this dish is the very definition of comfort food.

Get the recipe here.

13. Käsespätzle (German Cheese Spaetzle)

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This recipe is going right to the top of my must-try list. It's a traditional and authentic recipe forkäsespätzle, orGerman cheese spaetzlenoodle dumplings, which are smothered in gooey cheese and dotted with caramelized onions, then baked until bubbly.

There is just nothing not to love about this incredible combination of ingredients. It's truly family comfort food at its best.

Get the recipe here.

14. Smoked Trout and Snap Pea Pasta Salad

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Crisp sugar snap peas, smoked trout, and farfalle pasta all tossed with a light and creamy dressing, for this lovely springtime pasta salad. This a recipe that would be a perfect side dish for a cookout or picnic.

Don't let that surprising combination of ingredients keep you from trying this. The sweetness of the peas actually goes perfectly with the smokiness from the fish. Pile on some fresh dill, and green onions, and this is a perfect warm-weather pasta!

Get the recipe here.

15. Zhoug Pasta With Brussels Sprouts

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This easy zhoug pasta is perfect for a hearty weeknight dinner. Made with shredded brussels sprouts, pasta, and a spicy zhoug sauce, it's a bright and lemon-flavored dish that's really delightful.

If you're not familiar with zhoug, it's a condiment that originated in Yemen, and is like a pesto made with cilantro and peppers. It's so brightly fresh and flavorful, that "secret" ingredient really gives this dish its magic!

Get the recipe here.

16. Creamy Cajun Sausage Pasta

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This creamy Cajun sausage pasta brings together smoked sausage, bell peppers, mushrooms, and a spicy and creamy sauce in a comforting dish that sausage-lovers will just adore.

That sauce is made with cheese, wine, garlic, and Cajun seasoning, and it's just so good. This whole dish is satisfying comfort food, Louisiana style.

Get the recipe here.

17. Duck Pasta

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Here's a great way to try serving duck if you're looking for something a little different! The combination of flavorful duck meat, meaty mushrooms, and tender pappardelle pasta is just a real winner.

Tossed in a creamy, brown butter herb-infused sauce, all of the flavors come together harmoniously.

Get the recipe here.

18. Squid Ink Pasta with Calamari and Tomatoes

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Here's a show-stopping pasta recipe that's made with squid ink! If you're looking for a recipe that's not too complicated, but is guaranteed to wow and impress, this is it.

Sweet and flavorful tomatoes brighten the dish in both appearance and flavor, while that stunning black pasta is smooth and satisfying.

Get the recipe here.

19. Greek Orzo Pasta Salad

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This summery dish is such a lovely twist on a classic pasta salad. That orzo offers such a fun and unexpected texture, compared to the elbows or bow ties that more commonly make an appearance in pasta salads.

This classic Greek salad offers a bright combination of flavors in every bite. It really would be perfect for a summer cookout or church potluck!

Get the recipe here.

20. Seafood Lasagna

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This is not your usual lasagna. Combining shrimp, crab, cream cheese, mushroom soup, and white wine, it's a lasagna-shaped flavor explosion that seafood lovers will swoon for, and guests won't forget.

This seafood lasagna is sure to wow your family when you try it, and the recipe author swears it's actually incredibly easy to make.

Get the recipe here.

21. Mediterranean Pasta

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This flavor-packed pasta dish is filled with artichokes, capers, olives, tomatoes and spinach. It's like all your favorite antipasti, tucked into a comforting bowl of pasta.

A lightolive oiland lemon sauce brings together all the flavors, being overwhelming. Fresh, creamy feta and herbs finish it all off to perfection.

Get the recipe here.

21 Tempting Worldwide Street Foods to Make at Home

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There's nothing more enticing than a hot and fragrant snack, devoured right after buying it from a street cart in some far-flung city. Thankfully, many beloved street food favorites can be made right in a home kitchen.

From street tacos and foods on a stick, to doughnuts and pastries, this collection of recipes from around the world is just the thing to inspire your next culinary adventure!

Get the recipes here.

21 Easy Coffee Desserts Anyone Can Make

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Coffee is such a beloved flavor profile, it really deserves to be celebrated past noontime. Here's a whole list of tried-and true desserts that take the flavors of coffee and espresso and run with them.

From soft and squishy cookies, to popsicles, to decadent cakes and panna cottas, there's something here for every coffee lover.

Get the recipes here.