Food and Recipes Pasta 5-Ingredient Pasta Recipes You Can Practically Make with Your Eyes Closed By Mary Shannon Wells Mary Shannon Wells Mary Shannon is an Associate Digital Editor and has been on the Southern Living team since 2017. She helps run the brand's social media accounts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, and TikTok, where she's happily behind the scenes. When she's not ruffling feathers with an etiquette poll via Instagram Stories, she's writing content for the website and assisting in various print projects like gift guides and home stories. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on May 17, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Photographer: Antonis Achilleos; Prop Stylist: Christine Kelly; Food Stylist: Ali Ramee Pasta night is always a go-to for busy weeknights at my house, and these simple recipes prove that short ingredient lists won't short you on flavor. These five-ingredient recipes are how pasta night is done right. If you're looking to clean out the pantry, these pasta recipes with few ingredients are here to lend a hand. With just five ingredients, you've got a warm and hearty dinner on the table. Plus, these dishes are kid-friendly, too. Easy pasta dishes like our favorite pasta salads make for great lunches the next day, and five-ingredient pasta bakes like our Spinach-Ravioli Lasagna freeze beautifully. Don't waste time and money at the store racking up ingredients for a complicated recipe. With just five ingredients, these quick and easy pasta recipes won't put a dent in your free time or wallet. 01 of 09 Penne with Green Beans and Tomatoes Hector Manuel Sanchez Recipe: Penne with Green Beans and Tomatoes Add fresh dill just before serving to give this light pasta salad a hint of zing. It's bright and colorful enough for serving at a luncheon, but easy enough for weekday lunches. 02 of 09 Watermelon-and-Feta Orzo Salad Hector Sanchez Recipe: Watermelon-and-Feta Orzo Salad Our Lemon-Shallot Vinaigrette is a universal dressing you'll want to drizzle on everything. Peppery arugula and sweet watermelon complement each other perfectly. 03 of 09 Tortelloni-and-Grilled Vegetable Salad Hector Manuel Sanchez Recipe: Tortelloni-and-Grilled Vegetable Salad Use your bountiful farmers' market haul for this summery pasta salad that feels indulgent with cheese-and spinach-filled tortellini. 04 of 09 Classic Baked Macaroni and Cheese Beth Dreiling Hontzas Recipe: Classic Baked Macaroni and Cheese Homemade macaroni and cheese is the only way to do it at Mama's house, and this one-dish recipe is as easy to master as the boxed stuff. 05 of 09 Ravioli Lasagna Photographer: Antonis Achilleos; Prop Stylist: Christine Kelly; Food Stylist: Ali Ramee Recipe: Ravioli Lasagna Refrigerated ravioli is one of our go-to shortcuts for a family-friendly dinner. And what could be better than a layered lasagna that starts with cheesy ravioli? One that's made entirely in your favorite cast-iron skillet, that's what! 06 of 09 Cacio e Pepe Heidi's Bridge Recipe: Cacio e Pepe This simple pasta recipe is a classic for a reason. Though the ingredient list is short, it has tons of satisfying flavor. 07 of 09 Creamy Pesto-and-Shrimp Penne with Peas Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kathleen Varner; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Creamy Pesto-and-Shrimp Penne with Peas A dish with this much green might turn parents of picky kids away, but not so fast! Take it from several five-star reviews: "It was quick, easy and tasty! My non-pasta loving partner even liked it," and "This dish was crazy simple and delicious!! My son even liked it, and he hates peas!!" 08 of 09 Uncle Jack's Mac-and-Cheese Hector Sanchez Recipe: Uncle Jack's Mac-and-Cheese Every Southern cook has a go-to macaroni and cheese recipe. But can yours be made in the slow cooker? That's right—this simple recipe proves that the slow cooker is the secret to the best mac-and-cheese texture. 09 of 09 Spinach-Ravioli Lasagna SL Van Chaplin Recipe: Spinach-Ravioli Lasagna Despite how pretty it looks, this lasagna could not be easier to throw together. Multiple store-bought items, like jarred pasta sauce and refrigerated ravioli, contribute to flavor that tastes surprisingly homemade. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit