73 Vegetarian Pasta Recipes So You Can Eat Your Veggies

You may have noticed that this collection of our best pasta recipes leans meat-heavy. But I think we can all agree that pasta (and some cheese) can make pretty much any vegetable better, too, from succulent mushrooms to sweet tomatoes. These veg-filled pastas are sure to satisfy at dinner tonight—no meat required.
Photo by Laura Murray, Food Styling by Kat Boytsova1/73Pantry Pasta With Vegan Cream Sauce
Many vegan cream sauces rely on blended nuts or steamed cauliflower, but this sauce is made of beans and pasta water alone—no soaking or blending necessary. It’s important that the beans are adequately hydrated: Once you start mashing, make sure there’s plenty of pasta cooking liquid in the pot and don’t let it evaporate.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle2/73Adult Mac and Cheese
Our creamy stovetop mac and cheese is about as easy as opening a box—and a whooooole lot more delicious.
Photo by Alex Lau, Food Styling by Susie Theodorou, Prop Styling by Sophie Strangio3/73Kale Pesto With Whole Wheat Pasta
This kale pesto inspired us to keep spreading the word that there is still no better or more delicious way to eat your greens.
Photo by Michael Graydon and Nikole Herriott4/73Fettuccine Alfredo
Classic, silky Alfredo sauce comes from the emulsion of grated Parmesan, cold butter, and starchy pasta water. Keep the cream out of it.
Photo by Alex Lau, food styling by Sue Li5/73Baked Pasta alla Norma
Cheesy, saucy baked pasta is even more fun when you can slice it into wedges.
Photo by Chelsie Craig, Food Styling by Anna Billingskog6/73Burst Cherry Tomato Pasta
A simple sauce of juicy, bursty cherry tomatoes (aka nature’s Gushers) that comes together in around 15 minutes.
Photo by Chelsie Craig, Food Styling by Olivia Mack McCool7/73Ratatouille Pasta
If we were to round up an all-star team of summer's greatest produce, it'd look a little something like ratatouille: Eggplant and zucchini. Peppers and tomatoes. The gang's all here! (We have plenty more summer vegetarian recipes where this came from.)
Photo by Chelsie Craig, Food Styling by Kate Buckens8/73White Pesto Pasta
Built of toasted nuts, creamy ricotta, and salty Parmesan, you don’t even need a food processor to make this riff on the normal pesto you know and love.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Jennifer Ophir9/73Mushroom Carbonara
Mushrooms take the place of the traditional cured pork in this super-satisfying vegetarian carbonara recipe.
Photo by Laura Murray, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich10/73Cauliflower Bolognese
No, this isn’t some kind of joke, and you don’t have to be a vegetarian to love what’s going on here.
Photo by Alex Lau, food styling by Susie Theodorou, prop styling by Elizabeth Jaime11/73Red Wine Spaghetti
It’s a showstopper. Two bottles of red wine get cooked down to a glossy butter sauce that stains and flavors the spaghetti.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Jennifer Ophir12/73Basically Skillet Lasagna
Finally: an easy, cheesy, vegetarian(!) lasagna recipe that doesn't require you to dirty every pot and pan in your kitchen.
Photo by Chelsie Craig, food styling by Molly Baz, prop styling by Emily Eisen13/73Orecchiette with Buttermilk, Peas, and Pistachios
We’re throwing this pantry pasta all-star a “Welcome to Summer” party with peas and mint.
Photograph by Elliott Jerome Brown Jr., Prop Styling by Sean Dooley, Food Styling by Mieko Takahashi14/73Spaghetti Pomodoro
This streamlined Italian tomato sauce makes magic out of a handful of pantry ingredients.

