Go Beyond Marinara With These 20 Creative and Delicious Pasta Recipes

It may be made from flour and water (at least most of the time), but pasta is something really special and on October 17^th, we celebrate this humble food because it’s National Pasta Day (World Pasta Day also falls this month). Everyone loves a big bowl of pasta topped with a delicious, savory sauce. In fact, Americans eat about 20 pounds of pasta per person each year!

If you only eat spaghetti or penne, it might surprise you to learn that there are more than 500 pasta shapes to choose from. There are also so many different sauces, you could eat pasta every day for a month and never repeat the dishes. So, put down the jar sauce and learn How to Make Fresh Marinara Sauce, How to Make Delicious Vegan Vodka Cream Sauce, and How to Make a Creamy, Lower Calorie, Dairy-Free Alfredo Sauce.

If you need recipes, we have you covered. Take a trip around the world without leaving your kitchen when you Try These 10 Ways to Cook Pasta With International Flair! Check out 21 Pasta Dishes That are Dairy-Free and Delicious, 15 Creamy, Comforting Pasta Dishes You Won’t Believe Are Dairy-Free, and These 10 Incredibly Amazing Vegan Pasta Dishes. But, you can never have enough so here are 20 of our most mouthwatering pasta recipes. Mangia!

1. Creamy Garlic and Thyme Rigatoni With Roasted Cauliflower

This Creamy Garlic and Thyme Rigatoni With Roasted Cauliflower is warm, cozy, and oh-so-perfect for the fall and winter season. Thick rigatoni pasta is tossed in a cream sauce made from almond milk and olive oil and seasoned with thyme and plenty of minced garlic. Roasted cauliflower adds a nice smokey balance to the dish. Enjoy it as is, or feel free to add some more veggies to add some more nutrition and color.

2. Pumpkin Sage Rigatoni With Shiitake Bacon

Say “hello” to the perfect fall pasta dish: this Pumpkin Sage Rigatoni With Shiitake Bacon. It’s pasta served in a rich pumpkin sauce with mushroom bacon and vegan Parmesan. Not only does it taste delicious, but the aesthetic appeal of this dish just screams fall. Creamy pumpkin sauce, hearty pasta, kale, and smoky Shiitake bacon — everything blends seamlessly together and gives both a savory and sweet flavor profile.

3. Mexican Pasta Bake

Tired of the same ol’ routine on Taco Tuesday? This Mexican Pasta Bake is an easy recipe that wins in both the flavor and creativity department. Pasta is tossed with a creamy avocado sauce, black beans, corn, cilantro, and crumbled tortilla chips for crunch. Then, it’s baked until warm and topped with even more avocado, sour cream, and plenty of hot sauce.

4. Chipotle Cauliflower Penne

Chipotle peppers, roasted cauliflower, garlic, lemon, and capers… this Chipotle Cauliflower Penne dish is so flavorful, you won’t even miss the cheese! Simple and easy to throw together, this pasta dish is a great midweek dinner that is easily packed for lunch the next day. Quick, wholesome, and flavorful – sounds like a winner to us!

5. Creamy Mushroom Fricassee

This Creamy Mushroom Fricassee is really so versatile. You can include wine in the ingredients … but if you’re not big on cooking with alcohol, it still tastes awesome without the wine. You can mix up the veggies to use the ones you love best. It also works well if you add tofu or seitan chunks in when you add the mushrooms.

6. Hemp Pasta With Artichokes and Bread Crumbs

Seasoned with artichokes and crisp rye bread crumbs and capers, this Hemp Pasta is an experience waiting to be had. The dressing is simple; sautéed artichokes, a bit of garlic, parsley, and capers for garnish. The crispy crumbs give a slightly salty aroma and crisp tone that makes the dish a little different from simple tagliatelle with artichokes.

7. Creamy Cashew Tofu Alfredo

This Creamy Cashew Tofu Alfredo is luxuriously delicious. When combined with cashews, garlic, non-dairy milk, and salt, tofu can be turned into a creamy alfredo sauce that’s perfect for pasta. Unlike firmer tofu, silken tofu blends up very well without a grainy texture. That means this sauce is silky and delicious as the dairy version. Win!

8. Mediterranean Pasta

Trade the tomato sauce for garlicky hummus and the black olives for green ones in this unique Mediterranean Pasta dish. Topped with cranberries and walnuts, it’s likely you’ve never seen spaghetti served quite like this. Best of all, it all comes together in just ten minutes!

9. Pasta in Creamy Garlic Mushroom Sauce

Who says that you need milk or cheese to create a deliciously creamy pasta dish? The velvety sauce in this Pasta in Creamy Garlic Mushroom Sauce is made from cashews, garlic, almond milk, lemon juice, and salt. Poured over a bowl of sundried tomatoes, pasta, and sautéed mushrooms, this filling dinner entrée will delight your taste buds!

10. Angel Hair Pasta With Chimichurri Sauce

Although traditionally chimichurri is used as a meat accompaniment, as this Angel Hair Pasta With Chimichurri Sauce proves, it also tastes wonderful as a pasta sauce! In this recipe, angel hair is cooked, tossed with the chimichurri, and then topped with red pepper flakes, parsley, cilantro, and fresh basil.

11. Rigatoni With Avocado and Vegetables

This quick pasta dish of Rigatoni With Avocado and Vegetables is the perfect weeknight meal. Hearty rigatoni pasta is tossed with colorful sautéed vegetables and a dairy-free Alfredo sauce that’s so easy to make. The creamy sauce in this recipe is made from ripe avocado, which makes up the texture, nutritional yeast for cheesiness, cashews, and coconut milk. If you’re making this to serve, don’t worry about the avocado turning the sauce brown — a squeeze of lemon juice keeps it presentation-worthy.

12. Creamy Spaghetti With Wild Mushrooms

You are 10 ingredients away from one of the creamiest and most decadent spaghetti dishes you’ve ever tried – this Creamy Spaghetti With Wild Mushrooms. Whole wheat spaghetti is tossed in a smooth, vegan Parmesan sauce and topped with dried Porcini mushrooms, thyme, sage, and sea salt. This one-bowl wonder is packed with fresh, herb-y flavor!

13. Creamy Leek and Asparagus Pasta

This beautiful dish of Creamy Leek and Asparagus Pasta pairs smooth and sweet leeks, crisp asparagus, tangy lemon, a fresh hint of dill, and a deliciously creamy yet light cashew sauce. The special ingredient in this dish is smoked kelp, which brings a smoky, bacon-ish flavor to everything. Not only does this dinner taste amazing, it’s ready in just 15 minutes — so it’s guaranteed to become a weeknight favorite in your house.

14. Creamy Mushroom Penne

When it comes to comfort food, nothing beats the combination of rich, flavorful creamy sauce and a huge serving of pasta. This Creamy Mushroom Penne instantly fills you up, leaving both your mind and stomach feeling happy and satisfied. Pairing this creamy sauce with mushrooms adds a savory, earthy, and slightly nutty flavor that merges well with the mild, delicate flavors of cream to create a perfectly balanced pasta dinner.

15. One-Pot Asparagus and Spinach Gnocchi

This One-Pot Asparagus and Spinach Gnocchi is a lovely seasonal dish that is full of different flavors and textures. Filling and satisfying potato balls are covered with a creamy spinach sauce, crunchy asparagus, sweet green peas, and fresh cilantro, then it’s all topped with tangy lime and orange zest for an extra burst of flavor. It’s easy to eat your greens when you’ve got delicious dishes like this.

16. Pasta With White Wine Tomato Sauce

While cheesy and ultra-tomato-y pasta sauces are delicious, sometimes it’s nice to change things up. This Pasta With White Wine Tomato Sauce is light, refreshing, and has the perfect balance of wine flavor. For a hearty and nutritious dinner, pair it with spaghetti and vegetables.

17. Caramelized Onion Pasta

What’s great about pasta is that it doesn’t necessarily have to be complicated to be tasty. In this Caramelized Onion Pasta, onions are caramelized and then tossed in with lemon-dressed Casarecce pasta. Savory with a pleasant citrus-y surprise. Yum.

18. Cheesy Lentil Lasagna

This meaty Cheesy Lentil Lasagna has layers of hearty lentil Bolognese, creamy cashew cheese, and pasta. And if you make a few key ingredients ahead of time, like the lentils and the nut cheese, you can assemble this dish in mere minutes. What a perfect weeknight meal!

19. Creamy Artichoke Pasta Shells

Roasted artichoke hearts are sprinkled with sea salt, stirred through cashew cream, and then spooned into al dente pasta shells in this delicious and unique pasta entrée. These Creamy Artichoke Pasta Shells are flavorful, and without heavy cheese or cream, they are relatively light. Drizzle with as much tomato and basil pasta sauce as you like!

20. Pasta Bolognese

You will love this Pasta Bolognese! This traditionally meaty Italian dish is given a vegan makeover with beefy soy protein crumbles. The delicious homemade sauce gives this entrée that authentic Italian flavor. This will please even the pickiest people with its meaty flavor.

With so many creative and delicious ways to make pasta, you’ll want to have one of these dishes each night of the month. Which one will you make tonight?

Lead image source: Pumpkin Sage Rigatoni With Shiitake Bacon