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, the warmer days ahead and the familiar climate weeknights, we scramble to put something togethersimple pasta recipes are a reliable reference: easy to adapt, infinitely versatile and always satisfying. So we dug in and rounded up a collection of truly delicious pasta recipes to shake up the usual dinner routine.
Although I’ll happily say yes to a bowl of mac and cheese any day of the week, even if sometimes you want something a little more inspired. The good news: There are plenty of simple pasta recipes that deliver big flavor without a complicated ingredient list or lengthy prep time. And when spring and summer products begins to appear, the pasta becomes the perfect canvas. Think bright herbs, sweet 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 fewer than 10 ingredients. For those nights when dinner needs to be simple but still special, this pasta has you covered.
Burst Tomato Pasta
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, and deeply flavorful sauce, without asking much of you in return.
Simple Zucchini Pasta
This is the kind of pasta we crave when the farmers market is overflowing and dinner needs to be kept simple. With caramelized zucchini, bright lemon, lots of parmesan and fresh herbs, it’s both comforting and fresh.
Lemon and Ricotta Pasta
Good lemon pasta always earns a spot in our rotation. This one is especially worth repeating. It’s creamy, colorful, and full of bright, layered flavors that keep dinner from feeling one-note.
Lemony spring pasta salad with olives, artichokes and bacon
This is the pasta salad we’d bring to any spring get-together (hoping we could take the leftovers home). It’s full of bold, Mediterranean-inspired flavors: briny olives, artichokes, Parmesan, and a lemony green vinaigrette that makes everything feel fresh.
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 pasta bake, with pesto and spinach keeping it bright enough to be balanced.
Miso tomato paste
These pastas prove that a little effort can still pay off big time. The miso adds a salty-sweet umami depth that makes the tomato sauce feel surprisingly rich and memorable.
Pasta with green sauce
For anyone who wants to eat more greens without committing to another salad, this pasta is the answer. The blended spinach sauce is vibrant and silky, with just enough lemon and parmesan to give it a balanced, flavorful feel.
One-Pot Mushroom-Garlic Pasta with Sausage and Arugula
Rather than being too rich, this recipe keeps things balanced. A small amount of Italian sausage adds plenty of flavor, while the mushrooms and greens make it feel hearty, vibrant, and weeknight-friendly.
Spaghetti with garlic shrimp, asparagus and tomatoes
“Garlic shrimp” is my official favorite word. I often find that when pasta recipes include shrimp, the small, protein-rich shellfish lack serious flavor. Here, four cloves of garlic do the trick and send a major punch to this whole dish.
Pasta Primavera with Pesto
This is the ultimate 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 on the CS team is on board to keep this in our go-to rotation.
This article was last updated on April 29, 2026 to include new information.
The position These 10 Pasta Recipes All Use Less Than 10 Ingredients (And Somehow Taste Better) appeared first on Camille Styles.