31 Best Pasta Recipes for Fall

31 Pasta Recipes to Make This FallButternut spaghetti with pecan breadcrumbs, cauliflower Bolognese, BA’s best lasagna, and more pasta dinners for every night of the week.Photograph by Aaron Barton, food styling by Michelle Gatton, prop styling by Alexandra MassillonMaking it onto our list of the best pasta recipes is kind of a big deal—even if the roster changes with the seasons. Come fall we want pasta with some heft: creamy sauces, rich ragùs, bubbling bakes, and plenty of cheese. But the classics—like spaghetti carbonara, cacio e pepe, and BA’s best lasagna—aren’t going anywhere.Pasta is one of our favorite ways to put fall produce to work. Winter squash makes for velvety sauces; mushrooms bring savory depth to a quick-cooking vegetarian ragù; and sturdy greens like kale and brussels sprouts can stand up to sausage, Parmesan, and punchy Pecorino. There are plenty of weeknight pastas, too, like ravioli with mushrooms and pasta alla vodka, plus rainy-weekend cooking projects when you want to take your time.In short, if you need pasta, we’re here to deliver. Find our favorite pasta recipes for fall below.Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Alex Brannian, Food Styling by Grace ParisiCacio e PepeFew pasta recipes do more with less. Pecorino, Parmesan, black pepper, butter, and pasta water come together in a glossy sauce that proves simplicity can be luxurious.Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Sean Dooley, Prop Styling by Beth PakradooniRavioli and Mushroom SkilletWhen you want maximum payoff with minimal fuss, look to store-bought ravioli. Here, mushrooms, thyme, and a creamy sauce make it feel like more.Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Leslie Raney GarettoSpaghetti CarbonaraEggs, cheese, pork, pasta: That’s basically the whole equation. Carbonara is fast, deeply savory, and exactly the kind of back-pocket pasta recipe worth knowing by heart.Photograph by Elliott Jerome Brown Jr., Food Styling by Micah Morton, Prop Styling by Emma RingnessBrussels Sprout PastaBrussels sprouts, spicy Italian sausage, pecans, and nutty brown butter make this weeknight dinner feel like it was genetically engineered for fall. Punchy Pecorino keeps everything salty and sharp.Marcus NilssonBA’s Best Spaghetti and MeatballsThere’s a reason spaghetti and meatballs never leaves the rotation. This saucy family favorite earns its place among the classics.Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Emilie Fosnocht, prop styling by Emma RingnessCreamy Pumpkin PastaCanned pumpkin purée turns into a velvety sauce with cream, aromatics, and plenty of Parmesan. Add sausage, shredded chicken, or chickpeas if you want more heft.Photo by Heidi's BridgePasta Alla VodkaCreamy, tomatoey, and weeknight-friendly, pasta alla vodka is easier to make at home than its restaurant reputation suggests. Better yet, it relies mostly on pantry staples.Photograph by Maya Visnyei, food styling by Pearl Jones, prop styling by Marina BevilacquaPasta With Creamy Mushroom RagùThis meatless mushroom ragù tastes like something that spent the afternoon simmering, but it comes together in about 30 minutes. Rigatoni or another ridged pasta gives all that savory sauce somewhere to cling.Want mushrooms without the tomatoes? Try our Creamy Mushroom Pasta →Photograph by Elizabeth Coetzee, prop styling by Emma Ringness, Food Styling by Emilie FosnochtBA’s Best LasagnaRich meat sauce, creamy béchamel, and plenty of layers make this exactly the sort of project we want to spend a weekend on. Both sauces can be made ahead so you don’t have to tackle it all in one marathon session.Looking for a pasta dinner, not a full-time job? Try Cottage Cheese Lasagna instead →Michael Graydon & Nikole HerriottSausage, Greens, and Beans PastaSausage, greens, and beans are a cold-weather power trio. Toss them with pasta for a substantial dinner that doesn’t rely on cream or loads of cheese.Photo by Alex Lau, Styling by Andy BaraghaniButternut Squash Baked PastaThink of this as mac and cheese’s more polished cousin. Velvety squash sauce, hazelnuts, and fresh basil make it equally at home on a weeknight or dinner party table.Photo by Chelsie Craig, Food Styling by Kate BuckensBA’s Best BologneseThis is not the pasta for a night when you need dinner in 20 minutes—and that’s the point. Give the sauce time, and you’ll get a deeply savory ragù that’s worth the wait.Devra Ferst is a freelance food and travel writer based in Brooklyn. Her writing has appeared in the New York Times, Bon Appetit, NPR, and numerous other publications. You can often find her at the farmers market, snacking on cheese, or planning her next trip. ... Read MorePhoebe Fry is a Brooklyn-based food writer, cook, and illustrator. She’s worked in kitchens in Ireland, Italy, and NYC, and she currently writes The Dish on Substack. Her work has appeared in Real Simple, Wine Enthusiast, and more. You’ll most often find her haunting the cookbook section of her local ... Read More