Pasta dinners must be one of the most comforting and easiest meals of all time! And since pasta of some sort or shape can be found in almost every culture, this list of 43 Family Friendly Weeknight Pasta Dinners is sure to have something for every one! Weeknight dinners just got a whole lot tastier!
Welcome, Dear Reader, to this post all about my favourite 43 Family Friendly Weeknight Pasta Dinners! In our home, we have very different tastes when it comes to mealtime, but we always seem to agree on pasta. First of all, my partner, John.e, is a vegetarian. And, when my daughter, McKenna, comes to visit, she is not what I would call a picky eater, but she’s certainly a stubborn one. If she has a craving for a certain sometime, then there is no convincing her otherwise. I get stuck in the middle somewhere. I’m the one who does all of the cooking, and I’m also the one responsible for maintaining a stocked fridge and pantry. And, in all cases, deciding what to eat at mealtimes falls on my shoulders.
The dish I can prepare that seems to make everyone happy is pasta. Both John.e and McKenna love pasta dishes and I enjoy preparing them. So, let’s dive into these pasta recipes! I’m sure you will find many of the recipes that follow favourable to your family.
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PASTA WITH BEEF
30 Minute Ground Beef Noodles
This recipe combines noodles with savoury, fried ground beef and optional chilies, in a deliciously salty, garlicky, and sweet sauce. 30 Minute Ground Beef Noodles are a quick and inexpensive meal for the whole family!
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Savoury Ground Beef Pasta
Savoury Ground Beef Pasta is a wonderful fall-inspired dish which is prepared in less than 45 minutes. With ingredients like beef, carrots, onions, tomatoes, peas, and thyme, who could resist? This is not your average ground beef pasta; this is hearty, comforting, and perfect for the cooler months ahead.
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https://www.lordbyronskitchen.com/homemade-hamburger-helper/
Fast, easy, and delicious, Homemade Hamburger Helper is so easy to make from scratch, that you will never buy the boxed stuff again! Plus, you control the number of preservatives and the amount of sodium! This is a meal you can feel good about serving to your family!
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Braised Beef Ragu
Slow-roasted, seasoned braised beef, cooked to perfection then shredded and added to a delicious, hearty marinara sauce – the perfect ragu sauce for a thick-cut pasta dish!
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Easy Old Fashioned Goulash
Hearty ground beef and pasta are the main ingredients in this Easy Old Fashioned Goulash. This version is loaded with peppers and tomatoes too, making it a completely nutritious meal! Classic American goulash never tasted so good!
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SPAGHETTI PASTA
Creamy Leek and Garlic Spaghetti
Sweet oniony leeks are paired with garlic, parmesan, and butter in this rustic and delicious Creamy Leek and Garlic Spaghetti. This recipe, although vegetarian, is hearty and filling and can be on your dinner table in thirty minutes or less!
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Herb and Garlic Tomato Spaghetti
Herb and Garlic Tomato Spaghetti is one of those quick and easy recipes that taste wonderfully delicious! This simple pasta is prepared using fresh herbs like thyme, oregano, and chives. Cherry tomatoes are blistered with red onions in olive oil to create a sauce. Tossed with perfectly cooked pasta, this dish is a family-friendly meal, but impressive enough for any dinner party!
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Spaghetti in Cream Cheese Sauce with Mushrooms and Tomatoes
There is no steadfast rule that states pasta must be topped with tomato sauce. To prove it, take a look at my Spaghetti in Cream Cheese Sauce with Mushrooms and Tomatoes – so delicious, so creamy, and very family friendly!
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Roasted Garlic Spaghetti
Roast the garlic ahead of time to cut down on the time it takes to make this dish. Roasted Garlic Spaghetti is not for the faint of heart. Garlic lovers rejoice! This dish is for you! Garlic can also be used in dressings or spread on crostini for a great tasting, garlicky appetizer!
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Spicy Cheesy Spaghetti
In this cheesy spaghetti dish, you get to control the level of spice. Add more or less red pepper paste depending on your spicy mood!
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Creamy Mushroom Carbonara Pasta
Dinner for two or a Sunday night family main, Creamy Mushroom Carbonara Pasta is made with sautéed mushrooms, sprouts, shallots, and garlic. Tossed in a cream cheese and parmesan sauce, this is a very delicious pasta that everyone will love!
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PASTA WITH SAUSAGE
Spicy Sausage Pasta
Prepare your next pasta dish with pork, like this Spicy Sausage Pasta dish, and reinvent pasta night! A spicy tomato sauce, with peppers and onions, and lots of dried red chilies, is simple and rustic, but so delicious! This hearty meal is make-ahead and freezer friendly too!
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PASTA WITH SEAFOOD
Fried Salmon Pasta
Salmon fillets are lightly seasoned and fried in butter until they are perfectly done. The salmon is gently flaked into bite-sized pieces and tossed with cooked pasta, lemon juice and zest, and lots of garlic. Fried Salmon Pasta is a beautiful and delicious main which takes less than 30 minutes from start to finish!
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Tuna Pasta Bake
Bake this pasta dish with canned tuna and panko in the oven for an extra special weeknight dinner in a hurry!
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BAKED PASTA
Kraft Dinner Casserole
We all have those moments when we gaze into the pantry looking for dinner inspiration. Kraft Dinner Casserole is a great family dinner option that won’t break the bank and is so quick and easy to prepare. Starting with a box of Kraft Dinner, some ham, a can of soup, and grated cheese, this delicious dinner can be on the table in about 30 minutes!
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Sheet Pan Tomato Gnocchi
This 30-minute dinner, prepared with fresh tomatoes, is delicious any time of the year not just during tomato growing season. Sheet Pan Tomato Gnocchi is a toss-and-bake type of recipe that requires no supervision at all. If you’re hungry and in a hurry, this should be your go-to meal every single time!
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Garlic Butter Tomato and Pesto Baked Pasta
That title is a mouthful and that’s exactly what you will have once you prepare this Garlic Butter Tomato and Pesto Baked Pasta in your home! Perfectly cooked pasta is flavoured with both seasoned tomatoes and basil pesto and baked with garlic butter and bocconcini until melted and gooey. This just might be my new favourite way to make pasta!
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Ultimate Spinach and Artichoke Mac and Cheese
There’s nothing wrong with regular mac and cheese, but it simply cannot compare to this Ultimate Spinach and Artichoke Mac and Cheese! It is the cheesiest and the creamiest, with a crispy, crunchy crumb topping. Make no mistake, this cannot be found in a box at the grocer!
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ONE POT PASTA
One Skillet Mediterranean Gnocchi
A delicious, quick and easy gnocchi dinner for two with Mediterranean-inspired ingredients – all in one skillet; a perfect weeknight dinner!
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Meatless Skillet Taco Pasta
Vegetarians rejoice! Meatless Skillet Taco Pasta has all the taco flavour your crave in a big bowl of creamy, spicy pasta. This dish can be made with ground beef too!
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Mushroom Stroganoff
Let’s relive the 1980s with this updated version of a popular Russian classic dish; this nostalgic, home-style, comforting Mushroom Stroganoff! Traditionally prepared with beef, the hearty mushrooms are a fresh vegetarian take that will have you begging for seconds!
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Skillet Vegetarian Beefaroni
Kids of all ages, even grown ups, will love this home-cooked version of the classic Chef Boyardee Beefaroni. Perfectly cooked macaroni, smothered in a zesty sauce with chunky tomatoes and “beef” is the ideal comfort nostalgic dish. Even the most diehard meat lover won’t be able to resist!
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PASTA WITH PESTO
Almond and Sun Dried Tomato Pesto Pasta
As a great lover of all things pesto, this Almond and Sun Dried Tomato Pesto Pasta earns a spot in my top ten list. It is so simple and easy to make, and super delicious too! The sun dried tomatoes make the pesto both salty and savoury, while the almonds add texture and flavour.
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Scallion and Basil Pesto Spaghetti
Crisp, summery, onion flavour with fresh basil and lemon undertones – Scallion and Basil Pesto Spaghetti is bound to be your new favourite pasta! Simple ingredients, quick and easy to prepare, this pesto fits into any dietary preference and is bursting with flavour!
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Peppery Double Parmesan Basil Pesto
Traditional basil pesto is rustic and perfect just the way it is, but change is good and should be embraced – pesto included! Peppery Double Parmesan Basil Pesto is an updated version of a trusted classic, because every day deserves something extra!
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Mediterranean Vegetable Pesto
Mediterranean Vegetable Pesto is the utmost in sauce flexibility and flavour. A smooth pesto consisting of roasted red peppers, artichokes, capers, and parmesan, this sauce floods the taste buds with the familiar essence of Mediterranean-inspired flavour.
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Kale and Walnut Pesto
Kale and Walnut Pesto is the best thing I’ve made in a very long time! Not because it tastes great, and not because it took literally five minutes to make, and not because it’s a healthier way to dress up a pasta dish either. It’s because of all of those things and the fact that you will love it!
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SUMMER FRESH PASTA
Marinated Bruschetta Pasta
This is the ultimate summer pasta salad! Fresh tomatoes are marinated with olive oil, garlic, red onions, and balsamic vinegar before being tossed with cooked pasta and fresh basil. A terrific way to use your best summer fresh tomatoes!
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Tomato Zucchini Pasta
Two of the most common home-grown summer produce are tomatoes and zucchini. Harvest to your heart’s content and prepare copious amounts of this Tomato Zucchini Pasta. It’s simple, it’s healthy, and it’s wonderfully delicious! Just one taste and this will be a 30-minute recipe you will want to prepare repeatedly!
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Tomato Balsamic Pasta
Tomato Balsamic Pasta is prepared with chopped fresh tomatoes and garlic, lots of grated parmesan cheese, and perfectly cooked pasta. With an olive oil and balsamic base, this pasta is super easy, delightfully fresh, and tastes like summer in a bowl!
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MISCELLANEOUS PASTA
Creamy Mascarpone Parmesan Pasta
When it comes to cream sauce and pasta, nothing beats this Creamy Mascarpone Parmesan Pasta! The creamiest of them all, this sauce is prepared with both mascarpone and parmesan cheese, seasonings, and fresh lemon juice. Topped with toasted breadcrumbs for taste and texture, this quick and easy meal is simply delicious!
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Homemade Copycat Spaghettios
Store-bought, canned, o-shaped pasta in tomato sauce was a favourite meal of every kid in the 80s and 90s. Homemade Copycat Spaghettios allows you to enjoy your favourite childhood pasta without all of the preservatives and additives. The sauce is so quick and easy to make, and this dish comes together in the amount of time it takes to boil the pasta!
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Buttermilk Pasta Sauce
With only three ingredients, Buttermilk Pasta Sauce can easily compete with the most creamy and rich of sauces. All you need is a sauce pan, a whisk, and about ten minutes. This is a great way to use up leftover buttermilk!
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Thanksgiving Mushroom Tortellini
Loaded with fresh mushrooms and deep homey flavours that are synonymous with Thanksgiving, this vegetarian tortellini is the ultimate fall comfort food! Who can resist mushrooms fried in butter? That’s only the start for this Thanksgiving Mushroom Tortellini!
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Homemade Kraft Dinner
Every Canadian kid, past and present, is familiar with Kraft Dinner. It’s what we all call boxed macaroni and cheese! Here’s an homemade version that tastes even better than the original!
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Brown Butter Pasta with Spinach and Goat Cheese
Prepared with humble ingredients, Brown Butter Pasta with Spinach and Goat Cheese has the look and taste of elegance, but is very inexpensive and unpretentious. If you’ve never tasted pasta tossed in a properly prepared brown butter, you’re in for a treat! After all, not every pasta dish needs tomato sauce!
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Creamy Pasta with Shallots and Swiss Chard
Something magical happens when shallots and Swiss chard are sauteed and combined in a homemade creamy cheese sauce with pasta.
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Roasted Red Pepper and Goat Cheese Pasta
Creamy, smoky, cheesy, and home-style – that’s the essence of Roasted Red Pepper and Goat Cheese Pasta. A weeknight dinner option that never disappoints! Made with a splash of white wine, this rustic pasta can easily pass as a gourmet dinner option for your guests.
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Parmesan and Spinach Penne Pasta
Parmesan and Spinach Penne Pasta is the ultimate creamy pasta lovers dream! Loaded with parmesan and heavy cream, this pasta is a delightful, non-apologetic dish that provides so much comfort food happiness!
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Poor Man’s Pasta
Poor Man’s Pasta is a hearty, yet simple pasta dish made with a few inexpensive ingredients. It’s cheesy, garlicky, creamy, and deliciously rich in flavour! This pasta has complete disregard for things like fat and carbs which makes it just perfect for a cold winter night’s dinner!
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NOODLES
Garlic Sesame Lo Mein
A quick and easy Asian noodle side dish, Garlic Sesame Lo Mein is loaded with classic garlic and ginger flavour, as well as nutty toasted sesame seeds. Make it as spicy or as mild as you want with dried red chilies!
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Garlic Ginger Sesame Soy Noodle Sauce
A complete dinner, from start to finish, in less than 15 minutes – yes, it’s possible! Garlic Ginger Sesame Soy Noodle Sauce is all the proof you need! Replace those powder packets in your instant ramen with this easy sauce for a much tastier noodle experience.
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Spicy Vegetable Noodles
Spicy Vegetable Noodles are one of our favourite make-it-at-home take out dishes. The recipe is easy to follow, the ingredients are inexpensive, and the flavours are adaptable to your personal tastes. These are the types of noodles that you just cannot stop eating!
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There you have it, Dear Reader! 43 Family Friendly Weeknight Pasta Dinners for you to prepare in your home for your family. I do hope you enjoy these recipes and that you really do try a couple. Nearly every pasta dish can be easily frozen and thawed, so not only do they make a great option for dinner tonight, you can reheat the pasta for dinner tomorrow night too – or even next week or next month! Enjoy!
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