18 Fast Pasta Recipes Ready in Under 30 Minutes

After a long and tiring day at work or school, the last thing many of us want to do is come home and then spend another couple of hours toiling away in the kitchen to make dinner for ourselves. The thought of peeling, chopping, and prepping lots of complicated ingredients just to get a meal on the table can feel both overwhelming and daunting, especially when you are already exhausted and pressed for free time.

Thankfully, that’s when trusty pasta comes to the rescue. Quick, inexpensive, and always filling, pasta is a consistently popular, dependable option that is endlessly versatile. In this recipe round-up, we have collected several mouthwatering pasta dishes that you can whip up in no more than 30 minutes, from start to finish. From warm noodles smothered in rich and creamy sauces to light and fresh cold pasta salads to heartier tortellini soups, these seriously speedy pasta recipes prove that you don’t always have to spend hours in the kitchen to enjoy a satisfying, homemade meal. Let’s dig in!

In this expedited, yet elevated pasta dish, certified nutrition coach Michelle McGlinn bumps classic fettuccini Alfredo up a notch with her bold blackening spice mix, perfect for quickly searing steak and shrimp in a piping hot cast iron skillet. The proteins are first generously coated in a flavorful blend of ancho chile powder, garlic powder, paprika, black pepper, salt, dried thyme, and brown sugar, before being seared on high heat in melted butter. This creates a perfectly dark, crispy crust while keeping the insides juicy and tender. Combine the meat and shrimp with a creamy, cheesy sauce, and you have an irresistibly rich Alfredo packed with all the umami and decadence anyone could wish for — and all this in 25 minutes flat.

Recipe: Blackened Steak and Shrimp Alfredo

Even faster to prepare is recipe developer Michelle Bottalico’s shrimp scampi. Not only is this mouthwatering meal ready in 20 minutes (if you boil the pasta while making the sauce), but it also delivers restaurant-quality flavor. The shrimp is quickly sauteed in the ever-satisfying, savory combination of butter, onion, garlic, and red pepper flakes until tender and juicy, and then set aside while the rest of the sauce comes together. More butter, white wine, lemon juice, and some starchy pasta water is added to the pan, creating a flavorful sauce for the asparagus to cook in, until fork tender. The shrimp is added back into the sauce along with the al dente pasta (you can use angel hair, spaghetti, or even fettuccini), halved cherry tomatoes, and freshly chopped parsley, resulting in a succulent dish that is packed with wonderfully rich, yet fresh flavors.

Recipe: Copycat Olive Garden Shrimp Scampi

Registered dietitian and chef Kristen Carli has created a beautifully simple, yet flavorful garlic butter pasta dinner that takes only 20 minutes to prepare, start to finish. Start by boiling spaghetti (or whatever your family’s favorite noodle is) until al dente. While the pasta boils, create an easy, uncomplicated garlic sauce by melting cubed butter with minced garlic, lemon juice, and some starchy pasta water in a pan. Finish by tossing it all together with some freshly chopped parsley, and voilà! You got yourself what Carli calls “an adult version of buttered noodles” that is sure to please the whole family, even if you have some picky eaters.

Recipe: Creamy Garlic Butter Noodles

Along the same lines as Kristen Carli, certified wellness coach and recipe developer Miriam Hahn has crafted a quick and delicious garlicky, buttered noodle recipe that takes just 20 minutes to prepare. The key difference in this version is the creamy sauce, which skips the lemon juice, and instead comes together with the classic combination of melted butter, garlic, Parmesan cheese, and some starchy pasta water. The spaghettini is finished with a generous sprinkling of freshly grated lemon zest and a handful of chopped parsley, which add a burst of bright, herby flavor to the dish. 

Recipe: 20-Minute Spaghettini with Garlic Butter Sauce

If you enjoy simple, buttery noodle dishes, like the ones we’ve listed above, then we think this nutty variation, also from heath coach Miriam Hahn, is sure to win you over. Surprisingly quick and easy to make, this wonderfully creamy yet crunchy hazelnut pasta comes together lightning fast, in just 15 minutes. With the rich flavor of freshly pan-toasted hazelnuts, sweetness of heavy cream, brightness of lemon juice and zest, and sharpness of Parmesan cheese, this dish offers a balance of flavors and textures that are sweet, creamy, crunchy, and oh-so-satisfying all in the same bite. As always, finish the dish with a smattering of freshly chopped Italian parsley, and you are good to go.

Recipe: Hazelnut Cream Pasta

One of the most delightful aspects of simple pasta dishes with creamy garlic sauces is how incredibly versatile they are. The buttery base is very easy to customize into seemingly endless variations by simply adding your favorite vegetables, proteins, and other toppings to the sauce. In this quick 25-minute Brussels sprouts fettuccine, Miriam Hahn combines perfectly cooked fettuccini noodles with the slightly bitter flavor of shaved Brussels sprouts, a splash of lemon juice, and Parmesan cheese for an easy and delicious pasta dish. Finish this dish by garnishing with toasted pine nuts and a slice of lemon.

Recipe: Bright Brussels Sprouts Fettuccine

If you love the boldness of Mediterranean flavors, this vegetarian pasta salad, also by Miriam Hahn, is sure to delight any night of the week. It assembles in mere minutes thanks to the use of popular antipasti ingredients, such as marinated artichokes, hearts of palm, pepperoncinis, two different kinds of olives, and fresh mozzarella balls, which require next to zero prep work. Most of the ingredients literally come straight out of a jar or can and just need to be drained and roughly chopped up a bit. Combine these delicious morsels with chilled pasta spirals (even better if you happen to have some leftover in the fridge), fresh cherry tomatoes cut in half, a quick basil chiffonade, and small diced red onions. Toss with a freshly made, red wine vinaigrette, and you got yourself a hearty meal that we think will make your tastebuds sing. 

Recipe: Veggie Antipasti Italian Pasta Salad

If you happen to have leftover pasta in your fridge, you can have this bloody mary-inspired pasta salad ready to eat in just 15 minutes. All you have to do is start by frying up some perfectly crispy bacon, then chop up some cheese curds, cherry tomatoes, celery sticks, and dill pickles. Toss everything together with a homemade dressing that mimics bloody mary mix, combining tomato juice, lemon juice, lime juice, Worcestershire sauce, horseradish, grated garlic, pickle juice, hot sauce, salt, and pepper. The result is a bold, tangy pasta salad that’s as flavorful as it is quick to make.

Recipe: Bloody Mary Pasta Salad

When you are craving a quick and easy weeknight meal that is also packed full of flavor, why not throw together this delicious one-pot soup from recipe developer Chanel Murphy-Lowe? Featuring a well-rounded combination of all the food groups, including protein from mild Italian sausage, pre-made tortellini, and fresh baby spinach (or other greens) in a creamy, spicy broth, this dish delivers on both comfort and taste. It’s the kind of recipe that comes together in no time, making it ideal for those evenings when you want a warm, hearty meal without a lot of fuss. Better yet, not only is this recipe fast to make (most of the time goes to letting the soup simmer away on its own), but it’s also a breeze to clean up since you can serve it straight from the pot you cooked everything in. Win, win!

Recipe: Spicy Italian Sausage and Spinach Tortellini Soup 

If you have already perfected the technique of making a classic carbonara with its velvety egg yolk sauce, black pepper, cured pork, and Pecorino Romano (or Parmesan as a substitute), then making this dish will feel like second nature. If you’ve never made it before, you should know that the sauce only takes about five minutes to make from scratch, so with a little practice, you will be able to whip it up in no time. Developed by recipe creator and certified nutrition coach Michelle McGlinn, it is a creative twist on the traditional carbonara. By combining spicy Andouille sausage with the sweetness of lump crab and corn kernels, it lets you bring all the flavors of a crab boil to the comfort of a pasta dish in just under 30 minutes. We think that’s a big win.

Recipe: Crab Boil Carbonara

If you have 23 minutes to spare, you can whip up this vegan pasta dish that is a plant-based variation of Gigi Hadid’s viral spicy vodka pasta recipe thanks to Miriam Hahn’s adaptation. By swapping out the traditional dairy ingredients for creamy, unsweetened coconut milk and a touch of nutritional yeast — a combination that perfectly mimics the flavor and texture of cheese sauce — you can enjoy all the indulgent flavors of the original dish without any animal products, or lactose, for that matter. So, whether you are an ardent vegan or just looking for lighter, plant-based meal options, we think these wonderfully creamy pasta shells are destined to be a hit at your dinner table. 

Recipe: Veganized Gigi Hadid Pasta

Speaking of viral food trends, this gnocchi dish, created by recipe developer Kara Barrett, draws inspiration from the Marry Me chicken recipe that captured hearts and headlines in 2022. The creamy, flavorful sauce and marriage proposal-worthy, melt-in-your-mouth, tender chicken have been re-imagined here as a pillowy gnocchi version that we think is just as indulgent as the original. While you can certainly go all out and wow your sweetie by making all the components from scratch, we won’t judge if you want to use a few time-saving shortcuts. With store-bought gnocchi, pre-made red pesto sauce, and boxed chicken stock off the shelf, you can have this mouthwatering meal on the table for your loved ones in less than half an hour, leaving more time to spend together.

Recipe: Marry Me Gnocchi with Pancetta

For this 30-minute, seasonal, summery pasta dish, recipe developer and professional cook Taylor Murray transforms plain sweet corn on the cob into something rich and creamy that is sure to be a hit with the whole family. The shape of orecchiette pasta is perfect for its ability to hold onto a corn kernel, though other shapes, like penne or conchiglie, will work equally well. You’ll also need a few ears of fresh corn on the cob (although frozen will do if fresh corn is out of season), olive oil, yellow onion, white wine, heavy cream, and Parmesan cheese. The secret ingredient is a touch of mustard powder, which adds a bit of sharpness and tang to the creamy sauce. And don’t forget to garnish with a few leaves of fresh and fragrant basil.

Recipe: Weeknight-Friendly Creamed Corn Pasta

For another delicious, seasonal pasta dish, also created by Taylor Murray, that is ready in 30 minutes, let’s dive into the warm, comforting flavors of fall. This recipe combines the sweetness of butternut squash, aromatics of shallots, and earthiness of sage with rigatoni pasta for a hearty and filling fall meal. Combining these seasonal ingredients with smoked sausage, like kielbasa, yields a dish that is a perfect balance of sweet and savory. Although brown butter and sage are ingredients that celebrate autumn, we think you should feel free to enjoy this quick and scrumptious meal any time of year.

Recipe: Smoked Sausage and Squash Pasta in Sage Brown Butter

If you are a fan of taking your pasta dishes to the next level with the rich and nutty flavor of brown butter, then this recipe from chef and recipe developer Kara Barrett is for you. For this quick and easy meal, she combines medium or large shell pasta with pre-cooked shrimp and a white cheddar sauce for a delightfully creamy, nutty meal. The brown butter adds a deep, toasty undertone that complements the creamy cheese sauce beautifully, creating a pasta dish that’s both satisfying and comforting. Ready in just 20 minutes, this meal is a delicious choice for busy weeknights or when you want something elevated with minimal effort.

Recipe: Quick and Easy Brown Butter Shrimp Pasta

Not every pasta dish has to be buttery and rich. This vibrant recipe, created by recipe developer Jennine Rye, draws its inspiration from bold Asian flavors, showcasing the nutty depth of toasted sesame oil. Featuring cold rice noodles and an array of vibrant, colorful raw vegetables, such as sugar snap peas, edamame, carrots, red cabbage, bell peppers, and scallions, plus cilantro, the true star of the show is the homemade dressing. Ready in mere minutes, it beautifully blends the nutty depth of sesame oil with the salty kick of soy sauce, the brightness of lime juice, the sweetness of honey, the zing of rice vinegar, a warm kick from red chili flakes, as well as freshly minced ginger and pungent garlic.

Recipe: Colorful Toasted Sesame Noodle Salad

Bibim guksu is a quick and delicious Asian-inspired pasta dish that comes together in just 15 minutes, making it a perfect choice for a speedy dinner. This popular Korean cold noodle dish, whose name translates to “mixed noodles,” is celebrated for its refreshing, spicy flavors. While it’s enjoyed year-round, it’s especially favored in the summer for its light and cooling qualities. Bibim guksu typically features thin wheat noodles (known as somyeon or somen) or buckwheat noodles (aka soba), a spicy sauce, a protein of choice, some crisp vegetables, and a scoop of delicious, tangy, fermented kimchi.

Recipe: Bibim Guksu (Korean Cold Noodles)

For our last pasta dish, may we suggest this lesser known, yet nonetheless comforting pasta dish recipe by Jennifer Rye, which beautifully highlights the flavors of the Italian region of Liguria. This dish features trofie pasta (but trenette, which is similar to linguine and fettuccine, works equally well), coated in a creamy walnut sauce that’s both nutty and savory, with a touch of sweetness. The sauce is made by blending oven-toasted walnuts with milk-soaked bread, olive oil, garlic, and heavy cream, resulting a velvety texture that perfectly clings to the pasta. Seasoned with grated Parmesan cheese, this dish is simple yet decadent, capturing the essence of Ligurian cuisine’s love for fresh, local ingredients. It’s an excellent choice for a quick, casual dinner or a special occasion, offering a taste of Italy’s beautiful coastal region in 30 minutes, pronto!

Recipe: Ligurian Pasta with Walnut Cream Sauce