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    Home » Recipe Roundups

    22 Stupid Simple Pasta Dinners for Busy Weeknights

    By Emmeline Kemperyd on September 1, 2025, updated July 29, 2025 - Leave a Comment

    Pasta is a go-to for busy weeknights, offering quick and satisfying meals that can be whipped up in no time. With just a few ingredients, you can create a variety of simple dishes that are perfect for the whole family. Here are 22 easy pasta dinners that will help you get dinner on the table without the stress.

    Creamy Chicken Pasta with Feta Cheese

    Creamy feta cheese chicken pasta.
    Photo credit: always use butter.

    Feta cheese adds a delicious twist to creamy pasta dishes. It brings a rich flavor that enhances the overall taste, making the meal feel special. This is a great option for busy weeknights when you want something quick yet satisfying.

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    Tuna Pasta Salad

    Healthy Tuna Pasta Salad Recipe.
    Photo credit: The Gracious Pantry.

    This tasty tuna and pasta dish is perfect for a family dinner. It's simple to prepare and sure to please everyone at the table. With just a few ingredients, you can whip up a satisfying meal that everyone will enjoy.

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    Cheesy Supreme Pizza Casserole

    Cheesy Supreme Pizza Casserole.
    Photo Credit: Midwest Foodie.

    This pizza casserole is a fun and easy take on a classic dish that everyone enjoys. With just a handful of ingredients, it comes together quickly, making it perfect for busy weeknights. It's a great way to enjoy all your favorite pizza flavors in a cozy casserole form.

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    Steak Fajita Pasta

    Steak Fajita Pasta.
    Photo credit: Out Grilling.

    Steak Fajita Pasta is a hit with families, featuring marinated and grilled steak on top of creamy pasta seasoned with fajita spices and mixed with grilled veggies. It's a simple way to serve a delicious meal that can easily feed a group using just a few steaks. This dish combines the flavors of fajitas with the comfort of pasta, making it a satisfying choice for dinner.

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    Lentil Pesto Pasta Salad

    Lentil Pesto Pasta Salad.
    Photo Credit: Haute & Healthy Living.

    Lentil pesto pasta salad is full of flavor and offers a healthy boost of fiber, protein, and iron thanks to the lentils. It's a perfect dish to bring to your next summer BBQ.

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    Pesto Chicken Tortellini

    Pesto Chicken Tortellini.
    Photo Credit; The Peasant's Daughter.

    Pesto chicken tortellini is a creamy, satisfying one-pot meal that brings together chicken, cheese-filled tortellini, and a flavorful garlic pesto sauce. This simple skillet dinner is full of taste and is ideal for busy weeknights when you want a comforting meal ready in just about 30 minutes.

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    American Goulash

    Goulash.
    Photo credit: Cheerful Cook.

    Ground beef is simmered in a flavorful tomato sauce, combined with soft pasta, and finished off with a sprinkle of Cheddar cheese. This dish is simple to prepare and is a great option for busy weeknights. It's hearty and satisfying, making it a perfect choice for dinner when time is tight.

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    Creamy Salmon Pasta

    A serving of creamy salmon pasta.
    Photo Credit: Midwest Foodie.

    Roasted salmon is flaky and tender, making it a great match for cooked linguini and a light herb lemon cream sauce. This dish combines fresh flavors with a satisfying texture, creating a delightful meal. It's perfect for busy weeknights when you want something delicious without spending too much time in the kitchen.

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    Halloumi Pasta Salad with Greek Herb Vinaigrette

    Halloumi Pasta Salad with Greek Herb Vinaigrette.
    Photo Credit: The Sage Apron.

    Halloumi Pasta Salad is a vibrant and tasty dish that fits perfectly into any summer meal. With pasta, a variety of fresh vegetables, olives, and halloumi cheese, this recipe is simple to prepare and sure to please. It's a great option for those warm evenings when you want something light yet satisfying.

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    One Pot Kielbasa Pasta

    One Pot Kielbasa Pasta.
    Photo Credit: Supergolden Bakes.

    One Pot Kielbasa Pasta is quick, simple, and really tasty. The creamy tomato sauce with sausage is a great combination that everyone will enjoy. This dish is perfect for busy weeknights and is sure to be a hit with the family. With a few small adjustments, it can also fit into a lighter meal plan.

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    Creamy Crockpot Tortellini

    A bowl filled with Creamy Crockpot Tortellini.
    Photo Credit: Slow Cooker Meals.

    This creamy pasta dish is quick and simple, perfect for busy weeknights. Using frozen tortellini, it comes together easily in a rich sauce that everyone will enjoy. It's a satisfying meal that will have everyone coming back for more.

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    Antipasto Pasta Salad

    Antipasto Pasta Salad.
    Photo Credit: Gypsy Plate.

    Antipasto Pasta Salad is a simple and tasty dish that works great for potlucks or when you want to prepare meals ahead of time. It's packed with flavors and ingredients that everyone loves, making it a hit at gatherings. This salad is not only easy to throw together, but it also holds up well, so you can enjoy it throughout the week.

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    Lemon Butter Pasta

    Lemon Butter Pasta (Pasta al Limone).
    Photo Credit: Urban Farmie.

    Lemon butter pasta is a simple yet elegant dish that brings a touch of brightness to your dinner table. With just a few ingredients like lemon, garlic, and Parmesan, it’s easy to whip up on a busy weeknight. This dish offers a delightful flavor that feels special without requiring much effort.

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    Cheesy Tortellini Casserole

    Cheesy Tortellini Casserole
    Photo credit: always use butter.

    This pasta dish is simple to make and packed with flavor. It's the kind of meal that brings warmth and satisfaction, perfect for a cozy dinner. With just a few ingredients, you can whip up a hearty plate that everyone will enjoy. It's a great option for busy weeknights when you want something tasty without spending too much time in the kitchen.

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    Cheesy Spiral Pasta

    Cheesy Spiral Pasta.
    Photo Credit: Add Salt & Serve.

    This spiral pasta dish is packed with cheese, tomatoes, and beef, making it a hearty meal. It's simple to prepare and can be made in no time, giving you one pan for dinner and another to save for later. Perfect for busy weeknights, this recipe is sure to please everyone at the table.

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    One Pot Enchilada Pasta

    One Pot Enchilada Pasta.
    Photo Credit: Dance Around the Kitchen.

    This creamy one-pot pasta combines all the delicious flavors of beef and cheese enchiladas. It's a simple dish that brings comfort and satisfaction to your dinner table. Perfect for busy weeknights, this meal is easy to prepare and requires minimal cleanup.

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    Garlic Lemon Gemelli

    Gemelli Garlic Lemon Pasta.
    Photo credit: The Fresh Cooky.

    This dish comes together in under 30 minutes and is sure to please everyone at the table. With a bright garlic and lemon flavor, it’s a simple yet satisfying meal that’s perfect for busy weeknights. Your family will love it so much, they might even ask for seconds.

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    Lemon Pepper Pasta

    Lemon Pepper Pasta.
    Photo credit: Pretty Delicious Life.

    Lemon Pepper Pasta with parmesan is a tasty dinner that your family will love. With just a few simple ingredients that you probably already have, this dish is perfect for busy weeknights when you need something quick and easy. Top it off with some freshly grated parmesan cheese for an extra touch!

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    Pasta with Pancetta & Peas

    Pasta with peas and pancetta.
    Photo Credit: Scarlati Family Kitchen.

    Pasta with pancetta and peas is the perfect easy dinner, made in less than 20 minutes! Thick-cut pancetta is cooked until perfectly crispy, mixed with green peas, and tossed with orecchiette pasta and grated parmesan cheese.

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    Cowboy Pasta Salad

    Cowboy Pasta Salad.
    Photo Credit: Maria's Mixing Bowl.

    Cowboy Pasta Salad combines hearty beef, beans, and a sweet and tangy sauce that we enjoy in cowboy beans, all tossed together with bowtie pasta. This dish is not only tasty but also a fun twist on traditional pasta salads. It's a great option for a quick meal that brings together familiar flavors in a new way.

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    Taco Pasta Salad

    Taco Pasta Salad.
    Photo Credit: The Urben Life.

    This taco pasta salad is a hearty mix of seasoned ground beef, soft pinto beans, and juicy cherry tomatoes. It also includes fresh green bell pepper, sweet corn, briny black olives, and sharp white onion, all tossed together with crunchy lettuce and tender rotini pasta. The creamy taco sauce brings everything together, making it a satisfying dish that's perfect for busy weeknights.

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    Creamy Cottage Cheese Pasta Salad

    Creamy Cottage Cheese Pasta Salad.
    Photo Credit: The Herbeevore.

    This creamy cottage cheese pasta salad is fresh and zesty, and it skips the mayonnaise. It's a great high-protein option that's perfect for cookouts, tailgates, potlucks, or BBQs. This dish is easy to prepare and brings a nice twist to your usual pasta salads.

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    About Emmeline Kemperyd

    Emmeline Kemperyd is a writer, food blogger, recipe creator and food photographer and the founder of alwaysusebutter.com. She has 20+ years experience creating and simplifying recipes so they taste good, and are quick, easy, and approachable. She is a regular contributor to MSN and her work has been featured by The Guardian, Well+Good, Vulture, SheKnows, Good Men Project, and The Feed Feed, among others.

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