Between hectic work schedules and nursing our post-op doggo back to health, it’s been a crazy couple of weeks in our household! My husband is currently enjoying a boys’ weekend in Dallas, and I’m kicking it at home dreaming up meals for next week and bingeing “The Politician” on Netflix (y’all, it is seriously addictive). Relaxing weekends like this call for simple, comforting dishes⁠—so raise a fork and dig into one of these 10 tasty pasta recipes!

EASY PENNE BAKE WITH HOMEMADE MARINARA

Sometimes, a simple dish of pasta, sauce and cheese is just what you need. This Easy Penne Bake with Homemade Marinara Sauce is that dish! It’s the ultimate quick-and-easy dinner, too, with options to make it vegan and gluten free.

Recipe here

BAKED SMOKY CHIPOTLE MAC N’ CHEESE WITH GRILLED CORN

You'll love this interesting recipe for Baked Smoky Chipotle Mac n' Cheese with Grilled Corn! It features a gluten free corn/quinoa pasta and uses evaporated milk instead of heavy cream for half the calories and 1/5 of the fat. It’s a great end-of-summer dish, too.

Recipe here

VERY VEGGIE PASTA BAKE

Weekends were made for relaxing, after all, so don’t let dinner stress you out! You’ll need just a handful of ingredients for this quick/easy Very Veggie Pasta Bake, and you’ll likely even have leftovers for lunch tomorrow.

Recipe here

SPICY CHILI SPAGHETTI

Chili Spaghetti—it's basically pure comfort in a bowl! Prep my homemade Spicy Chipotle Chili tonight, turn on the slow cooker in the morning and dinner will practically be ready by the time you’re done with your Sunday chores.

Recipe here

CHEESY SPINACH STUFFED SHELLS WITH VODKA SAUCE

Cheesy Spinach Stuffed Shells, just like mom used to make, but with an adult twist—Vodka Sauce! If you’ve never had vodka sauce before, prepare to be amazed by how much a bit of vodka + cream transforms a classic marinara.

Recipe here

PASTA PRIMAVERA

Pasta Primavera was invented in the 1970s at famed New York City restaurant Le Cirque and was subsequently made famous after the recipe was published in “The New York Times” in 1977. This is a lightened-up version, skipping the butter and heavy cream in favor of a bit of pasta water (eight different veggies are included, too). It’s a simple pasta dish that you’ll definitely love!

Recipe here

SPINACH & MUSHROOM PESTO LASAGNA

Let me preface this post with a bold statement and a pat on the back: this Spinach & Mushroom Pesto Lasagna is one of the best lasagnas I’ve ever eaten. It’s a flavor explosion without being a muddled mess; it’s creamy but not too rich, hearty but not overly filling. In short, it’s perfect.

Recipe here

RED LENTIL PASTA + HOMEMADE ARRABBIATA

For me, comfort food means something warm and cheesy (don’t you agree?). Pasta is a simple go-to, but I like to try to keep things healthy by (1) using an enriched flour pasta alternative, (2) adding plenty of veggies, (3) using low-fat cheese and (4) making my own sauce. This recipe ticks all of those boxes!

Recipe here

GREEN VEGGIE GOAT CHEESE PASTA

The great thing about goat cheese is that a little of it goes a long way—no need to buy a huge amount. Combine it with lentil pasta, green veggies, lemon juice and a bit of spices and you’re in business! This dish will honestly take you a mere 20 minutes to put together and requires little to no skill. Can you boil water? Good.

Recipe here

TOMATO BASIL RIGATONI

Tomato + basil is one of the most classic combos in the history of food, in my opinion. Add that combo to cheesy, carby pasta and you seriously can’t go wrong! With just about 10 ingredients, this Tomato Basil Rigatoni is one of those weekend meals you’ll turn to again and again.

Recipe here