31 Pasta Recipes to Make This Fall
Making it onto our list of the best pasta recipes is kind of a big deal—even if the roster changes with the seasons. Come fall we want pasta with some heft: creamy sauces, rich ragùs, bubbling bakes, and plenty of cheese. But the classics—like spaghetti carbonara, cacio e pepe, and BA’s best lasagna—aren’t going anywhere.
Pasta is one of our favorite ways to put fall produce to work. Winter squash makes for velvety sauces; mushrooms bring savory depth to a quick-cooking vegetarian ragù; and sturdy greens like kale and brussels sprouts can stand up to sausage, Parmesan, and punchy Pecorino. There are plenty of weeknight pastas, too, like ravioli with mushrooms and pasta alla vodka, plus rainy-weekend cooking projects when you want to take your time.
In short, if you need pasta, we’re here to deliver. Find our favorite pasta recipes for fall below.
Photo by Emma Fishman, Food Styling by Pearl Jones, Prop Styling by Sophie Strangio1/31Winter Squash and Kale Pasta With Pecan Breadcrumbs
With sweet butternut squash and sturdy kale, this pasta recipe is built for sweater weather. Pecan-panko breadcrumbs add welcome crunch.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Alex Brannian, Food Styling by Grace Parisi2/31Cacio e Pepe
Few pasta recipes do more with less. Pecorino, Parmesan, black pepper, butter, and pasta water come together in a glossy sauce that proves simplicity can be luxurious.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Sean Dooley, Prop Styling by Beth Pakradooni3/31Ravioli and Mushroom Skillet
Photograph by Elliott Jerome Brown Jr., Food Styling by Micah Morton, Prop Styling by Emma Ringness5/31Brussels Sprout Pasta
Brussels sprouts, spicy Italian sausage, pecans, and nutty brown butter make this weeknight dinner feel like it was genetically engineered for fall. Punchy Pecorino keeps everything salty and sharp.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Emilie Fosnocht, prop styling by Emma Ringness7/31Creamy Pumpkin Pasta
Canned pumpkin purée turns into a velvety sauce with cream, aromatics, and plenty of Parmesan. Add sausage, shredded chicken, or chickpeas if you want more heft.
Photo by Heidi's Bridge8/31Pasta Alla Vodka
Creamy, tomatoey, and weeknight-friendly, pasta alla vodka is easier to make at home than its restaurant reputation suggests. Better yet, it relies mostly on pantry staples.
Photograph by Maya Visnyei, food styling by Pearl Jones, prop styling by Marina Bevilacqua9/31Pasta With Creamy Mushroom Ragù
This meatless mushroom ragù tastes like something that spent the afternoon simmering, but it comes together in about 30 minutes. Rigatoni or another ridged pasta gives all that savory sauce somewhere to cling.
Want mushrooms without the tomatoes? Try our Creamy Mushroom Pasta →
Photograph by Elizabeth Coetzee, prop styling by Emma Ringness, Food Styling by Emilie Fosnocht10/31BA’s Best Lasagna
Rich meat sauce, creamy béchamel, and plenty of layers make this exactly the sort of project we want to spend a weekend on. Both sauces can be made ahead so you don’t have to tackle it all in one marathon session.
Looking for a pasta dinner, not a full-time job? Try Cottage Cheese Lasagna instead →
Photo by Michael Graydon and Nikole Herriott12/31Fettuccine Alfredo
Real-deal Alfredo gets its silkiness from an emulsion of butter, cheese, and pasta water—not heavy cream. The result is rich without feeling weighed down.
Try Extra-Creamy Fettuccine Alfredo for a richer, more Americanized version →
Photograph by Joe Lingeman, Food Styling by Liberty Fennell, Prop Styling by Maggie DiMarco16/31The Gooiest Baked Mac and Cheese
Photograph by Elliott Jerome Brown Jr., Prop Stying Gerri Williams, Food Styling by Mieko Takahashi17/31Chicken Riggies
Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Stevie Stewart, Prop Styling by Gerri Williams18/31Sheet-Pan Pepperoni Pasta
Somewhere between baked pasta and pepperoni pizza, this sheet-pan dinner piles on mozzarella, mushrooms, olives, banana peppers, and (if you’re game) anchovies.
Photo by David Malosh, food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, prop styling by Cindy Diprima21/31Spicy Baked Pasta With Cheddar and Broccoli Rabe
Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Thu Buser23/31Tortellini With Garlicky Brown Butter and Dill
Alex Lau24/31Stuffed Shells with Marinara
Tuck jumbo shells with creamy ricotta and spinach into a bed of marinara, and cover with a bubbly blanket of mozzarella cheese. This is Italian-American comfort food at its finest.
Gentl & Hyers25/31Bucatini With Swiss Chard and Garlicky Breadcrumbs
Silky Swiss chard and bucatini get a welcome crunch from garlicky breadcrumbs. A shower of Parmesan finishes the job.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Pearl Jones, prop styling by Marina Bevilacqua26/31One-Pot Puttanesca
Ditalini, orzo, or another small pasta cooks right in the broth, soaking up all that tomatoey, briny, umami-rich flavor. Fewer dishes are merely a bonus.
Photograph by Aaron Barton, Food Styling by Michelle Gatton, Prop Styling by Alexandra Massillon27/31Pasta With Beets, Sausage, and Fried Sage
Photograph by Elliott Jerome Brown Jr., Food Styling by Thu Buser, Prop Styling by Christina Allen28/31Smoky Brown-Butter Pasta
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Thu Buser, Prop Styling by Heather Greene29/31Jammy Onion and Miso Pasta
This pasta borrows the savory sweetness of French onion soup without asking you to caramelize onions for an hour. Miso supplies the extra depth; any long noodle will happily take it from there.
Photographs by Elliott Jerome Brown Jr. & Travis Rainey, Prop Styling by Emma Ringness, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne30/31Baked Cheddar and Leek Pasta
Sweet, mellow leeks and sharp cheddar are a natural match in this bubbling baked pasta. It’s simple comfort food with just enough allium sweetness to keep every bite interesting.
Photo by Alex Lau, food styling by Susie Theodorou, prop styling by Elizabeth Jaime31/31Rigatoni With Fennel and Anchovies
Anchovies melt into olive oil with fennel and garlic to make a deeply savory sauce for this pasta recipe—even anchovy skeptics may be persuaded.
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