When the week feels never-ending and you’ve got dishes piled in the sink, the last thing you want to do is add to the chaos. That’s when one-pot pasta recipes really shine — not only will your family get bowls of comfort food, but you’ll only be dirtying one more pan. Next time you want to try some new weeknight meals, try one of these cozy, fast pasta dishes.
3-Ingredient Stovetop Mac and Cheese
This stovetop homemade mac and cheese recipe is ingenious because it uses the starch released from the cooking noodles to keep the cheese from breaking. You’ll end up with a super fast, simple mac with a smooth sauce that actually tastes like cheese.
Recipe: Serious Eats
20-Minute Instant Pot Shrimp Scampi Pasta
The spaghetti and shrimp in this recipe cook in only 1 minute thanks to your Instant Pot. It’s got all the flavors of classic shrimp scampi: garlic, white wine, and lemon. A spoonful of capers would add an extra briny punch if you like them.
Recipe: Food Network
Beef Stroganoff
One-pot stroganoff comes together in no time thanks to ground beef instead of a tough steak cut (and it’s cheaper, too!). Worcestershire and Dijon mustard flavor the creamy sour cream sauce, coating the egg noodles perfectly.
Recipe: Budget Bytes
Meghan Markle’s One Pan Pasta
Meghan Markle’s pasta recipe went viral when she posted it because people were aghast at her cooking the pasta in the same pan with everything else. But you know what? It’s actually pretty good, studded with cherry tomatoes and leafy greens.
Recipe: AllRecipes
Homemade Cheeseburger Macaroni
Did you grow up on Hamburger Helper? This is the homemade version, cheeseburger style. It’s got simple dry seasonings and plenty of cheddar cheese on top, staying true to the nature of the beloved box.
Recipe: Spend with Pennies
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Cheesy White Rigatoni with Peas for Two
If you’re cooking for two, this creamy rigatoni recipe is great. It’s vegetarian and full of vegetables, including leeks, celery, and peas. Rosemary, thyme, and white wine give it an air of sophistication on a weeknight schedule.
Recipe: Food Network
One-Pot Cajun Chicken and Sausage Alfredo Pasta
Smoked sausage lends tons of flavor to this alfredo-style Cajun pasta. It’s a little bit spicy thanks to all the Cajun seasoning. Sliced bell peppers and onions would be a great addition if you’re looking to bulk the pasta up.
Recipe: AllRecipes
American Goulash
American goulash has very little in common with Hungarian goulash. It’s a Midwestern delight of ground beef and elbow macaroni in a hearty tomato sauce. It’s comfort food in one of its purest forms, so give it a shot on a cold winter night if you haven’t tried it.
Recipe: Iowa Girl Eats
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One-Pot Creamy Pesto Chicken Pasta
Jarred pesto is a great, easy way to add tons of flavor to pasta without a lot of effort or money (imagine if you bought all that basil fresh?!). In this recipe, it flavors a creamy sauce with chicken, garlic, and parmesan. The optional spinach and sun dried tomatoes make it even better.
Recipe: Budget Bytes
Lazy Lasagna
This meaty, hearty lasagna skillet is sure to make the entire family happy. It’s the most fun to eat when you use broken lasagna noodles, but you can use the same amount of penne or anything else you have lying around instead.
Recipe: Cheapism
One-Pot Homemade-O’s
How fun are homemade Spaghetti-O’s? Even if you only ate them occasionally as a kid, this adult-approved recipe will bring up some nostalgic feelings. The hardest part is finding the little ring shaped pasta.
Recipe: Food Network
Creamy Tortellini Soup
Frozen pasta is a great weeknight addition because it cooks very fast, even when it’s a filled pasta like tortellini. This is similar to a tomato-heavy minestrone soup, but creamier. Make sure to serve it with crusty Italian bread for dipping.
Recipe: Budget Bytes
Easy Mediterranean Chicken and Orzo
Orzo is tiny, rice-shaped pasta, and it’s great in one-pot skillet meals like this one. It’s Greek-inspired, with cherry tomatoes, kalamata olives, and feta cheese. Boneless chicken thighs add lots of protein for not much money, but a can of chickpeas would also be a great vegetarian option.
Recipe: Sip and Feast
One-Pot Rotini Pasta
This is a basic, one-pot creamy tomato pasta recipe. Garlic and Italian seasoning are its main flavors. Even picky kids would like this one since there’s no onion bits to pick out.
Recipe: Spend with Pennies
One-Pot Spaghetti Dinner
Yes, you can cook your spaghetti in the same pot as your meat sauce. This recipe actually uses tomato juice to impart more flavor, and it’s got some unusual additions, including allspice and ground mustard. If you prefer, you can substitute your favorite Italian herbs like basil and oregano.
Recipe: Taste of Home
One-Pot Veggie Pasta
This vegetarian recipe is packed full of veggies like carrots, bell pepper, and zucchini, so it’s perfect if you have a vegetable garden. The time-saving sauce is jarred, so use your family’s favorite brand.
Recipe: Budget Bytes
Crock Pot Chicken Alfredo
Use your slow cooker to make creamy shredded chicken in this recipe. You don’t add the pasta until about 20 minutes before you want to eat, though, so that it doesn’t get overcooked and mushy.
Recipe: Spend with Pennies
Beef Taco Pasta Skillet
Mix things up on taco night with an easy skillet pasta. You still use ground beef, taco seasoning, and salsa, but you cook it all with shell pasta instead of throwing it in tortillas. There’s plenty of melted cheese on top too, of course.
Recipe: Eating on a Dime
Tortellini with Asparagus, Peas, and Crispy Bacon
There’s not a lot of ingredients in this pasta, but it packs a punch thanks to all the bacon. It’s not heavy though, because the fresh asparagus and peas really brighten up the lightly creamy dish. Don’t forget lots of parmesan on top!
Recipe: The Kitchn
One-Pot Creamy Tuscan Shrimp and Orzo
What makes this dish “Tuscan” is the sun-dried tomatoes and spinach. They’re cooked with shrimp and orzo in a velvety, parmesan-filled sauce for an Italian meal that’s not tomato-based.
Recipe: The Kitchn
More Easy Dinner Recipes From Cheapism
- Easy Dump-and-Bake Casseroles for Busy Weeknights — Simplify mealtime by tossing all the ingredients into the casserole dish at once.
- 15 Quick and Easy Sheet-Pan Dinner Ideas — Toss all your ingredients on the sheet pan, bake, and dinner is served.
- 50 Easy Slow Cooker Dinners That Truly Are ‘Set It and Forget It’ — No need to scramble to get dinner on the table, simply throw it in the slow cooker, and forget about it.
