We’re always looking for quick and delicious recipes that make dinner a little easier. And this time of year, pasta is almost always the answer. With the kids out of school, warmer days ahead, and the familiar midweek scramble to whip something up, simple pasta recipes are a reliable choice: easy to adapt, endlessly versatile, and always satisfying. So we did some research and put together a collection of truly delicious pasta recipes to change up your usual dinner routine.
As much as I’ll happily accept a plate of macaroni and cheese any day of the week, sometimes you want something that feels a little more inspired. The good news: There are tons of easy pasta recipes that deliver great flavor without a complicated ingredient list or long prep time. And when spring and summer produce starts to appear, pasta becomes the perfect canvas. Think bright herbs, sugar snap peas, zucchini, tomatoes and all the colorful vegetables that make this season’s cooking feel especially fresh.
10 pasta recipes with 10 ingredients or less
Below, we’ve rounded up our favorite simple pasta recipes, each made with less than 10 ingredients. For nights when dinner needs to be simple but still special, these pastas have you covered.
Pasta with burst tomato
This pasta is proof that a handful of clever ingredients can turn into something surprisingly special. The blend of cherry tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, and tomato paste creates a bright, jammy, deeply flavorful sauce, without asking much in return.
Simple Zucchini Pasta
This is the kind of pasta we crave when the farmers market is crowded and dinner needs to be simple. With caramelized zucchini, bright lemon, lots of parmesan and fresh herbs, it’s equal parts comforting and fresh.
Ricotta and lemon pasta
A good lemon paste always earns a place in our rotation. This one especially bears repeating. It’s creamy, colorful, and full of the kind of bright, layered flavor that keeps dinner from feeling like one note.
Lemon Spring Pasta Salad with Olives, Artichokes and Bacon
This is the pasta salad we’d bring to any spring gathering (hoping we could take the leftovers home). It’s packed with bold, Mediterranean-inspired flavor: salty olives, artichokes, parmesan, and a lemon-green dressing that makes everything feel fresh.
Baked gnocchi with pesto and cheese
When a recipe requires just a handful of ingredients and a pan, we’re immediately interested. This one offers all the creamy, bubbly comfort of a baked pasta, with pesto and spinach keeping it bright enough to feel balanced.
Miso Tomato Paste
This pasta proves that minimal effort can generate great benefits. The miso adds a sweet and savory umami depth that makes the tomato sauce feel unexpectedly rich and memorable.
Green Sauce Pasta
For anyone who wants to eat more vegetables without committing to another salad, this pasta is the answer. The blended spinach dip is vibrant and silky, with just enough lemon and parmesan to make it feel balanced and flavorful.
One Pot Garlic Mushroom Pasta with Sausage and Arugula
Instead of being too rich, this recipe keeps the flavor balanced. A small amount of Italian sausage adds a lot of flavor, while the mushrooms and vegetables make it feel hearty, vibrant, and weeknight-friendly all at once.
Spaghetti with garlic shrimp, asparagus and tomatoes
“Garlic shrimp” is my official favorite word combination. I often find that when pasta recipes include shrimp, the small, protein-packed shellfish lacks flavor. Here, four cloves of garlic do the trick and give a big punch to this dish.
Primavera Pasta with Pesto
This is the quintessential spring pasta dish. Judging by the color alone, you can quickly tell that the flavor is fresh and bright. Camille makes this recipe at least once a week, and everyone at Team CS is there with it to keep it in our go-to rotation.
This post was last updated on April 29, 2026 to include new insights..
