Restaurant pasta is overpriced, underwhelming, and never as good as you hope it’ll be. You’re either drowning in sauce or wondering if they forgot to season it at all. Instead of paying for disappointment, make a better version at home. These pasta recipes bring all the comfort, flavor, and sauce-to-noodle balance you actually want without the ridiculous upcharge, and they’re simple enough to make at home.
Pasta Checca with Burrata
This pasta checca brings fresh, bright flavors with heirloom tomatoes and creamy burrata. You don’t need a trendy Italian restaurant for this—just 20 minutes and a fork.
Get the Recipe: Pasta Checca with Burrata
Bucatini with Garlic Shrimp
Garlic shrimp, cherry tomatoes, and bucatini pasta come together in under 30 minutes. It’s quick enough for a weeknight but fancy enough to make you forget about dining out.
Get the Recipe: Bucatini with Garlic Shrimp
Lamb Bolognese
A rich, slow-simmered lamb bolognese usually comes with a hefty price tag at a restaurant. This one doesn’t. It’s packed with flavor and pairs perfectly with a big bowl of tagliatelle.
Get the Recipe: Lamb Bolognese
Bucatini Cacio e Pepe
This creamy, cheesy pasta is proof that simple food can be the best food. No need to book a table—this Roman classic is easy to make at home and tastes just as great.
Get the Recipe: Bucatini Cacio e Pepe
Pesto Pasta alla Trapanese
Fresh tomatoes, nuts, and basil come together in this trapanese pesto. It’s the kind of summer pasta dish you’d see at a little Italian café, but this one is ready in no time.
Get the Recipe: Pesto Pasta alla Trapanese
Easy Instant Pot Ground Beef Stroganoff
This stroganoff beats anything you’d get at a restaurant. The sauce is rich, the beef is tender, and the noodles soak up all that creamy goodness. The Instant Pot makes it happen fast, so there’s no need to wait for takeout.
Get the Recipe: Easy Instant Pot Ground Beef Stroganoff
Instant Pot Pad Thai
Who needs delivery when you can make Pad Thai at home? The Instant Pot cooks the noodles perfectly and blends everything together for that great takeout taste—without the soggy mess or mystery ingredients.
Get the Recipe: Instant Pot Pad Thai
Instant Pot Shrimp Scampi
Shrimp scampi this good doesn’t come from a chain restaurant. The Instant Pot locks in buttery garlic flavor while keeping the shrimp juicy and the pasta just right. It’s fast, easy, and better than anything you’d pay double for.
Get the Recipe: Instant Pot Shrimp Scampi
Instant Pot Chicken Lo Mein
This lo mein is fresher, faster, and way better than takeout. The Instant Pot handles the chicken, veggies, and noodles in one shot, so you get all the flavor without the greasy aftertaste.
Get the Recipe: Instant Pot Chicken Lo Mein
Instant Pot Bolognese
A restaurant bolognese takes hours. This one? Just a fraction of the time, but with the same deep, rich flavor. The Instant Pot brings everything together for a thick, meaty sauce that coats every bite of pasta.
Get the Recipe: Instant Pot Bolognese
Creamy Gochujang Pasta
No need for a fancy fusion spot when you’ve got this. Spicy, creamy, and ready in 20 minutes, this pasta delivers serious flavor with zero effort.
Get the Recipe: Creamy Gochujang Pasta
Gnocchi Bolognese
Soft gnocchi swimming in a rich, meaty sauce? No need to book a table for that. This dish is easy, satisfying, and ready in just 30 minutes.
Get the Recipe: Gnocchi Bolognese
Easy Baked Rigatoni with Ground Beef
This baked rigatoni is everything a great pasta dish should be—cheesy, saucy, and loaded with beef. It’s the kind of meal that beats a night out at an overpriced Italian spot.
Get the Recipe: Easy Baked Rigatoni with Ground Beef
Italian Noodle Casserole
This casserole has all the flavor of a restaurant lasagna without the hassle. Ground beef, sauce, and melty cheese come together in an easy dish that’s perfect for busy nights.
Get the Recipe: Italian Noodle Casserole
Pizza Pasta Bake
Pizza and pasta in one dish? No delivery driver can top this. Loaded with mozzarella, pepperoni, and fresh basil, this baked pasta is what happens when two favorites join forces.
Get the Recipe: Pizza Pasta Bake
French Onion Pasta Bake
If French onion soup and cheesy pasta had a baby, this would be it. Caramelized onions, fresh thyme, and Gruyère cheese come together for a pasta bake that tastes like it belongs in a fancy bistro.
Get the Recipe: French Onion Pasta Bake
Ground Turkey Pasta Bake
Restaurants charge extra for anything labeled “healthy,” but this turkey pasta bake proves you don’t need them. Hearty, cheesy, and packed with flavor, it’s a better way to do comfort food.
Get the Recipe: Ground Turkey Pasta Bake
Rigatoni al Forno
This rigatoni al forno is the kind of baked pasta dish Italian restaurants love to charge for. You can make it at home for a fraction of the price, and it tastes even better.
Get the Recipe: Rigatoni al Forno
Mexican Pasta Bake
Think of this as the best parts of a Mexican restaurant meal—bold flavors, melted cheese, and just enough spice—all packed into a quick and easy pasta bake.
Get the Recipe: Mexican Pasta Bake
Easy Vegan Pasta Bake
Even the best plant-based restaurants can’t top this. Layers of pasta, sauce, and veggies come together for a meatless meal that’s as hearty as any classic baked pasta.
Get the Recipe: Easy Vegan Pasta Bake
Pancetta Pasta
Some fancy trattoria would charge way too much for this dish. Crispy pancetta, garlic, and olive oil coat every strand of pasta in pure comfort. And you don’t even have to tip.
Get the Recipe: Pancetta Pasta
Creamy Tomato Farfalle
No overpriced Italian joint needed. This farfalle dish is creamy, packed with crispy prosciutto, and ready in just 20 minutes.
Get the Recipe: Creamy Tomato Farfalle
Pancetta Pea Pasta
This pancetta pea pasta tastes like something from a rustic Italian café, but you can make it in your own kitchen with barely any effort.
Get the Recipe: Pancetta Pea Pasta
Easy Shrimp Linguine
Shrimp linguine sounds fancy, but this one is fast and easy. The lemon butter sauce makes it feel like a restaurant meal without the markup.
Get the Recipe: Easy Shrimp Linguine
Mushroom Ragu – Vegan Pasta Sauce
Even meat lovers would approve of this mushroom ragu. This sauce is rich, hearty, and makes any pasta dish feel like something from a high-end bistro.
Get the Recipe: Mushroom Ragu – Vegan Pasta Sauce
Gina Matsoukas is an AP syndicated writer. She is the founder, photographer and recipe developer of Running to the Kitchen — a food website focused on providing healthy, wholesome recipes using fresh and seasonal ingredients. Her work has been featured in numerous media outlets both digital and print, including MSN, Huffington post, Buzzfeed, Women’s Health and Food Network.
