47 Vegetarian Pasta Recipes You’ll Want to Make Again Tomorrow
When it’s 5 p.m., and you’re not sure what to make for dinner, these vegetarian pasta recipes can save the day. Below, you’ll find our greatest hits: quick tomato pastas that make the most of the off-season, hearty options with chickpeas and beans, cheesy baked pastas for sharing with friends, and creamy mushroom pasta that works equally well for a date-night meal or a cozy evening on your couch. Peek around your pantry, get that water boiling, and scroll down to pick one of our favorite vegetarian pasta recipes to put on tonight’s menu.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Sean Dooley1/47Marcella Hazan’s Butter, Tomato, and Onion Sauce
This is one of the easiest vegetarian pasta recipes in our rotation—and it’s deserving of all the love it gets. We’re guessing you won’t even need to go shopping to get this on the table tonight.
- Photo by Elizabeth Coetzee, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich2/47
Creamy Mushroom Lasagna
We love vegetarian lasagnas layered with red sauce—especially this one made with roasted tomato—but sometimes you want a creamier rendition that lets earthy mushrooms take center stage. We love it with crimini, but pretty much any type of mushroom can be used here. As with any of the recipes on this list, if you’re cooking for vegetarians, you may want to confirm the cheese you pick up is not made with animal rennet before purchasing.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson3/47
Lemony Pasta With Cauliflower, Chickpeas, and Arugula
There’s no need to serve a salad on the side—this hearty pasta is absolutely packed with veggies.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell4/47
Pasta With 15-Minute Burst Cherry Tomato Sauce
When cherry tomatoes burst open in the pan, you get a quick pasta sauce that tastes like summer—even in the depths of the colder months.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton5/47
Fusilli in Creamy Vegan Asparagus Pesto
Cashews give this creamy sauce its luxurious texture. Top each plate with extra fresh basil and freshly ground pepper if desired.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne6/47
Our Favorite Mac and Cheese
Crispy on top, creamy within: This is the ultimate, as mac and cheese goes. Mustard powder boosts the flavor of a whole lot of grated extra-sharp cheddar.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Alex Brannian, Food Styling by Anna Hampton7/47
Four-Cheese Manicotti
You can fill these noodles using a spoon, but if you have a piping bag (or icing pen) in your baking supplies, it’ll make the process much quicker and easier.
- Photo by Colin Price8/47
Mushroom Stroganoff
A creamy sauce made with white wine, shallots, and mushrooms cooked in butter turns wide egg noodles into the coziest winter dish we can imagine.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne9/47
Pasta al Pomodoro
This isn’t a long-cooked marinara; instead, it’s a way to get bright tomato flavor out of a can of whole tomatoes in under an hour. You get extra points if you serve it with garlic bread on the side.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Molly Baz10/47
3-Ingredient Creamy Pumpkin Pasta
Pumpkin purée is good for much more than just pie. Here, it’s mixed with cream, black pepper, and pasta water for a luxurious less-than-30-minute meal.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Kat Boytsova11/47
Pasta With 10-Minute Pesto
Blanching fresh basil leaves before blending means this silky-smooth pesto holds on to its bright green color. Extra toasted pine nuts on top add crunch.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne12/47
Baked Rigatoni With Red Peppers and Green Olives
Keeping a jar of store-bought roasted red peppers in your pantry means you’re never far from this savory crowdpleaser.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell13/47
Vegetarian Skillet Stuffed Shells
Stuff these stovetop shells with a mix of creamy ricotta, Parmesan cheese, oregano, sautéed mushrooms, and spinach.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Alex Brannian, Food Styling by Grace Parisi14/47
Cacio e Pepe
This classic Roman pasta doesn’t require much in the way of ingredients; it’s all about the way you toss it together with the pasta cooking water for the ultimate creamy texture.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Pearl Jones15/47
One-Skillet Orzo With Tomatoes and Eggs
Pizza meets eggs in purgatory in this one-skillet pasta topped with lots of melty mozzarella.
- Photo by Laura Murray, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich16/47
Cauliflower Bolognese
Cauliflower and mushrooms bring the richness and earthy flavor that makes this vegetarian take on Bolognese deeply satisfying. We like this with a big, hearty pasta shape, like penne or rigatoni, but ribbons of pappardelle work well too.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton17/47
Creamy Vegan Red Pepper Pasta With Garlic Bread Breadcrumbs
Canned white beans thicken up this cream-free pasta sauce nicely. Top with lots of garlicky breadcrumbs and a squeeze of fresh lemon.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Toni Brogan18/47
Penne With Spinach and Ricotta
Homemade tortelloni or ravioli might not be happening on a weeknight—but you can still have pasta with all those flavors if you grab a container of fresh baby spinach when you hit the store.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Susan Ottaviano and Stevie Stewart19/47
Kale, Tomato, and Lemon Magic One-Pot Spaghetti
No need to get a separate pot of water boiling; this pasta and its sauce cook together in the same pan.
- Photo by Nik Sharma20/47
Lentil Lasagna
Debating what to serve for a main dish at a vegetarian dinner party? Nik Sharma’s latest book—one of our favorite cookbooks of the year—offers this warmly spiced baked pasta, layered with mozzarella and a chunky sauce made with crushed tomatoes, black lentils, carrots, bell peppers, turmeric, and garam masala.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton21/47
Easy Pasta Salad
There’s very little cooking required to make this zesty combination of summer squash, orecchiette, Kalamata olives, chopped pickled banana peppers, and cherry tomatoes.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Judy Haubert23/47
Sheet-Pan Mac and Cheese
If you are Team Crunchy Topping, this is the macaroni and cheese recipe that’ll maximize your joy. Serve with crispy broccoli or some simple garlicky green beans.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton24/47
Cacio e Pepe Noodles With Miso
A touch of miso gives this spin on the classic Roman pasta with Pecorino and black pepper an extra savory, satisfying depth. You can make your own fresh noodles at home, or use store-bought.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Ali Nardi25/47
Pasta With Smoky Pumpkin Cream Sauce
Need comfort food but don’t have a ton of ingredients in your fridge? You keep a jar of Spanish smoked paprika in your pantry for exactly this reason.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Laura Rege26/47
Grilled Ratatouille Pasta Salad
Grill eggplant and zucchini, then toss with hot pasta, fresh tomatoes, thyme, basil, and mozzarella for an almost instant ratatouille-inspired pasta dinner.
- Photo by Alex Lau, Food Styling by Sue Li27/47
Baked Pasta Alla Norma
For this spaghetti skillet, you’ll roast cubes of eggplant with a few pints of cherry tomatoes to make a flavorful sauce, then toss with the pasta (along with some parm and whisked-together eggs) before baking and cutting into wedges.
- Photo by Laura Murray, Prop Styling by Sophie Strangio, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich28/47
Pasta With Brown Butter, Whole Lemon, and Parmesan
No veggies on hand? No worries—all you need for this easy dinner is rigatoni and a lemon, plus butter, Parmesan, and pepper. Both regular Eureka and Meyer lemons work well here.
- Photo by Emma Fishman, Food Styling by Judy Mancini29/47
Summer Squash and Basil Pasta
Cook that zucchini—then cook it a little longer. You want it caramelized and nearly jammy before you mix it with paccheri or ziti plus basil, lemon, and Parmesan.
- Photo by Gentl & Hyers30/47
Pasta e Fagioli With Escarole
We know you’ve been meaning to cook the dried beans you bought a while back. This Italian favorite is here to help you actually do it. Cooking them with carrots, celery, a head of garlic, parsley, rosemary, bay leaves, chiles, and a Parmesan rind yields flavorful beans with a broth that’s ready to be dressed up with canned tomato, white wine, escarole, and pasta.
- Photo by Emma Fishman, Food Styling by Kat Boytsova31/47
Fettuccine With Shredded Zucchini, Fresh Ricotta, and Lemon Zest
A garden with too much zucchini is a luxury, actually—and this simple summer pasta will show you why.
- Photo by David Malosh, Prop Styling by Cindy DiPrima, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich32/47
Spicy Baked Pasta With Cheddar and Broccoli Rabe
If you’re not into the bracing bite of broccoli rabe, you can make this cheesy baked pasta with broccolini instead.
- Photo by Danny Kim, food and prop styling by Ali Nardi33/47
Orzo With Beets, Olives, Feta, and Soft-Boiled Eggs
Thick matchsticks of golden beet add earthy sweetness to this simple orzo recipe, while the eggs bump up the protein. Chopped black olives and dill make sure each plate is full of flavor.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Pearl Jones34/47
Cacio e Pepe Pie
All the best parts of cacio e pepe (Pecorino! black pepper!) in a hearty, extra-cheesy baked form.
- Chelsie Craig35/47
Brothy Pasta With Chickpeas
On a cold evening, this brothy bowl of pasta hits the spot. Really cooking the onion and garlic is essential for building the flavor of the velvety-rich tomato broth.
- Photo by Michael Graydon & Nikole Herriott36/47
Pasta With Roasted Romanesco and Capers
Seek out romanesco (a bright green, fractal-looking cousin to cauliflower) for this nutty, savory pasta dinner. Can’t find it? Broccoli or cauliflower work just fine.
- Photo by Marcus Nilsson, Prop Styling by Amy Wilson, Food Styling by Frances Boswell37/47
Creamy Pasta With Crispy Mushrooms
Dress thick strands of bucatini with frilly seared mushrooms and cream, then let the sauce thicken a bit before you shower it all in lemon zest, fresh lemon juice, nutty Parmesan, and lots of black pepper.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Ali Nardi38/47
Pasta With Delicata Squash and Sage-Brown Butter
Can we all just admit it? Brown butter is magic. Especially when it meets up with sage and sweet delicata squash.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson39/47
Penne Alla Vodka
A generous pinch of crushed red pepper flakes cuts through the sweet tomato flavor of this popular sauce.
- Photo by Alex Lau40/47
Rigatoni With Brussels Sprouts, Parmesan, Lemon, and Leek
Looking for pasta dishes that use brussels sprouts? This one is a favorite of ours, thanks to the sweet, earthy flavor of leeks, bright lemon, and white wine.
- Photo by Chelsie Craig, Food styling by Kate Buckens41/47
Spaghetti al Limone
Dinner recipes are rarely so elegant—and so simple. A combination of lemon zest and juice gives this pasta dish tons of citrus flavor. The strips of thinly sliced zest add brightness to the rich sauce. When the fridge is nearly empty, this easy vegetarian recipe is a lifesaver.
- Photo by Gentl & Hyers42/47
Pasta With Baby Artichokes, Mascarpone, and Hazelnuts
This dish is a great reward for practicing your artichoke trimming. If you want to serve this dish to friends, you can even trim and cook the artichokes a day in advance.
- Photo by Nicole Franzen43/47
Cavatappi With Broccolini, Brown Butter, and Sage
Frizzling fresh sage leaves in butter makes a fragrant sauce for pasta—and also makes your kitchen smell incredible.
- David Loftus44/47
Tagliatelle With Asparagus and Parmesan Fonduta
Celebrate the arrival of spring with this combination of crème fraîche, egg yolk, Parmesan, and tender asparagus stalks. Have some friends join you to help roll out the noodles on your new pasta maker.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson45/47
Baked Stuffed Shells
This recipe is just one reason why it’s always wise to have whole canned tomatoes in your cupboard.
- Photo by Alex Lau, Prop Styling by Sophie Strangio, Food Styling by Susie Theodorou46/47
Kale Pesto With Whole Wheat Pasta
When your mind is stuck on pasta, but your soul is calling out for vegetables, this pesto pasta recipe is what you need. Leafy greens and pistachios are made for each other, but you can use any nuts you have on hand.
- Photograph by Emma Fishman, Food Styling by D'Myrtrek Brown47/47
Pasta With Lentils and Mushrooms
The combination of savory mushrooms and lentils makes this one of our favorite hearty vegetarian pasta recipes. (It helps that it all cooks in one pot too.)
Kendra Vaculin
