25 Fall Pasta Recipes to Serve This Season That Taste Like Pure Comfort Food (2024)

I love eating pasta for dinner year-round, but there’s no doubt that I crave it even more in the fall. As the weather crisps up, I yearn for its satisfying heartiness, whether it’s doused in butternut squash sauce, mixed with bacon or baked under a cozy blanket of cheese. Here, I rounded up 25 fall pasta recipes that will hit the spot whenever you’re craving a hug in a bowl.

My favorites range from one-pan baked ziti to sweet potato gnocchi. They’re simple enough to make on a weeknight, but seasonal and impressive enough to serve as a Thanksgiving side if you so choose. Some of them are also easy to make or freeze ahead (looking at you, casseroles).

27 Simple Pasta Recipes Anyone Can Master

1. 3-Cheese Pumpkin Pasta Casserole with Spinach

Katherine Gillen

• Time Commitment: 50 minutes

• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, vegetarian, kid-friendly, special occasion-worthy

• Serves: 6

"The casserole is creamy, comforting and big enough tofeed a crowd," writes PureWow senior food editor Katherine Gillen, "but it still feels modern thanks to dollops of ricotta and plenty ofspinach." Canned pumpkin puree makes the sauce a breeze to prepare.

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2. Orzotto with Winter Squash and Rosemary

Katherine Gillen

• Time Commitment: 50 minutes

• Why I Love It: one pot, crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy

• Serves: 4 to 6

For the uninitiated, orzo is a rice-like Italian pasta. Here, it takes over for traditional Arborio rice to create a low-lift risotto for the books. "I used honeynut squash because it’s adorably mini, butany variety(likebutternut,kabochaordelicata) would work," Gillen suggests.

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3. 30-Minute Brussels Sprouts and Bacon Orecchiette

Katherine Gillen

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes

• Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, kid-friendly, <10 ingredients

• Serves: 4

Bring on the comfort food. This fall pasta recipe is equal parts salty, savory and satiating, thanks to shallot, garlic and lots of crispy bacon. "It has a bit of tang from a secret ingredient: apple cider vinegar," Gillen reveals.

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4. Butternut Squash and Goat Cheese Pasta Salad

Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

• Time Commitment: 50 minutes

• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, vegetarian, beginner-friendly

• Serves: 6

Have this make ahead-friendly meal for dinner on Thanksgiving Eve, then serve the leftovers as a side during the big feast. Between the butternut squash, whole-grain mustard, pine nuts and fresh thyme, it’ll fit right in.

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5. Carrot Pasta

Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

• Time Commitment: 50 minutes

• Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, vegetarian, beginner-friendly

• Serves: 4

Easy to make, and even easier to devour. The carrot pasta is flavorful and cozy on its own, but just wait until you cook it in garlic-kissed sage butter.

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6. Easy One-Pan Baked Ziti

Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

• Time Commitment: 1 hour

• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, beginner-friendly

• Serves: 6

Nothing beats curling up with a gooey, meaty bowl of baked ziti and a glass of red by the fireplace. Pancetta and Italian sausage keep things flavorful and savory, while grated Parm and fresh mozz seal the deal.

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7. Mac and Cheese with Crispy Parmesan-Phyllo Crust

Photo: Nico Schinco/Styling: Erin McDowell

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 20 minutes

• Why I Love It: kid-friendly, special occasion-worthy, crowd-pleaser

• Serves: 10

Consider this the motherload of mac and cheese. It’s oozing with white cheddar, Monterey Jack and Parmesan and and topped with buttery, cheesy phyllo dough rosettes instead of breadcrumbs. (You could skip the rosettes if you’re looking to save time, but the presentation alone is worth it.)

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8. Sweet Potato Gnocchi in Herbed White Wine Sauce

Half Baked Harvest

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 30 minutes

• Why I Love It: vegetarian, special occasion-worthy, crowd-pleaser

• Serves: 6

The definition of elegance, if you ask us. Mashed sweet potatoes give ricotta gnocchi an autumnal makeover that your guests will rave about. Don’t even get me started on the thyme-rosemary wine sauce.

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9. Apple, Grape and Pecan Pasta Salad

Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

• Time Commitment: 25 minutes

• Why I Love It: <30 minutes, make ahead, kid-friendly

• Serves: 6

This pasta salad is destined for a fall picnic, holiday dinner or a day at the apple orchard. Substitute candied walnuts, pistachios or macadamia nuts for pecans if you’d like—just don’t nix the citrusy mustard dressing.

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10. Butternut Squash Carbonara

Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 10 minutes

• Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, kid-friendly, high protein

• Serves: 4

Who knew the secret to making the world’s most decadent carbonara is your favorite fall gourd? You won’t believe the sauce is totally free of butter and cream.

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11. Macaroni and Cheese in Acorn Squash Bowls

Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 30 minutes

• Why I Love It: special occasion-worthy, kid-friendly, vegetarian

• Serves: 4

File this under No-Fuss Ways to Wow Your Dinner Guests. The acorn squash bowls will no doubt garner praise, but the fresh thyme and sage in the two-cheese mac guarantee compliments (even if you use standard tableware).

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12. Skillet Gnocchi with Sausage and Broccoli Rabe

Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes

• Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, high protein, kid-friendly

• Serves: 6

This fall pasta recipe is one of my go-tos in the colder months, since the protein, carb and veggie all come together in a single pan in 30 minutes flat. Use kale or spinach in place of broccoli rabe if you’d like.

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13. Butternut Squash Lasagna

Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

• Time Commitment: 2 hours

• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy, <10 ingredients

• Serves: 6

Give the green bean casserole a rest this year. Your guests won’t mind wolfing down this rich combo of butternut squash ribbons, ricotta cheese and gooey mozzarella instead. (Roasted mushrooms or toasted walnuts would make it even tastier…just sayin’.)

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14. The Ultimate Pasta Pie

Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

• Time Commitment: 55 minutes

• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, high protein, <10 ingredients

• Serves: 6

A springform cake pan transforms this dinner staple into something spectacular (and inexplicably more kid-friendly). And since the recipe calls for jarred marinara sauce, the pie is decidedly easy to put together. "I was convinced this pasta pie would fall apart when Iremoved it from the springform pan, but as long as the pasta's tightly packed, it holds its shape beautifully,"says Candace Davison, PureWow VP of editorial. "I'd recommend having extra meat sauce on the side, if you like your pasta saucy."

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15. 5-Ingredient Smoked Gouda-Thyme Mac and Cheese

Photo: Michael Marquand/Styling: Caroline Lange

• Time Commitment: 50 minutes

• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, <10 ingredients, one pot

• Serves: 6

I'm immediately transported to a cozy couch in a secluded mountain cabin just looking at this fall pasta recipe. Can you believe it’s only five (well, six if you count the salt) ingredients away?

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16. Caramelized Mushroom Pasta with Crispy Prosciutto

Kristin Teig/Mediterranean Every Day

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes

• Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, special occasion-worthy, beginner-friendly

• Serves: 4

You only *think* you don’t like mushrooms. Trust me when I say this drool-worthy dinner will convert you for good. Use a dry, crisp white wine for the sauce, like pinot grigio or sauvignon blanc.

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17. Buckwheat Gnocchi with Cabbage, Potatoes and Fontina

Photo: Christine Han/Styling: Erin McDowell

• Time Commitment: 40 minutes

• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, vegetarian, beginner-friendly, special occasion-worthy

• Serves: 6

A twist on a traditional dish from Northern Italy made with buckwheat pasta, this recipe is sure to satisfy even the pickiest eaters at your table. Wash it down with mulled wine to up the cozy, wintry ante.

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18. Easy 30-Minute Beef Stroganoff

Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes

• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly, high protein

• Serves: 6

Juicy beef tenderloin, button mushrooms and a decadent sour cream-Dijon cream sauce make this a cold-weather mainstay in my book. Bring on the fresh dill and delicate pappardelle.

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19. Spicy Pumpkin and Pesto Cheese-Stuffed Shells

Half Baked Harvest

• Time Commitment: 1 hour

• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, special occasion-worthy

• Serves: 8

Did someone say spicy pumpkin vodka sauce? Sign me up. If that doesn’t convince you, perhaps the spicy Italian chicken sausage, fontina cheese and basil pesto will.

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20. Brown Butter Mushroom Pasta

Damn Delicious

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes

• Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, <10 ingredients, vegetarian

• Serves: 2

I'll never turn down brown butter, also known as liquid gold. It imparts a pleasant nuttiness to the earthy cremini mushrooms and herbaceous fresh thyme, and elevates this simple fall pasta recipe without asking too much of the chef.

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21. Pappardelle with Roasted Butternut Squash and Tomato Ragu

Half Baked Harvest

• Time Commitment: 1 hour

• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly, high protein

• Serves: 8

The oven-roasted San Marzano tomato sauce is seriously impressive. As if it wasn’t Insta-worthy enough, each plate is crowned with a ball of burrata cheese for good measure.

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22. Pumpkin Seed Pesto Pasta with Caramelized Delicata Squash

How Sweet Eats

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes

• Why I Love It: special occasion-worthy, vegetarian, beginner-friendly

• Serves: 2 to 4

Rich, creamy and tastes like fall—what more can a sweater season-loving cook ask for? The delicata squash is sautéed in a sweet-and-spicy mix of chili powder, smoked paprika and brown sugar.

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23. Sausage and Fennel Pasta

Colin Price/Dinner Then Dessert

• Time Commitment: 25 minutes

• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, high protein, <30 minutes

• Serves: 6

Blustery autumn weather is no match for this warming fall pasta recipe. It doesn’t take much to prepare this simple orecchiette, since Italian sausage offers a ton of built-in flavor—although a generous flurry of freshly grated Parm wouldn’t hurt.

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24. Shallot and Spicy Mushroom Pasta

Nik Sharma/Veg-Table

• Time Commitment: 50 minutes

• Why I Love It: vegetarian, beginner-friendly, special occasion-worthy

• Serves: 4

Hearty creminis offer much decadence to this meatless pasta. Red pepper flakes infuse every bite with spice, while fresh lemon juice brings the dish to life. Riff on the standard by sautéing thin-sliced chestnuts alongside the shrooms for a seasonal twist.

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25. One-Pot Chicken Pasta

Alanna Hale/Seriously, So Good

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes

• Why I Love It: high protein, one pot, beginner-friendly

• Serves: 4

There are two key components that make this adinnerfor the books:sun-dried tomatoesfor tang, zip and color and cooking all the ingredients in a single pot (because waiting for water to boil is no fun). Mark my words: Picky eaters will feel inclined to ask for seconds.

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27 One-Pot Pasta Recipes for Lazy Nights