39 Budget-Friendly Pasta Dinners
Updated: Feb. 18, 2024
What are our favorite quick-to-fix dinner recipes that are both ridiculously delicious and cheap? Pasta recipes, of course.
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Tortellini Carbonara
I’ve made this bacon, cream and Parmesan cheese pasta sauce for so many years and have always called it a carbonara. Low-and-behold, I recently found out it’s actually more like an Alfredo sauce. In either case, it’s absolutely heavenly! —Cathy Croyle, Davidsville, Pennsylvania
Check out these cheap breakfast ideas, too.
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Ground Beef Spaghetti Skillet
I remember my grandma making this stovetop supper many times—we always loved Granny’s spaghetti! My husband and I now enjoy making this for our dinner. You can easily use ground turkey instead of ground beef if that’s what you happen to have on hand. —Jill Thomas, Washington, IndianaIf you’re on a budget, then you should definitely give these affordable dinner recipes a try!
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Ham Ravioli Bake
I based this recipe on a dish my husband likes to order when we go out for Italian food. Not only does he love it, my young daughter does too. —Jennifer Berger, Eau Claire, Wisconsin
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Hearty Penne Beef
This is comfort food at its finest! The best of everything is found here—it's tasty, easy and a smart way to sneak in some spinach for extra nutrition. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
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Chicken and Bows
I first made this recipe when I was a professional nanny. It comes together quickly at dinnertime when the kids are hungry. —Danette Forbes, Overland Park, Kansas
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One-Pot Mac and Cheese
This one-pot mac and cheese is a family favorite, and my 3-year-old is always thrilled to see it coming to the dinner table. We love to add sliced smoked sausage to this creamy mac recipe! —Ashley Lecker, Green Bay, Wisconsin
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Nutty Cheese Tortellini
I like to plant Italian flat-leaf parsley in a long terra-cotta planter so I always have some on hand. It adds bright, fresh flavor to this pasta dish. —Barbara Penatzer, Vestal, New York
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Spaghetti with Four Cheeses
This creamy and cheesy spaghetti dish is my mainstay whenever company's coming. The recipe, handed down from my aunt, is on the table in 30 minutes. As cook and hostess, I never feel hurried preparing this meal. —Nella Parker, Hersey, Michigan
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Fiesta Ravioli
I adapted this recipe to suit our taste for spicy food. The ravioli taste like mini enchiladas. I serve them with a Mexican-inspired salad and pineapple sherbet for dessert. —Debbie Purdue, Freeland, Michigan
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Easy Meatball Stroganoff
My family comes running when I make this supper. It’s one of those things you throw together after work on a busy day because you know it works. —Julie May, Hattiesburg, Mississippi
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Stuffed Pasta Shells
These savory shells never fail to make a big impression, even though the recipe is very easy. One or two of these shells makes a great individual serving, so a single batch goes a long way. —Jena Coffey, St. Louis, Missouri
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Beefy Tortellini Skillet
This tortellini dish is a one-skillet-wonder the family craves. From browning beef to cooking the pasta and melting the cheese, everything happens in one pan. You can add basil or chives for a touch of freshness. —Juli Meyers, Hinesville, Georgia
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BLT Skillet
This quick weeknight meal reminds me of a BLT, with its chunks of bacon and tomato. The whole wheat linguine gives the skillet dish extra flavor and texture. —Edrie O'Brien, Denver, Colorado
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Cheese Manicotti
Cheese manicotti was the first meal I cooked for my husband, and all these years later, he still enjoys it! —Joan Hallford, North Richland Hills, Texas
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Fresh Corn and Tomato Fettuccine
This recipe combines delicious whole wheat pasta with fresh garden produce. It's tossed with heart-healthy olive oil, and a sprinkling of feta cheese gives it bite. —Angela Spengler, Tampa, Florida
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Taco Mac
This zesty taco mac and cheese is just as yummy the next day. Simply warm it up and garnish with shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes and cheese. —JoLynn Fribley, Nokomis, Illinois
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Wagon Wheel Casserole
My ground beef hot dish is a family pleaser. We love the combination of ingredients.—Barbara Hopkins, Lusby, Maryland
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Pressure-Cooker Cajun Chicken Alfredo
This recipe is a true comfort food! Cajun spice adds a nice heat to the creamy Alfredo sauce. Add more or less seasoning depending on your preferred spice level. And nothing beats having to clean only one pot. The dish would also be tasty with shrimp or smoked sausage. —Jennifer Stowell, Deep River, Iowa
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Weeknight Pasta Squiggles
This zesty pasta dish is ideal for busy weeknights. It contains just a few ingredients, is easy to prep, and tastes so comforting when the weather turns cool. A salad on the side makes this healthy pasta recipe a meal. —Stacey Brown, Spring, Texas
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Skillet Mac & Cheese
This creamy mac ’n’ cheese is so simple it’s almost too easy! —Ann Bowers, Rockport, Texas
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Parmesan Bow Tie Pasta with Chicken
On lazy summer weekends, we like chicken and yellow squash tossed with bow tie pasta. Add extra fresh grated Parmesan for a Sunday touch. —Sarah Smiley, Bangor, Maine
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Greek Tortellini Skillet
Looking to please picky little palates? One tester loved this simple skillet entree so much, she made it at home for her 2-year-old daughter, who said “Mmmmm!” after every bite. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
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Quick Chili Mac
This combines chili with one of my favorite pasta dishes. I occasionally add taco seasoning or use beanless chili and add black beans. —Lee Steinmetz, Lansing, Michigan
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Lasagna Rolls
My Italian lasagna roll-ups are not complicated; they require only basic ingredients to assemble. Prepared spaghetti sauce helps me save time and get dinner on the table sooner. —Mary Lee Thomas, Logansport, Indiana
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Bacon Cheeseburger Pasta
I try to make foods that are not only kid friendly, but are also easy to reheat since my husband works long hours and often eats later than our children. If you like, use reduced-fat cheese and ground turkey for a lighter version. —Melissa Stevens, Elk River, Minnesota
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Chicken Broccoli Shells
This cheesy entree is a make-ahead dream. Just assemble it ahead of time and put it in the oven when you’re ready to eat. I round out the meal with a tossed salad and warm bread. —Karen Jagger, Columbia City, Indiana
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Taco Spaghetti
I came up with this kid-friendly taco spaghetti recipe one afternoon when I was using up leftover spaghetti and ground beef. When I'm lucky enough to have extra time, I make two batches and freeze one. —Johanna Van Ness, Wichita, Kansas
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Spinach-Feta Chicken Penne
I wanted a light sauce for pasta, so I cooked tomatoes with garlic, wine and olive oil. It’s a blockbuster combo for seafood, too. —Geralyn Sipos, Blandon, Pennsylvania
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Spaghetti with Fresh Tomato Sauce
When my mom made this spaghetti sauce, the house would smell so good that I'd open the windows to torture the neighbors. It even tastes wonderful the next day, when the flavors have really melded. —Vera Schulze, Holbrook, New York
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Jiffy Ground Pork Skillet
Some people call it dinner hour, but many of us call it rush hour. Slow down the pace with this so-simple mouthwatering ground pork meal. The only thing you'll have left over is time to share with your family at the table. —Brigitte Schaller, Flemington, Missouri
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Harvest Bow Ties
Spaghetti squash and bow ties make this meatless dish hearty and filling. Add a can of black beans if you'd like more protein, and switch up the tomatoes for variety. Try using Italian diced tomatoes or diced tomatoes with mild green chiles. —Anne Lynch, Beacon, New York
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Sausage Pasta with Vegetables
I made this for our pastor one night. He loved it so much we nicknamed it “Jason’s Pasta.” It’s a sneaky way to get our kids to eat more veggies. —Suzie Foutty Mansfield, Ohio
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Sun-Dried Tomato Linguine
At my house, this dish is known as Gus's Special Pasta. My oldest child claimed it as his own when he was 8, and I am always happy to oblige his request for this cheesy, garlicky, pungent meal. —Courtney Gaylord, Columbus, Indiana
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Homey Mac & Cheese
I also call this "my grandson's mac and cheese." Zachary has been to Iraq and Afghanistan with both the Marines and Navy, and I've been privileged to make his favorite casserole for him for over 20 years. —Alice Beardsell, Osprey, Florida
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Chunky Chicken Cacciatore
This healthy pasta recipe is so versatile! Look in your fridge for anything else you want to throw in, like red pepper, mushrooms, extra zucchini—you name it. And if you're a vegetarian, go ahead and leave out the chicken. —Stephanie Loaiza, Layton, Utah
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Skillet Beef and Macaroni
I found this simple skillet recipe many years ago on a can label. I made some tweaks, and my family loved it. Because it's so easy to put together, it's a real timesaver for people with super busy schedules. —Maxine Neuhauser, Arcadia, California
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Sausage Manicotti
This classic Italian entree comes together in a snap but tastes as if it took hours. It's so tasty and easy to fix. My family always enjoys it. —Carolyn Henderson, Maple Plain, Minnesota
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Here’s a simple sauce with just four ingredients. I use bow tie pasta, but penne works, too. —Aysha Schurman, Ammon, IdahoOriginally Published: May 15, 2020
