33 Penne Pasta Recipes That'll Convince You It’s The Most Versatile Noodle (2024)

This pasta dish is like a jazzed up cacio e pepe, and is ripe for improvisation—add your favorite veggies and protein for a complete meal, or serve it alongside some grilled meat for an easy weeknight dinner.

Get the Creamy Garlic Chicken Penne recipe.

This pasta is perfect for the night that you're craving a little bit of everything. It's spicy, it's creamy, there's veggies, there's chicken, there's CHEESE... there's basically no flavor or texture that this dish doesn't have. It's rare to find a pasta dish with a good level of spice, and the jerk seasoning in this recipe does just that. On a hectic weeknight, we love having this fun and easy pasta in our back pocket.

Get the Rasta Pasta recipe.

Mostaccioli is a hearty baked pasta that's perfect for a weeknight dinner. It's essentially an easier version of lasagna, made with penne. Top it with plenty of cheese and you'll soon have a new favorite to add to the rotation.

We knew noodles were the only thing missing from a Caesar salad! We like broccoli and tomatoes here, but use whatever additional veggies you like. Pre-grated Parmesan is okay if that's what you've got, but we definitely recommend shaving your own fresh if you can swing it—it sets this pasta salad above the rest.

Get the Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad recipe.

Cajun jambalaya is a wildly popular rice dish that originated in New Orleans and was inspired by flavors from around the world. This version swaps the rice for penne pasta, but keeps with traditional flavors like Cajun seasoning and andouille sausage. We love a creamy pasta dish, so we added cheese too. It's a little inauthentic, sure, but also delicious.

Get the Jambalaya Pasta recipe.

There is nothing quite as comforting as a baked pasta dish. The sides get a little crispy and the topping of melty cheese is to die for. Here we changed up the classic penne alla vodka by adding in ground turkey. The result is a creamy pasta that satisfies every carb craving possible with a little extra boost of protein.

Get the Baked Penne Alla Vodka with Turkey recipe.

Think of this as a creamier baked ziti. Penne tossed with creamy Alfredo sauce, chicken, and (a lot) of mozzarella—need we say more?

Get the Chicken Alfredo Bake recipe.

If you didn't already know, you can make pesto out of WAY more than just basil. This deliciously savory red pesto—made with roasted red peppers, almonds, and Parmesan—might make you never want to go green again.

Get the Roasted Red Pepper Pesto Penne recipe.

This is the best creamy and bright vodka sauce any of us in the test kitchen have ever had. The secret? Tomato paste. Tomato paste has a more concentrated flavor, and texture-wise, it makes for a smoother, almost velvety sauce. BTW, you can swap penne for other similiarly shaped pastas, like the rigatoni shown here.

Get the Penne Alla Vodka recipe.

This recipe takes classic French-Swiss Chicken Cordon Bleu and transforms it into a one pot meal (or nearly one, if you don't count cooking the pasta 😉). All in one skillet you'll get tender chicken, thick-cut ham, and pasta covered in a sinfully cheesy sauce that you might just like better than the original.

Get the Chicken Cordon Bleu Skillet recipe.

Shrimp, spinach, tomatoes, and garlic? Yes, this is the easy pasta of your dreams.

Get the Tuscan Shrimp Penne recipe.

Pesto fans will love this fresh spring combo of spinach, basil, and sweet peas. Try swapping in other spring-y vegetables, like asparagus or mushrooms too.

Get the Spinach Pesto Penne with Shrimp and Peas recipe.

If you like your pasta on the spicy side, this recipe is for you. If not, try making your own salsa verde so you can control the spice level (use less jalapeños or skip them altogether)! The mozzarella here also helps control the heat.

Get the Salsa Verde Chicken Pasta recipe.

With a super-light cream sauce, this spinach and roasted red pepper penne is addictive. Thanks to store-bought red peppers, it's also super simple to throw together for a busy weeknight pasta dinner.

Get the Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Penne recipe.

When we say 5-cheese, we mean it! This dish is FULL of mozzarella, fontina, ricotta, Parmesan, and asiago. Feel free to swap in and out for your faves (or, you know, whatever you got in the fridge)!

Get the 5-Cheese Marinara recipe.

Whole-wheat fiber-rich pasta replaces the traditional bun in this cheeseburger-inspired casserole. Adding light cheese and tomatoes instead of ketchup keeps this lower in fat and sugar too. Don't be afraid to clean your plate and ask for seconds!

Get the Skinny Cheeseburger Casserole recipe.

French onion soup + penne pasta are a match made in heaven. We served these in small ramekins, but if you really want to carb it up and serve it in a bread bowl, we won't judge!

Get the French Onion Penne recipe.

The trick to this deliciously creamy sauce? Ricotta and pasta water! This summer pasta couldn't be easier.

Get the Penne with Garlicky Shrimp, Ricotta, and Tomatoes recipe.

We shine a spotlight on spikey spring asparagus with a supporting cast of creamy white wine sauce, deeply infused with fragrant lemony notes and a nice salty Parmesan kick. We can't think of a better harmony of flavors to celebrate the beginning of spring.

Get the Lemony Asparagus Pasta recipe.

Pasta is tossed with a dressing similar to what you would find on elote (Mexican street corn) for this standout pasta salad. Mexican crema and cotija can be found in most supermarkets and Spanish markets, but if you are having trouble finding them, sour cream and feta make great substitutes too.

Get the Esquites Pasta Salad recipe.