22 Creamy Pasta Recipes For When You're Craving Something Super Satisfying (2024)

Fajitas taste amazing with tortillas, but have you tried them with pasta? The creamy sauce here is made of milk, pepper jack cheese, and basic fajita seasonings. Mix up the seasonings yourself, or just use a pre-made fajita spice packet to save time.

Recipe: One-Pot Chicken Fajita Pasta| Shop This Recipe

Classic chicken Alfredo gets an even-better upgrade here once shrimp gets swapped in. For even more flavor, there's also bits of crispy bacon mixed in. It's an absolute scene-stealer on pasta night.

Recipe: Garlic Shrimp Bacon Alfredo|Shop This Recipe

This family-friendly meal is something both kids and adults will love. Bonus points in that it comes together all in one pot — so both prep and cleanup are a breeze.

Recipe: Cheesy Chicken and Broccoli Pasta|Shop This Recipe

Creamy pasta doesn't mean you need dairy. You can recreate your favorite dishes by using alternative ingredients and get the same results. Instead of milk or cream, this recipe calls for oat milk. For that cheesy goodness flavor, this version uses nutritional yeast. Top it off with red pepper flakes and parsley, and enjoy!

Recipe: Oat Milk Fettuccine|Shop This Recipe

The creamy layers in any lasagna dish can take your dinner to the next level. Who doesn't appreciate a thick layer of cheesy goodness? Mix ricotta, Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, basil, and parsley together. Once you lay down one layer of the mixture, top with mozzarella — and repeat.

Recipe: Classic Lasagna|Shop This Recipe

The base of this dish calls for chicken breasts, penne, garlic, spinach, and tomatoes. Creating the creamy sauce is the easiest part of the recipe. All you have to do is add the cream, Parmesan, and red pepper flakes to your sautéed protein and veggies. Top with crispy bacon and more Parmesan cheese, and you won't regret it.

Recipe: Creamy Chicken Penne Pasta|Shop This Recipe

Cacio e Pepe is made from spaghetti, Parmesan, black pepper, butter, pasta water, and olive oil. And even though those ingredients might sound overly simple, when they're combined in just the right way, it's magical.

Recipe: Cacio e Pepe (Spaghetti with Cheese and Pepper)|Shop This Recipe

Chicken Alfredo is a great go-to quick dinner idea, but why not spice it up a little bit? This version features cooked sausage, chicken breasts, and Cajun seasoning. If you're in a seafood mood, swap out the chicken for shrimp.

Recipe: Cajun Chicken Alfredo|Shop This Recipe

Who doesn't love a dinner favorite that is deconstructed and made into macaroni and cheese? The best part of this recipe is that you can sub most of the ingredients for what you have on hand. If you don't have wine, you can use chicken broth. You can even sub the kale for spinach or broccoli — or leave out the veggies entirely.

Recipe: Creamy Tuscan Chicken Mac 'n' Cheese|Shop This Recipe

Dairy-free pasta can still be creamy and tasty even without the lactose. The base of this creamy sauce is flour, coconut milk, spices, and lemon. If you want to make this dish fully vegan, replace the chicken with mushrooms or broccoli.

Recipe: Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo with Dairy-Free Sauce|Shop This Recipe

A restaurant-style pasta dish that pairs well with wine, this one is a keeper. If you're short on mushrooms or not in the mood, you can still enjoy this dish as a regular mac 'n' cheese. Don't forget to add a bit of truffle oil on top to elevate the flavor.

Recipe: Truffle Mac ‘n’ Cheese|Shop This Recipe

This flavor-packed lemon chicken pasta will not disappoint — and it's made in one pot. With a little help of lemon, and a little bit of cream cheese in the sauce, this dish will have your taste buds in another dimension.

Recipe: One-Pot Cheesy Lemon Chicken Pasta|Shop This Recipe

A classic dip favorite transformed into a one-pot dinner? Say no more.

Recipe: Spinach Artichoke Penne Pasta|Shop This Recipe

This creamy bow-tie pasta has chicken, broccoli, Parmesan, mozzarella, and milk. If you're not a big fan of broccoli, you can swap it out for mushrooms or another veggie. Make this dish vegetarian by leaving out the chicken and subbing it with more greens. Not matter which route you take, you'll still end up with something delicious.

Recipe: One-Pot Creamy Chicken and Broccoli Pasta|Shop This Recipe

The star of this dish is either the homemade pesto or the cute mozzarella balls — I can't decide, but what I do know is that this dish comes together quickly. If you're running low on energy and time, opt for using a store-bought pesto.

Recipe: Creamy Pesto Pasta Bake|Shop This Recipe

This Swedish meatball dish takes a little bit of prep time — but then comes together in just 30 minutes. Swap out the milk for heavy cream if you want a thicker, richer sauce.

Recipe: One-Pot Swedish Meatball Pasta|Shop This Recipe

Those ripe avocados that are lying around in your kitchen? They're perfect for this dish. Blend avocado, egg yolk, garlic, and lemon juice in a blender or food processor, and then slowly add some heavy cream to turn it into a sauce.

Recipe: Avocado Carbonara|Shop This Recipe

An elevated version of Alfredo sauce, the only difference here is green herbs. Thyme, rosemary, and chives add plenty of freshness and balance out the cream-based sauce.

Recipe: Green Sauce Shrimp Pasta|Shop This Recipe

Who said chicken Alfredo can't be a casserole? You can even make this dish with store-bought Alfredo sauce to cut down on time. Serve it with a salad and garlic bread for a complete meal.

Recipe: Broccoli Chicken Alfredo Lasagna|Shop This Recipe

These enchilada-stuffed shells are filled with seasoned chicken, ricotta, queso fresco, and Monterey Jack cheese. Before the dish is baked, it's topped off with green enchilada sauce and queso fresco.

Recipe: Enchilada Stuffed Shells|Shop This Recipe

Just another recipe that will save the day when you have a limited amount of time to cook. It's a classic —and rightfully so.

Recipe: One-Pot Garlic Parmesan Pasta|Shop This Recipe