15 Creamy Pasta Recipes You Can Make in Under 30 Minutes
Perfect for when you're craving comfort on the busiest days.
Simply Recipes / Alison Bickel
Do you ever get home after work or a long day shuffling the kids around and wish dinner could magically appear on the table? Well, I am no magician so I can’t make that happen. What I can do—bibbidi-bobbidi-boo!—is suggest these 15 creamy pasta recipes that will guarantee to bring you and your family the comfort and nourishment you deserve in under 30 minutes. Start an episode of “Abbot Elementary” while you cook, and you'll have dinner on the table by the time the credits roll.
Below you’ll find handy tips for making each recipe from myself, our readers, and our Simply Recipes team.
Creamy One Pot Pasta with Zucchini
Simply Recipes / Alison Bickel
"Delicious! What an unusual and delicious way to serve zucchini! I did some of the suggested adjustments. I added minced garlic and chopped fresh basil & parsley to zucchini. I also used chicken broth instead of water and grated some fresh Parmesan cheese when serving. I will definitely make this again. Thanks for another great recipe!" —Lori
Get Recipe: Creamy One Pot Pasta with Zucchini
Jennifer Garner’s Easy 5-Ingredient Pasta
Simply Recipes / Myo Quinn
You can make this brown butter pasta in 15 minutes if you work smart. Set the pot of water over high heat with a lid on—I promise you the lid helps the water boil faster. Then, move on to making the brown butter sauce. When the water starts boiling while you make the sauce, drop the pasta in. If the sauce is ready before the pasta is done cooking, simply take it off the heat.
Get Recipe: Jennifer Garner’s Easy 5-Ingredient Pasta Is the Most Luxurious Weeknight Dinner
One-Pot Mac and Cheese
Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe
"Very creamy and cheesy... two characteristics you want in macaroni and cheese are found in this recipe. I ended up needing to add an additional teaspoon of kosher salt, but otherwise, this is a great quick and easy dinner recipe perfect for busy days." —Munni, Editorial Assistant
Get Recipe: One-Pot Mac and Cheese
Brown Butter Cacio e Pepe
Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek
I tested this recipe while it was being developed and then I made it six times for my family. It’s that good and easy!
Get Recipe: Brown Butter Cacio e Pepe
Copycat Olive Garden Fettuccine Alfredo
Simply Recipes / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Ruth Blackburn / Prop Styling by Hannah Greenwood
"Nice and easy. For such a short cooking time it turned out delicious. The only change that I made was to add another clove of garlic." —David Bailey
Get Recipe: Copycat Olive Garden Fettuccine Alfredo
Creamy Miso Mushroom Pasta
Simply Recipes / Hannah Zimmerman
"This was easy to make and very flavorful! My son loves all things miso. I topped it with shrimp that I sautéed in the same pan as the sauce. Delicious!" —Shannon
Get Recipe: Creamy Miso Mushroom Pasta
Creamy Cavatappi
Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek
"You’ll want the sauce slightly looser than you think since it will thicken quickly as it cools." — Laurel Randolph, Senior Editor
Get Recipe: Creamy Cavatappi
Creamy Shrimp and Broccoli Fettuccine
"I usually use dry white wine when white wine is called for in cooking... a Sauvignon Blanc." — Elise Bauer, Simply Recipes Founder
Get Recipe: Creamy Shrimp and Broccoli Fettuccine
Creamy Ziti Florentine
"This was yummy. I upped the lemon zest quite a bit (lemon-fanatic over here) and increased the spinach as well. And decreased the pasta (we still had leftovers) so I probably should have reduced the cheese but the sauce was amazing, so who cares?! Will definitely make again—easy and vegetarian delish!" —Rose
Get Recipe: Creamy Ziti Florentine
Creamy Skillet Gnocchi With Bacon and Peas
Simply Recipes / Photo by Fred Hardy II / Food Styling by Ana Kelly / Prop Styling by Shell Royster
"Gnocchi developed a nice golden brown 'crust' in the skillet. The sauce is creamy, garlicky, and faintly mustardy. The Boursin is so flavorful that the smokiness of the bacon becomes somewhat muted, but it’s still a very welcome addition." —Marianne W.
Get Recipe: Creamy Skillet Gnocchi With Bacon and Peas
Creamy Lemon Pasta
Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek
"Delicious 😋 my husband and I absolutely loved this. I added cherry tomatoes to it for a veggie. I never use the measurements just add ingredients to taste and liking. Will be making this again!" —Katie
Get Recipe: This 30-Minute Pasta Will Make You Feel Like You’re in the South of Italy
Creamy Basil Artichoke Mac and Cheese
"I made this for dinner tonight. I was questioning the lack of butter, but oh my gosh, this was delicious! The breadcrumbs totally make it, I would not skip them. Thanks for this great recipe!" —Jennifer
Get Recipe: Creamy Basil Artichoke Mac and Cheese
Chicken Carbonara
Alison Bickel / Simply Recipes
"This recipe relies on the residual heat of the pan, the cooked pasta, and the pasta cooking water to make the creamy sauce, so having everything ready to go is key to keeping things smooth. Whisk the egg mixture while the water comes to a boil so that it’s ready to go as soon as the pasta is cooked." — Devan, Recipe Developer
Get Recipe: Chicken Carbonara
Fettuccine Alfredo
"I have been making this frequently. I have started adding broccoli florets cooked tender-crisp, sliced mushroom cooked in EVOO or butter, and grilled chicken breast, sliced. Fantastic! It always works!" —Sherry
Get Recipe: Fettuccine Alfredo
Paccheri with Quick Sausage Ragu
Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe
"Paccheri takes 7 to 10 minutes to cook to a perfect al dente. The best way to test if the pasta is cooked is simply to taste one. Paccheri is a thick, large pasta, so I always fish one out and cut it in half to give it a taste test, throwing the remaining half back into the pot." —Devan, Recipe Developer
Get Recipe: Paccheri with Quick Sausage Ragu
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