Pasta recipes

Spaghetti in marinara layered with a creamy Velveeta and Parmesan cheese sauce, then baked until bubbly and golden. Think baked ziti meets mac and cheese in the best possible way.

Jarred roasted peppers, bacon, onion and garlic make this tasty super creamy sauce a breeze to make and it's perfect served with spaghetti for a quick and easy weeknight meal.

Linguine with white clam sauce keeps it simple: heavy cream, chopped clams with their briny juice, thyme, and onion salt tossed with hot pasta. A 20-minute weeknight Italian classic.

Orzo with turkey and fennel combines cooked turkey, sautéed fennel, orzo pasta, fresh tomatoes, and parmesan in 30 minutes. Italian-style leftover turkey dinner with sage and basil.

This is actually fairly easy to make, the only time consuming part was peeling the eggplant and chopping vegetables.

Chicken and zucchini soup built from scratch: a whole chicken simmered with parsnip, turnip, and lemon, then enriched with browned Italian sausage, pasta shells, and grated zucchini stirred in at the end.

Kasha Rustica with toasted buckwheat groats, bow-tie pasta, sauteed onions, and browned mushrooms in vegetable stock. A hearty vegetarian take on classic kasha varnishkes.

Vegan linguine with new potatoes, wilted greens, green beans, and roma tomatoes in a garlicky vegetable stock sauce with red pepper flakes. Light, hearty, no oil needed.

Fettuccine tossed with a quick chunky tomato-chile sauce, cubed avocado, cilantro, and lime juice. Mexican-leaning pasta with a fresh, no-cook avocado finish.

Hearty bean and vegetable soup with red kidney beans, crushed tomatoes, fresh vegetables, and pasta in a seasoned broth. A flexible one-pot meal that simmers in under an hour.

A healthy and tasty soup made with ground turkey, spaghetti sauce and cauliflower florets.

Linguine with garlic shrimp in a Marsala wine and chicken broth sauce thickened with a light roux. Italian parsley, three cloves of garlic, and a pound of shrimp make this a weeknight favorite.

Penne alla vodka with Italian plum tomatoes cooked down for 25 minutes, then simmered with cream, vodka, and red pepper flakes. Rich, creamy, and make-ahead friendly.

Low-fat linguine with greens, potato, garlic, hot pepper, and tomatoes simmered in vegetable stock. An Italian-inspired pasta loaded with wilted greens and tender new potatoes, no added oil.

Wasn't sure about using ground chicken instead of beef to make bolognese, but I was surprised by how flavorful it turned out. For ground chicken, I just chopped chicken breasts into tiny pieces, and it worked like a charm. I have to say that I will definitely be making this recipe again very soon.

Baked ziti casserole loaded with Italian sausage, mushrooms, and green peppers in a creamy cheddar and Parmesan sauce. Bubbly, golden, and ready for a crowd.