What Helped This Week Were 29 No-Stress Pasta Recipes
There are weeks when time moves faster than your motivation to make dinner. Having 29 simple pasta options ready to go means you can still eat like an adult without sacrificing your evening plans of doing absolutely nothing. They’re quick, unfussy, and don’t require your full attention, which is perfect when your brain is already halfway to bedtime.

Million Dollar Spaghetti

Busy weekdays made meal time easy when I served a dish that felt special but didn’t take long. Million Dollar Spaghetti blended creamy layers with sauce, so everyone wanted another scoop at the table. It packed up well for lunch the next day. No one minded having leftovers more than once a week.
Get the Recipe: Million Dollar Spaghetti
Baked Ziti

Some nights, you just need a tray that can feed everyone and keep things simple. Baked Ziti pulls together fast and comes out of the oven ready to slice for big servings. It doesn’t fall apart and holds flavor even after hours in the fridge. Nobody ever turns down a second piece.
Get the Recipe: Baked Ziti
Spicy Lasagna Soup

Switching things up with soup helped avoid repeating the same dinners this week. Spicy Lasagna Soup took classic layers and made them spoon-friendly for a change. Bowls emptied quickly, and cleanup felt easier than with a casserole. It became an unexpected favorite around here.
Get the Recipe: Spicy Lasagna Soup
Three Cheese Manicotti

Pasta packed with cheese brought plenty of comfort when things got busy. Three Cheese Manicotti had soft rolls filled and held together for neat servings. Everyone liked how simple it felt to dish out seconds. There was never a messy plate left behind.
Get the Recipe: Three Cheese Manicotti
Marry Me Chicken Soup

Adding chicken to noodles kept meals filling without extra work. Marry Me Chicken Soup blended a smooth broth with bites that pleased everyone at dinner. It made enough for two days, so lunch was covered too. Kids even asked for more after the first bowl.
Get the Recipe: Marry Me Chicken Soup
Pizza Casserole

Pasta with familiar pizza flavors gave everyone something new this week. Pizza Casserole stayed hot and came together fast, making both kids and grown-ups happy. Even picky eaters grabbed a slice. The tray emptied faster than expected.
Get the Recipe: Pizza Casserole
Cheese Ravioli

Simple filled pasta gave us quick meals without fuss. Cheese Ravioli boiled up fast and tasted good with almost any sauce on top. The leftovers stayed soft for lunch at work. No one asked for a more complicated meal that night.
Get the Recipe: Cheese Ravioli
Hamburger Casserole

Family dinners worked better when the recipe could fill many plates at once. Hamburger Casserole packed hearty bites together and didn’t dry out sitting on the counter. All it took was a quick scoop for seconds. It became a go-to for busy weeks.
Get the Recipe: Hamburger Casserole
Marry Me Tortellini

Adding stuffed noodles with creamy sauce made dinner straight from the fridge possible. Marry Me Tortellini fit for rushed nights and pulled everyone to the table. There were no leftovers after everyone got a bowl. It made even lunch feel special.
Get the Recipe: Marry Me Tortellini
Ravioli Casserole

Stuffed pasta with casserole-style made serving a breeze. Ravioli Casserole baked up with layers that held together and stacked well for leftovers. No one minded extra helpings. Dinner felt less stressful with this on the menu.
Get the Recipe: Ravioli Casserole
Aglio e Olio

Quick pasta made getting food on the table simple without feeling plain. Aglio e Olio included enough garlic flavor for everyone to finish their plates. Cleanup was easy because there weren’t many dishes. It was good enough for both lunch and dinner.
Get the Recipe: Aglio e Olio
Marry Me Chicken Casserole

One tray held everything we needed for a filling meal in little time. Marry Me Chicken Casserole puts together chicken, noodles, and sauce all in one scoop. It reheated well without drying out. The meal was gone in no time.
Get the Recipe: Marry Me Chicken Casserole
Penne Alla Vodka

Creamy sauce with soft pasta made everyone look forward to dinner again. Penne Alla Vodka stuck to the noodles, so there was no waste or mess on the plate. Seconds went fast after serving the first round. It worked even when made ahead.
Get the Recipe: Penne Alla Vodka
Marry Me Chicken Orzo

Short pasta with chicken was the answer for a busy evening. Marry Me Chicken Orzo cooked quickly and filled bowls with smooth bites that kids liked. No one went to bed hungry. Lunches were lined up for the next day just by packing extras.
Get the Recipe: Marry Me Chicken Orzo
Gnocchi

Thick soft pasta kept everyone full with just a few bites. Gnocchi made meals feel rich but didn’t drag out cooking time. It worked with sauces or just simple cheese. Most plates were clean long before dinner finished.
Get the Recipe: Gnocchi
Creamy Chicken and Corn Pasta

Extra comfort came from adding corn to pasta. Creamy Chicken and Corn Pasta brought a new twist to dinnertime and was well for leftovers the next day. Bowls filled up quickly and no one skipped seconds. Meal planning felt easy all week.
Get the Recipe: Creamy Chicken and Corn Pasta
Macaroni Salad

Chilled pasta made a good lunch for busy days that needed fast options. Macaroni Salad packed into boxes and didn’t get soggy after sitting overnight. Kids liked picking their own scoops at lunch. There were always requests for more.
Get the Recipe: Macaroni Salad
Elevated Ramen Noodles

Changing basic noodles gave everyone something new to talk about at dinner. Elevated Ramen Noodles took less time than other meals and felt more exciting. Bowls came back for refills. No leftovers made cleanup a breeze.
Get the Recipe: Elevated Ramen Noodles
Mushroom Pasta

Adding mushrooms to noodles helped meals stay interesting this week. Mushroom Pasta served up earthy and fulfilling bites that were soft and filling. It kept its flavor for packed lunches. Even non-mushroom fans tried a bowl.
Get the Recipe: Mushroom Pasta
Marry Me Shrimp Pasta

Quick meals with seafood made weeknights feel more fun. Marry Me Shrimp Pasta mixed up creamy sauce and soft noodles with bites that stayed together. Seconds always led to clean plates. The meal fits well for both lunch and dinner the next day.
Get the Recipe: Marry Me Shrimp Pasta
Pasta alla Norma

Bringing color and veggies to the table freshened up dinner times. Pasta alla Norma paired chewy noodles with simple toppings for an easy boost. Leftovers kept well in the fridge. It was easy to scoop onto plates each night.
Get the Recipe: Pasta alla Norma
Italian Pasta with Salami

Pasta with meat helped balance meals when time was short. Italian Pasta with Salami gave us a break from plain noodles and packed well for any meal. Bowls rarely had any leftovers. It became the most-requested dinner of the week.
Get the Recipe: Italian Pasta with Salami
Tortellini Soup

Warm bowls make dinner better when there’s little time to cook. Tortellini Soup is fully loaded and works for both lunch and dinner. It is requested at family events often. Spoons scrape the bottom each time.
Get the Recipe: Tortellini Soup
Easy Chicken Casserole

Sticking with simple made each meal less of a hassle. Easy Chicken Casserole filled up plates quickly without much effort in the kitchen. Kids enjoyed the big pieces and scoops. Leftovers made for great packed lunches.
Get the Recipe: Easy Chicken Casserole
Italian Pasta Salad

Packed bowls of pasta kept sides easy for every meal. Italian Pasta Salad worked for lunch or dinner and fit well with meats or veggies. Containers always came home empty. It never felt heavy even after second helpings.
Get the Recipe: Italian Pasta Salad
Homemade Lasagna

Big layered meals kept everyone fed without fuss. Homemade Lasagna sliced up neatly and held together for big servings or leftovers. Even small pieces filled you up. It made dinner better all week without complaints.
Get the Recipe: Homemade Lasagna
Creamy Vegan Red Pepper Pasta

Pasta without dairy worked for anyone looking for lighter meals. Creamy Vegan Red Pepper Pasta brought rich color to dinner and kept things creamy. The bowls were cleared before anyone wanted dessert. Saving some for later was always a good plan.
Get the Recipe: Creamy Vegan Red Pepper Pasta
Mac and Cheese

Sometimes you need easy comfort without all the extras. Mac and Cheese always fits when people want something quick and filling. No leftovers made lunch planning easy. Dinner felt better with just a simple scoop on every plate.
Get the Recipe: Mac and Cheese
Easy Spicy Chicken Chipotle Pasta

Adding a bit of heat kept weeknight dinners interesting. Easy Spicy Chicken Chipotle Pasta filled up bowls and packed away well for work lunches too. No one skipped seconds. Each meal finished quickly with everyone happy.
Get the Recipe: Easy Spicy Chicken Chipotle Pasta
About the Author

Hey there! I’m Mandy
Mandy Applegate is a home cook, food blogger, and writer who believes the best meals are the ones shared with the people you love.
She’s all about easy recipes that taste amazing, the kind that make ordinary days feel a little more special and remind you why cooking at home matters.
She has been published on NBC, the Daily News, the Boston Herald, and the Chicago Sun-Times, amongst many others.
