15 Recipes To Upgrade Spaghetti Night

Of all the pantry staples cherished by the home cook, dried pasta just might be the savior of the kitchen. Widely available, extremely affordable, and shelf stable for basically forever, dried pasta has come to the rescue of many a weeknight meal, when even those of us passionate about cooking can't seem to muster up the energy to create anything too complicated. In under an hour and using other common pantry ingredients such as olive oil and canned tomatoes, dishes such as penne arrabiata, orecchiette with sausage, and penne alla vodka can grace your table, providing deliciousness and comfort after a long day.

While different dried pasta shapes are utilized in distinct dishes, one of the most versatile by far is spaghetti — those long, rounded strands of moderate thickness that take well to a huge variety of sauces. And while plain ol' tomato sauce or bottled pesto are legitimate options, sometimes you just want to fancy up spaghetti with luxurious ingredients such as smoked salmon, crispy pork cutlets, and homemade cream sauce. For those nights, then, we present 15 of our favorite gussied-up spaghetti recipes, which are sure to make a memorable impression at dinner.

In this citrus-bright take on creamy pasta, Tasting Table recipe developer Miriam Hahn goes for a light approach, calling on a zingy, olive-oil based dressing to bring slick creaminess to the spaghetti, instead of the usual suspects of butter or cream.

To make it, you'll first boil spaghetti, working on the dressing — a whisked-together mix of fresh lemon zest and juice, minced garlic, olive oil, salt, and pepper — while the pasta cooks. Once the pasta is drained and back in its pot, just toss the lemony dressing right in. Plenty of grated Parmesan adds further richness, and chopped fresh basil brings some bright herbaceousness.

Recipe: Lemon Spaghetti

To start off this super-streamlined meat sauce pasta, Tasting Table recipe developer Susan Olayinka sautés ground beef in the Instant Pot with olive oil and shallots. Once browned, canned tomato purée is added to the pot and the spaghetti, which is broken in half, is laid on top. Diced canned tomatoes and canned chicken stock are then added.

Once loaded up, the Instant Pot is set to pressure cook on high for just 7 minutes, and the steam is quick-released. Once stirred together and plated, the hearty, meaty pasta is garnished with fresh basil and ready to be enjoyed.

Recipe: Instant Pot Spaghetti

A somewhat similar recipe to pasta carbonara, spaghetti alla gricia nixes the egg yolks and adds some white wine to the party. To make this quick and delicious dish, you'll first boil some spaghetti and drain it, reserving some cooking water. As the pasta cooks, brown some guanciale in a skillet, add the white wine to deglaze the pan, and simmer this pan sauce down with the reserved pasta water until thickened.

Then, you'll tumble in the cooked pasta and some grated Pecorino Romano, stirring everything over medium heat until the sauce clings to the pasta. Once plated, the creamy, porky spaghetti is garnished with additional grated cheese.

Recipe: Spaghetti Alla Gricia

A take on linguine with clam sauce that subs in spaghetti, this quick, garlicky pasta also features roughly chopped olives that bring extra brininess to the dish.

Start by sautéing sliced garlic and red pepper flakes in olive oil, then adding dry white wine, reducing it, and tumbling in four pounds of scrubbed fresh clams. Pop a lid on the pan until the clams steam open, about 8 minutes.

While that's cooking, boil some spaghetti and drain it. When the clams are open, toss in the spaghetti and chopped olives, moistening the pasta with reserved cooking water. Once plated and topped with chopped parsley and fresh lemon zest, all you'll need is some good, crusty bread to sop up the delicious sauce.

Recipe: Spaghetti With Clams And Green Olives

If you love to accompany a plate of pasta with a glass of bold red wine, why not literally combine the two? Chef Michael Chiarello's take on a classic Italian dish of "drunken spaghetti" is a definite crowd pleaser, boasting a glossy red wine sauce that's tasty as well as attractive. Making it is a simple affair, consisting of reducing Zinfandel, tossing in some parboiled spaghetti, and then cooking it down until the wine reduces even further and clings to the pasta.

Parboiled rapini (broccoli rabe) gets sautéed in olive oil, garlic, and red pepper flakes and stirred into the pasta, which is then showered with grated Pecorino Romano and served.

Recipe: Zinfandel Spaghetti

A good casserole is a thing of comfort food beauty, and this creamy noodle casserole studded with shredded chicken and diced veggies is no exception. To make it, first simmer some bone-in chicken thighs, let them cool, then pick off all the meat and discard the bones. Then, you'll parboil broken-up spaghetti in the leftover broth, drain it, and transfer it to a mixing bowl. Next, add the shredded chicken, shredded cheddar cheese, diced peppers and onions, two cans of cream of mushroom soup, a cup of the leftover chicken-pasta water broth, and a hint of cayenne for spice.

Once spooned into a casserole dish, the mixture is topped with more cheddar and baked until everything goes bubbly and browned, about 45 minutes. Then, the creamy, comforting casserole is ready to enjoy alongside a green salad and crusty bread.

Recipe: Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti Casserole

What pasta-loving person doesn't need three recipes for pasta carbonara? If you want to add this third one to your repertoire, know that it will only take you 20 minutes from start to finish. First, add your spaghetti to liberally salted boiling water. As the pasta cooks to al dente, sauté butter, chopped pancetta, and garlic in a pan big enough to hold the pasta. Drain the pasta, reserving some of the water.

Next, add the spaghetti to the oil mix, stirring to coat. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in a whisked-together mix of eggs and grated Parmesan, with some pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce. All the luxurious spaghetti needs, post-plating, is a showering of extra Parm, and it's ready to be enjoyed.

Recipe: Simple Spaghetti Carbonara