Restaurant-Style Pasta Dinners

This roundup of the best Restaurant-Style Pasta Dinners will make eating in feel like a night out! With fresh ingredients, creamy sauces, and pantry staples, there is something for everyone to love.

Best Restaurant-Inspired Pasta Recipes

Cherry Tomato Pasta Alla Vodka

This Cherry Tomato Pasta Alla Vodka is a lighter take on a traditional recipe! It’s made totally plant-based with cashew cream and perfect for summer nights.

15-Minute Sesame Ginger Noodles

15-Minute Sesame Ginger Noodles are ready in a flash and full of flavor! Inspired by takeout, they’re an ideal quick dinner that’s full of nourishing ingredients. Totally customizable as well, this will be a new favorite.

Roasted Red Pepper Pasta Salad

This Roasted Red Pepper Pasta Salad Recipe is full of flavor from sun dried tomatoes, fresh basil, and cheesy breadcrumbs. Similar to a Romesco sauce, this dish is delicious hot or cold and great for picnics and cookouts.

overehead shot of a cast iron skillet with butternut ravioli coated in sage brown butter

Sage Brown Butter Sauce with Butternut Ravioli

This super-simple recipe for Sage Brown Butter Sauce is the perfect complement for butternut squash ravioli! Vegan and easily gluten-free!

plate of vegan stuffed peppers with couscous and herbs

Couscous Stuffed Peppers

This recipe for Greek-Inspired Couscous Stuffed Peppers is full of refreshing Mediterranean flavors and plant-based protein! It’s ready in 30 minutes for the perfect weeknight meal.

hand with a spoon reaching into a bowl of roasted ratatouille couscous on a wooden table

Easy Ratatouille Couscous

This recipe Roasted Ratatouille Couscous is such a simple weeknight dinner, full of fresh summer vegetables including zucchini, eggplant, red peppers, and cherry tomatoes.

one crispy ravioil bite next to a white dish on a wood board with sauce in the background

Crispy Baked Ravioli Bites

These Crispy Ravioli Bites are a baked (not fried) treat perfect for game day snacking! Coated in herby breadcrumbs and cheese, they’re great for dunking into warmed marinara sauce.

overhead shot of crispy orzo with peas and two lemon rounds

Crispy Orzo with Peas and Garlic Butter

This recipe for Crispy Orzo with Peas and Garlic Butter is a perfect pantry meal that is packed with flavor and so comforting! Ready in just 15 minutes, it’s a family-friendly healthy weeknight dinner that everyone will love. Totally vegan with gluten-free options!

Skillet Lasagna

Summer veggies take on a new life in this fresh skillet lasagna! Cashew ricotta keeps this dinner totally plant-based, and ready in under 30 minutes.

Vegan Pink Sauce Pasta

This creamy pink sauce pasta is a perfect summer meal; it’s totally vegan and decadently splashed with rose! Of course it’s a great excuse for a few glasses of wine while cooking, too.

Microwave Cacio e Pepe

Get dinner ready in 10 minutes with this easy microwave pasta: Cacio e Pepe ! Totally vegan and easily gluten-free, this affordable meal is great for a busy weeknight.

overhead shot of french onion skillet pasta bake on a marble board with a silver spoon

French Onion Pasta Bake

Inspired by the classic soup, this French Onion Skillet Pasta Bake is a hearty and healthy weeknight dinner! Made with caramelized onions and a creamy dairy-free sauce, it’s a comforting meal with traditional flavors. It’s a high protein vegan meal everyone will enjoy!

Creamy Sweet Corn Pasta with Basil and Tomatoes

This Creamy Sweet Corn Pasta with Basil and Tomatoes is a simple and healthy dinner that’s completely vegan! Adding basil and tomatoes makes this the perfect summer meal.

overhead shot of three plates of garlic spaghetti with delicate squash

Spaghetti with 12 Cloves of Garlic

Love pantry meals? Try this Simple Garlic Spaghetti, made with 12 whole cloves! While this sounds like a lot, we cook them in stages to ensure a pleasant (not biting) flavor. It’s the perfect healthy weeknight dish!

Tips for Homemade Pasta Dishes Taste Like a Restaurant

Why does restaurant pasta taste so good?

Restaurants heavily salt their pasta water, and use a large amount of fat and salt in their actual dishes. Some of these tricks we can follow when making pasta at home.

How Can I Make Homemade pasta taste as good as a restaurant?

Use tender herbs when garnishing, such as basil and parsley. They pack a ton of flavor and can make any meal taste “fresh.”
Don’t forget acid. A squeeze of lemon juice instantly brightens things up and can help you better experience the other flavors of the dish.
Heavily salt your pasta water. This will season the noodles from the inside out, and you’ll drain most of the sodium away after cooking.
To mimic cream, blend soaked cashews and water for richness and body in a thicker sauce.
Where appropriate, use a heavy hand for extra virgin olive oil. It makes everything better!