25 (Really Good) Pasta Recipes That All Start With A Box Of Spaghetti (2024)

The shortcut here is using your favorite jarred or canned marinara sauce. The noodles cook directly in it — so they absorb a ton of flavor from the inside out. (Also: Bonus points for a hands-off, one-pot cook!)

Recipe: Shortcut Instant Pot Spaghetti

All four recipes — chicken bacon broccoli Alfredo, garlic shrimp scampi, spinach mushroom pesto, and tomato basil with sausage — start with a box of spaghetti.

Recipe: Spaghetti Four Ways

The hearty sauce cooks low and slow in the Crock Pot and makes enough for two boxes worth of spaghetti. You can also save or freeze half and then use it as the base for other meals — like sloppy Joes or stuffed shells.

Recipe: Slow Cooker Spaghetti Bolognese

This one-pot pasta only has a 10-minute cook time, and can easily be made vegetarian if you leave out the chicken sausage.

Recipe: Spaghetti with Spinach-Artichoke Chicken

This classic sauce proves you don't need a laundry list of ingredients to make something rich and delicious. (In this case: only tomatoes, butter, onion, and salt.)

Recipe: Spaghetti with Marcella Hazan's Famous 3-Ingredient Sauce

This version — packed with summer vegetables — uses linguine noodles, but you could easily swap in spaghetti, bucatini, or whatever else you have on hand.

Recipe: Creamy Pasta Primavera

Super creamy —and the leftovers reheat well.

Recipe: One-Pot Cajun Chicken Alfredo

Filipino spaghetti is sweeter than what you're used to. That's because the sauce often contains banana ketchup, a favorite condiment of the cuisine.

Recipe: Filipino Spaghetti

This makes enough for four people and only needs about 10 minutes of active cooking time.

Recipe: One-Pot Broccoli Parmesan Pasta

This works with any seasonal vegetables you have on hand. To make it vegan, swap the Parmesan for nutritional yeast.

Recipe: Veggie-Packed Spaghetti with Zucchini and Spinach

Fresh arugula and lemon brighten up the classic here.

Recipe: Cacio e Pepe with Lemony Arugula

If you're short on time, sausage is an ideal protein for pasta dishes. It doesn't require browning or pre-cooking, and when left unopened, can last for a long time in the fridge.

Recipe: One-Pot Pasta with Spicy Sausage and Tomato

This would also be great with sliced cherry tomatoes or zucchini ribbons swirled in.

Recipe: Vegan Pasta Primavera

Carbonara on its own is great. Carbonara with spicy, salty chunks of chorizo is even better. 😋

Recipe: Spaghetti Carbonara with Chorizo

No judgment if you serve these with a side of Cheddar Bay biscuits.

Recipe: Copycat Red Lobster Cajun Shrimp Alfredo Pasta

Super garlicky without being overpowering —and pairs perfectly with a fresh green salad or antipasti.

Recipe: Aglio e Olio

Thanks to the fresh tomatoes and creamy burrata, this manages to feel both light and indulgent at the same time.

Recipe: Summer Spaghetti with Tomatoes and Burrata

If all else fails, go for the classic.

Recipe: Classic Spaghetti and Meatballs