Tired of making the same pasta recipes on repeat? Check out these family-friendly pasta dinner ideas.
Whether you pick pasta with vegetables, chicken, shrimp, cheese, or just sauce, there’s one for you to try in the recipes below!
Pasta Dinner Recipes
Get ready to enjoy the best pasta dinner ideas on the Internet! These easy pasta recipes are the perfect midweek meal solution: simple, quick, hearty, and delicious!


























Related: Transform these meals into epic lunches with pasta
Homemade Pasta Sauce Recipes
While you can buy pasta sauce at the store you can easily make your own at home with just a few ingredients. Here are a few sauces for you to try for your next pasta night:
What Goes Well with Pasta for Dinner
Pasta is a complete meal by itself, but I know some of you may like to add some veggies as a side dish. Baked vegetables or mixed greens are an awesome choice! Check these quick recipes that go great with the pasta dinner ideas:
- Green Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette
- Carrot Fries
- Butternut Squash with Parmesan
- Green Bean Fries
- Roasted Fall Vegetables

Pasta Dinner Ideas
Ingredients
Shrimp Pesto Pasta
- 12 ounces pasta, any
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes
- 4 ounce jar pesto
- 1 pound shrimp, shelled and deveined
- ¼ cup pasta water, reserved
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, for serving
Instructions
- In a large pot, cook pasta according to package directions. Reserve 1 cup pasta water, drain and set aside.
- In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the cherry tomatoes and cook for 2 minutes, add the pesto sauce, shrimp, and ¼ cup pasta water. Cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, stirring often, or until the shrimp turn pink and are cooked through.
- Add the cooked pasta to the shrimp mixture and toss to combine with sauce. Top with Parmesan cheese.
kim
OBSESSED with all these pasta dinners!