40 Easy and Budget-Friendly Pasta Recipes to Make for Dinner Tonight
This affordable ingredient is endlessly versatile.
When it comes to cooking on a budget, pasta can be a true game-changer. This affordable, pantry-friendly staple is always a crowd pleaser and endlessly versatile — it's the perfect base for transforming random odds and ends from your fridge into an entirely new (delicious!) meal. Need inspiration? These cheap pasta recipes from the Good Housekeeping Test Kitchen cover a range of styles and cravings (think: perfectly sauced, easy one-pot, cozy baked, cool salads), so whether you're in the mood for something creamy, tomatoey or cheesy, we have something for you. Plus, each recipe prioritizes cost-effective ingredients, helping you to cut down on your grocery bill, which we could all use help with right about now.
P.S. Want to save even more money? Consider making pasta from scratch with just flour, eggs and salt.
Spring Pea Pasta with Burrata and Ham
Give leftover ham (or cold cuts!) a new life with this decadent dish featuring fresh pops of sweet peas and luxurious burrata.
Unstuffed Shells with Lemony Ricotta
Feeding a crowd while sticking to a strict budget? Yes, it's doable! Here's proof.
Linguine with Arugula Pesto
Pestos provide a tasty way to work your way through heaps of herbs like basil, but pine nuts (a key ingredient) can be costly. Enter: This nut-free version that features arugula, scallions and creamy, protein-packed cottage cheese.
Get the Linguine with Arugula Pesto recipe.
RELATED: 35 Cheap Dinner Ideas That Are Easy on You and Your Wallet
Pasta Primavera
Shopping locally and in-season will help you spend less on produce, so sync up the timing and make this dish in the spring — when asparagus and carrots are at their most affordable.
Get the Pasta Primavera recipe.
Pasta e Piselli
Never throw away a Parmesan rind! It's the secret to imparting savory depth into pasta dishes and soups. Simply toss the rind into the pot of boiling water with your noodles.
Get the Pasta e Piselli recipe.
RELATED: These Easy, Delicious 5-Ingredient Meals Make It Easy to Buy Fewer Groceries
One-Pot Spaghetti
Takeout is less tempting when you can whip up a tasty pasta in just 20 minutes with one single skillet.
Get the One-Pot Spaghetti recipe.
RELATED: 75 Easy Family Dinner Ideas for Any Day of the Week
Chicken Francese Pasta
A box of pasta provides a delicious way to stretch out a meal, so something that'd typically serve a couple of people can now satisfy four or more. Exhibit A: This penne twist on the classic Italian main.
Get the Chicken Francese Pasta recipe.
Rigatoni with Sausage and Broccoli Rabe
Crumbled sweet or spicy Italian sausage introduces tons of flavors without requiring a lot of extra ingredients.
Pasta with No-Cook Tomato Sauce
When tomatoes are in peak season (read: late summer), there's no need to cook them for maximum flavor — you can easily grate them into a super-tasty sauce that can be tossed with your favorite noodle. No jar of marinara required!
Kale Pesto Pasta
Who knew broken lasagna noodles could make for such a stunning pasta? Think of this as the most delicious way to use up those random pieces left behind in a box.
Get the Kale Pesto Pasta recipe.
Fennel Pasta Pomodoro
This pantry pleaser comes in handy on those nights when you don't want to cook, but need to put something on the table.
Get the Fennel Pasta Pomodoro recipe.
RELATED: These Pantry Recipes Make the Most of Ingredients You Already Have at Home
Creamy Spaghetti and Zoodles
For a healthier alternative, we opted for whole-grain spaghetti and added spiralized zucchini and baby spinach to the equation for a generous portion of "greens."
Get the Creamy Spaghetti and Zoodles recipe.
Pasta e Fagioli
This soup-pasta hybrid packs in plenty of nourishing, budget-friendly ingredients like canned beans.
Get the Pasta e Fagioli recipe.
Cacio e Pepe
With minimal ingredients, the Roman classic is tasty and thrifty. Our version uses two types of cheese — Pecorino Romano and Parmesan — for a more complex flavor, without overcomplicating things. We also toast the cracked black pepper in oil to bring out it's floral, spicy notes.
Get the Cacio e Pepe recipe.
Orecchiette with White Beans and Spinach
Make this meatless main any night of the week — it's ready in just 20 minutes and dirties only a single pan.
Lasagna with Meat Sauce
Freeze up individual slices of this meat lasagna, so you can always have a dinner ready to reheat and eat. Now it's even easier to say no to take-out and save yourself the money.
Get the Lasagna with Meat Sauce recipe.
Creamy Corn Pasta
Boiled corn on the cob is the secret to this silky-smooth creamy sauce. When scraping the corn off the cob, it'll add starchiness to your sauce — similar to what happens when you make creamed corn. Blend it with Romano cheese and some starchy pasta water, and voilà.
Get the Creamy Corn Pasta recipe.
Rigatoni alla Vodka
If you have a bottle of vodka in your liquor cabinet, heavy cream in the fridge, and tomato paste in your pantry, you can skip buying a jar of vodka sauce.
Get the Rigatoni alla Vodka recipe.
Scrambled Carbonara
Budget-friendly breakfast for dinner, but in pasta form.
Get the Scrambled Carbonara recipe.
Summer Squash, Mint and Pecorino Pasta
When sautéed, zucchini and summer squash cook down and almost melts into a sauce. It's delicious.
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