Here are 8 fantastic quick and easy pasta recipes! No matter how bare your cupboards are, I bet you can scrape together the ingredients for one of these classic Italian pasta dishes.
Choose from a classic Aglio e Olio (garlic pasta), tomato basil pasta, Spaghetti Napolitana (tomato pasta), Arrabiata (spicy tomato pasta), pasta with anchovies, spaghetti with olives and tuna pasta!
8 quick and easy Pasta Recipes
Here are 8 quick pasta recipes that are simple Italian classic pasta dishes.
Don’t mistake simple for bland, because while these are quick and easy, all of these are totally slurp-worthy and you’ll find these on the menu of trattoria’s all across Italy.
I used to have these scrawled in my barely legible handwriting on a scrap of paper stuck on my fridge, along with my “go to marinades” (which I summarised into one image in this post here). Much neater typed out into this post!
Click here for a PDF printable version of all these recipes on one page.
These are simple easy pasta recipes that are classic Italian pasta dishes. Never mistake simple for bland!
More really quick pasta dishes
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8 simple Italian Pasta Recipes
Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 15 mins
Total: 20 mins
Mains, Pasta
Western
Servings6 people
Tap or hover to scale
These pasta recipes are simple Italian classics you'll find in trattorias all across Italy. “Pantry” meals that take less than 15 minutes to make, each makes enough for 6 people. For all recipes, follow the Base Steps then move onto the recipe specific steps. Click here for a PDF printable version of all these recipes on one page.Use the recipe slider to change the serving size. Key step (especially for simple pastas like these) - tossing the sauce with the cooked pasta and a splash of pasta cooking water. The fat in the sauce reacts with the starch in the cooking water, thickening the sauce and making it stick to the pasta strands. This is the proper way to make pasta - no self respecting Italian or restaurant would ever skip this step!
Ingredients
- 1 lb/500 g dried spaghetti (or other long pasta)
PASTA WITH OLIVE OIL & GARLIC (AGLIO E OLIO):
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 10 garlic cloves , sliced
- 1 tbsp red chilli flakes
- 1/4 cup chopped parsley
FIERY PASTA (ARRABIATA):
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves , crushed
- 21 oz / 600g crushed tinned tomatoes
- 2 tbsp chilli flakes
- 1/4 cup chopped parsley
PASTA WITH ANCHOVIES (SPAGHETTI CON LE ACCIUGHE):
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves , crushed
- 2 tbsp anchovies , finely chopped
- 1 tbsp red chilli flakes
- 1/4 cup chopped parsley
AMATRICE SPAGHETTI (SPAGHETTI ALL’AMATRICIANA):
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves , crushed
- 1/2 brown onion , diced
- 14 oz/400g crushed tinned tomatoes
- 1/2 tsp red chilli flakes
- 6 oz/ 180g thinly sliced guanciale , or diced pancetta or bacon
FRESH TOMATO & BASIL SAUCE (POMAROLA):
- 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves , crushed
- 24 oz/800g fresh cherry tomatoes , halved
- 1/4 cup fresh basil , lightly packed
TOMATO SPAGHETTI (SPAGHETTI NAPOLITANA):
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves , crushed
- 1 brown onion , diced
- 28 oz / 800g crushed tinned tomatoes
- 1/4 cup fresh basil , lightly packed
SPAGHETTI WITH OLIVES AND CAPERS (SPAGHETTI ALLA PUTTANESCA):
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves , crushed
- 14 oz/400g crushed tinned tomatoes
- 1/2 tbsp red chilli flakes
- 4 oz/100g black sliced olives
- 2 tbsp capers
- 1/4 cup chopped parsley
PASTA WITH TUNA (SPAGHETTI AL TONNO):
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves , crushed
- 1/2 brown onion , diced
- 14 oz/400g crushed tinned tomatoes
- 5 oz/150g tinned tuna
- 1/4 cup chopped parsley
Instructions
Base Directions (for All):
- Cook 1lb/500g of dried spaghetti (or any other long dried pasta) in a large pot of salted boiling water per packet MINUS 1 minute.
- Meanwhile, prepare one of the sauces below.
- When pasta is ready, scoop out 1 cup of pasta cooking water, and drain pasta.
- Add pasta into chosen sauce with 3/4 cup pasta cooking water. Toss pasta until sauce thickens and sticks to pasta (called "emulsifying" the sauce), 1 - 2 minutes. Use more pasta water if needed to loosen sauce.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste. Finish pasta per chosen recipe.
PASTA WITH OLIVE OIL & GARLIC (AGLIO E OLIO):
- Heat oil over medium high heat. Add garlic and cook until golden - be careful not to burn it.
- Toss with pasta and cooking water per Base Directions. Toss through parsley and chilli flakes, serve with parmesan.
FIERY PASTA (ARRABIATA):
- Heat oil over medium high heat. Add garlic, stir until fragrant, then add the tinned tomatoes and chilli flakes, simmer on medium for 5 minutes.
- Toss with pasta and cooking water per Base Directions. Toss through parsley and serve with parmesan.
PASTA WITH ANCHOVIES (SPAGHETTI CON LE ACCIUGHE):
- Heat oil over medium high heat. Add garlic and anchovies, stir until the garlic is fragrant and the anchovies have melted.
- Toss with pasta and cooking water per Base Directions. Toss through parsley and chilli flakes, and serve with parmesan.
AMATRICE SPAGHETTI (SPAGHETTI ALL’AMATRICIANA):
- Heat oil over medium high heat. Add the garlic, onion and guanciale (or pancetta or bacon) and cook until the onion has softened and the guanciale is golden.
- Add the tinned tomatoes and chilli flakes and bring to rapid simmer. Toss with pasta and cooking water per Base Directions. Serve with parmesan.
FRESH TOMATO & BASIL SAUCE (POMAROLA):
- Heat oil over medium high heat. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, add tomato and cook briefly, just to warm through.
- Toss with pasta and cooking water per Base Directions. Toss through basil, serve with parmesan.
TOMATO SPAGHETTI (SPAGHETTI NAPOLITANA):
- Heat oil over medium high heat. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, then add the onion and cook until softened. Then add tinned tomatoes and 1/2 cup water, simmer 5 minutes.
- Toss with pasta and cooking water per Base Directions. Toss through basil and serve with parmesan.
SPAGHETTI WITH OLIVES AND CAPERS (SPAGHETTI ALLA PUTTANESCA):
- Heat oil over medium high heat. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, then add tinned tomatoes, chilli flakes, olives, capers and 1/2 cup water. Simmer 3 minutes.
- Toss with pasta and cooking water per Base Directions. Toss through parsley and serve with parmesan.
PASTA WITH TUNA (SPAGHETTI AL TONNO):
- Heat oil over medium high heat. Add garlic and cook until fragrant. Add the onion and cook until softened, then add the tinned tomatoes and 1/2 cup water. Simmer 3 minutes, then add the tuna.
- Toss with pasta and cooking water per Base Directions. Toss through parsley. Seafood pasta typically not served with parmesan but you can if you want!
Recipe Notes:
TIPS:
- Canned tomatoes - not all canned tomatoes are created equal. Good quality ones are naturally sweet with better tomato flavour, poor quality ones are sour and often unripe tomatoes. If needed, add sugar to sweeten tomatoes.
- Salted boiling water - use a big pot of water and 1 tbsp salt. Stir pasta once or twice while cooking.
- Time the pasta so it finishes cooking when the sauce is ready. If you leave cooked pasta sitting in a colander, it sticks together and goes hard as it cools. Ideal is to use tongs to transfer it straight out of the boiling water into the sauce - no colander needed!
- Pasta sticks together - If your pasta DOES start to stick together and go hard, loosen it up with a splash of the reserved pasta cooking water (don't rinse it with tap water, this washes away the starch which stops the sauce from clinging to the pasta). Alternative is to use a drizzle of oil - drizzle and toss while hot.
Nutrition Information:
Serving: 181gCalories: 468kcal (23%)
Thanks for the simple and best idea 🙂
Was going to post that my favourite quick pasta is with a tin of tuna but then found you already had it! Only difference is I use tomato paste thinned with a little water. Weird but it works.
So easy and so delicious! I love you Nagi!
Thanks so much Huang! N x
LOVE the simplicity and of course taste of the ones I’ve tried so far!
All of these are great! Making the pasta al’aglio ed olio today. I don’t know if you meant to, but you forgot the quintessential caccio e peppe.
Yum Raul! There are so many more I’d like to add! N x
Loved making all these pastas! Super fun and so delicious – Love your recipes, Nagi! You’re a rockstar.
Thanks so much Dhara!!! N x
I have tried 3 of your 8 classic recipe and my family loved it!!
Tried your Tiramisu recipe too and it was awesome!!!
Thank you!!
Wahoo, thanks so much for letting me know Sejal! ❤️
Dear Nagi
I live in Lancashire in England. Your website is my favourite go-to for recipes – I love every one I have tried. The photographs of your dishes are amazing and the instructions you give so clear. Thank you. Hi Dozer!
Thanks so much for the great feedback Mary, that’s so kind of you! N x
Have cooked many of your recipes since finding your website the last month. Now cooking 90% of meals using your recipes. You have transformed my way of eating and enjoying.
Can you direct me to ” Serving Slider ‘ since most meals cooked are smaller portions?
Prayerfully watching the fires with heartfelt love and concern.
Very Sincerely Robert
Wahoo that’s so great to hear Robert! Just click on the number of servings in the recipe card and a slider bar will appear – you can then slide it down or up to adjust the number of servings & all the ingredients will adjust for you – N x
thank you very much for sharing this recipe. I really like this food, this recipe really helped me
We’re swooning! Our August garden is tomatoes by the bushel, basil, and garlic. So simmer that, briefly, in olive oil, like Nagi writes. Pinch in Himalayan salt and (I can’t help myself) some chipotle. POMAROLA for the win. But stick to the base recipe (pasta water is key). Another slam-dunk, Nagi, thank-you!
Sounds amazing Christopher!!
Hi Nagi!
Thank you for sharing these pasta recipes. WOW. These are both fabulous and easy. They are fun to play around with too! I made the pasta with tuna and subbed canned salmon for tuna because that’s what I had on hand. YUM. One time I was making amatrice spaghetti and realized I was out of tomatoes and chili flakes, so I skipped the onion and used salsa. It turned out delicious! My son chowed down two huge bowls until he was stuffed. Then he begged me to open a restaurant! Hahaha! Not happening. But I loves your recipes because I really can’t go wrong. Now that I understand the magic of emulsifying, I will never go back to boring pasta. Thanks again!
I’ve come across other Aglio e Olio recipes but yours is the one that gave me the courage to attempt it!
I’ve made it twice in 2 days, both times a success.
Thank you for the clear directions and explaining emulsifying. I used to think using pasta water was gross… but not anymore :).
Looking forward to trying more of your recipes.
Ps: I made your Chicken wings and though I misread one of the steps, they still turned out well and was devoured.
That’s great to hear Audrey! Thanks for leaving a review! N x
Appreciate your efforts in putting together the recipes.
Some times I’m cooking for 4 people other days it’s 20. The serving slider is I awasome..
Thanks
Best regards
Mick
You’re so welcome Mick!! N x
Just wanted to say thank you for posting this! I was looking for a last minute dinner idea and found this. I had some left over yellow bite size tomatoes from new years and was looking for a pasta recipe that I could use them with. I made the Pomarola recipe. It was amazing! I have never made pasta that good and it was SO easy and very quick for a first time recipe. I have never seen a pasta recipe explain about emulsifying before and I feel like the world of pasta has opened up, so thank you. Also my 3 year old ate quite a bit. He is very picky and usually only likes noodles plain or with Parmesan cheese. So excited to have some new recipes and to keep exploring your site. Everything I have seen so far looks incredible.
Thank you for your wonderful message Ashley!! I am so glad you enjoyed the pasta. Made the right way, even a plain pasta with just garlic and olive oil is so insanely delicious!! I hope you enjoy the recipes on my site 🙂 Shout out if you have any questions, I respond fairly quickly!
OMG!!! I’ve tried the Pasta with Olive Oil & Garlic (Aglio e Olio) yesterday. I didn’t have fresh parsley so I added dried . I also sliced some onions and sauteed it along with the garlic. I didn’t have Parmesan cheese so I used the bottled kind and tossed in some fresh chopped baby spinach and it was DELICIOUS!!! My husband and 4 year old loved this. It was a tad bit too spicy for my 4 year old so next time I will lessen the pepper flakes. But all and all we all loved it. I can’t wait to try the other recipes.
I am SO glad you enjoyed it Mimi!! Aglio e Olio is an absolute classic and when made properly, it is stunning 🙂 Yes, I can imagine it was a wee bit spicy for your 4 year old! I am impressed he at it though! Thank you for coming back to leave this comment 🙂
I just found your recipes today and your site is my new favorite! Thank you for the amazing and creative ideas!
Thank you Kimberly! Biggest compliment a blogger can receive 🙂
I JUST saw these and I am THRILLED! This is wonderful to have so many different ways to make pasta and I have all ingredients on hand, in fact some anchovies are waiting to be used! I DONT tell anyone when I use anchovies, they just CANT believe the taste… little do they know they are eating teeny fish! THANK YOU very much for these fun recipes that are fast. I will be passing around the grater and parm at the table…OH and crack bread- LOL! From the Beautiful NorthWest, Lisa
Thanks Lisa! I’m so glad you find this useful, to be honest, I have this taped up on my fridge! I just find it a useful quick guide 🙂 Oh and a reminder that I can definitely make a pasta using whatever is in my fridge instead of ordering take out! (Takeout menus are also on the fridge!)
Love this round up of simple pastas. My favorite of the lot will probably be Arrabiata. I never thought of anchovies on pasta though. Love them in sambals, but pasta?! Must try it one day and be brave 🙂
Promise it’s lovely, you can’t even taste the fishiness at all! You just mince it up and it literally melts. It’s like Italian fish sauce!