This page brings together five pasta dishes with very different flavors and formats. Some are creamy or baked, while others lean toward slow-cooked sauce or a chilled salad style.
Each recipe uses a distinct method, from skillet sauce and slow-cooker spaghetti to a marinated tomato toss. The variety makes it easy to pick a pasta dish for dinner, a make-ahead meal, or a potluck-style side.
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- Creamy Crack Chicken Pasta
- 5-Ingredient Slow Cooker One Pot Spaghetti
- Eggcellent Pasta Delight
- Garlic Parmesan Pasta Casserole
- Ina Garten’s Summer Garden Pasta
Creamy Crack Chicken Pasta
Creamy Crack Chicken Pasta combines seasoned chicken, pasta, and a rich cheese sauce in one skillet-friendly meal. The chicken is cooked first in olive oil with smoked paprika, salt, and pepper, then set aside while the sauce comes together with chicken broth, cream cheese, ranch dressing mix, milk, and cheddar. Bacon is stirred in at the end, and chopped parsley finishes the dish.
The method keeps the cooking organized by using the same skillet for both the chicken and the sauce. After the pasta is cooked separately and drained, the diced chicken is added back in, the sauce is poured over everything, and the mixture is stirred until evenly coated. A brief low-heat finish helps the bacon blend into the creamy pasta.
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5-Ingredient Slow Cooker One Pot Spaghetti
5-Ingredient Slow Cooker One Pot Spaghetti builds a meat sauce in the slow cooker before the pasta goes in. Ground beef is browned first, then combined with marinara sauce, beef broth, and Italian seasoning and cooked until the flavors develop. Dry spaghetti, broken in half, is added later so it can soften directly in the sauce.
The technique keeps the noodles in the same pot as the sauce for a true one-pot finish. About an hour before dinner, the spaghetti is pressed down into the liquid and cooked on HIGH, with extra broth or water added only if needed. The final stir helps the pasta and sauce come together, and the recipe allows for a quick adjustment if the mixture is too thick or too loose.
Get the full 5-Ingredient Slow Cooker One Pot Spaghetti recipe
Eggcellent Pasta Delight
Eggcellent Pasta Delight is a chilled macaroni salad built around chopped hard-boiled eggs, celery, green onions, and a creamy dressing. The dressing is whisked from mayonnaise, sour cream, mustard, apple cider vinegar, sugar, paprika, salt, and black pepper, giving the salad a tangy, savory base before the pasta and mix-ins are folded in.
The macaroni is cooked until al dente, drained, and cooled completely so it can hold the dressing well. After everything is mixed until coated, the salad is refrigerated for at least an hour to let the flavors meld. A final stir before serving brings it back together, and extra paprika and parsley can be used to finish it.
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Garlic Parmesan Pasta Casserole
Garlic Parmesan Pasta Casserole layers penne, chicken, and a creamy garlic cheese sauce under a baked mozzarella topping. The sauce starts with butter and flour cooked together, then half and half is whisked in until thickened before garlic, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, parmesan, salt, and pepper are added. The cooked chicken is mixed with the pasta and sauce before baking.
The casserole is assembled in a greased baking dish with half the mixture, then mozzarella, then the remaining pasta and another layer of mozzarella. Baking uncovered gives the top a golden, bubbly finish, and the dish rests briefly before serving so it can settle. Parsley is optional, but the baked layers and creamy sauce are the main draw.
Get the full Garlic Parmesan Pasta Casserole recipe
Ina Garten’s Summer Garden Pasta
Ina Garten’s Summer Garden Pasta is a fresh tomato and basil pasta built from a room-temperature marinade. Halved cherry tomatoes are combined with olive oil, minced garlic, julienned basil, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper, then left to sit for several hours so the flavors can blend before the pasta is added.
Hot angel hair is tossed directly into the tomato mixture, which lets the warm noodles soften the marinade into a light sauce. Parmesan is added with extra basil at the end, and the dish is served immediately. The method is simple, but the long marinating step gives the tomatoes time to release their juices and season the pasta.
