17 Easy Pasta Recipes That Use Penne Noodles

Chicken-and-Broccoli Pasta Bake
Photo: Photography and Styling: Caitlin Bensel

You can never go wrong serving pasta for dinner or bringing it along to a potluck, especially recipes that are made with penne noodles. Penne pasta is a very versatile noodle that's delicious when served warm or cold, plus it can be dressed in a variety of different sauces. The size of the noodle also allows them to hold up in heartier dishes.

Make the most of the box of penne noodles in your pantry with these crowd-pleasing pasta recipes.

01 of 17

Chicken-Bacon Ranch Casserole

Chicken-Bacon Ranch Casserole

Fred Hardy; Food Stylist: Karen Rankin; Prop Stylist: Christine Keeley

The trio of chicken, bacon, and ranch is always a winning combination. Adding pasta makes it even better.

02 of 17

Pasta with Marinated Tomatoes

Pasta with Marinated Tomatoes
Greg Dupree; Food Styling: Anna Hampton; Prop Styling: Ginny Branch

Marinated tomatoes and fresh mozzarella transform penne into a delicious summertime pasta dish.

03 of 17

Creamy Andouille Pasta

Creamy andouille pasta in bowl

Antonis Achilleos; Prop Stylist: Lydia Purcell; Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn

From start to finish, this Cajun pasta recipe comes together in just 35 minutes.

04 of 17

Pimiento Cheese Chicken-Broccoli Casserole

Chicken Cheese-Broccoli Casserole

Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis

We recommend shredding your own cheese for this recipe so it melts nicely as the casserole bakes.

05 of 17

Creamy Pesto-and-Shrimp Penne with Peas

Creamy Pesto-and-Shrimp Penne with Peas
Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kathleen Varner; Food Styling: Torie Cox

You'll need just 5 ingredients and 25 minutes to pull this penne pasta dish together.

06 of 17

Chicken-and-Broccoli Pasta Bake

Chicken-and-Broccoli Pasta Bake
Photography and Styling: Caitlin Bensel

To help this casserole come together even easier and quicker, you can use a rotisserie chicken from the deli.

07 of 17

One-Pan Pasta with Chicken Sausage, Mushrooms, and Collards

One-Pan Pasta with Chicken Sausage, Mushrooms, and Collards
Greg DuPree

We love that this meal comes together in one dish, so there's minimal dishes to clean after dinner is served.

08 of 17

Penne with Green Beans and Tomatoes

Penne with Green Beans and Tomatoes
Hector Manuel Sanchez

This penne dish is a great make-ahead option as it can be covered and chilled for up to 24 hours before serving.

09 of 17

One Pot Chicken Fajita Pasta

One Pot Chicken Fajita Pasta
Jennifer Causey; Food Styling: Loren Wood; Prop Styling: Christine Keely

If you can't decide between pasta or fajitas for dinner, this one-pot recipe combines both into one flavorful dish.

10 of 17

Chicken-and-Artichoke Penne

Chicken-and-Artichoke Penne
Alison Miksch

Before draining, make sure to reserve 1 cup of pasta water for making the sauce later in the recipe.

11 of 17

Creamy Chicken Alfredo Casserole

Creamy Chicken Alfredo Casserole
Greg DuPree

Convenience items like jarred Alfredo sauce and rotisserie chicken help this creamy casserole come together in under an hour.

12 of 17

Meatball Pasta Bake

Meatball Pasta Bake
Hector Sanchez; Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas

Orange juice and fennel add some extra flavor to this pasta bake while jarred marinara sauce and frozen meatballs help it come together with ease.

13 of 17

Pasta with Shrimp and Tomato Cream Sauce

Pasta with Shrimp and Tomato Cream Sauce
Caitlin Bensel; Prop Styling: Claire Spollen; Food Styling: Anna Hampton

For the best flavor, we recommend using fresh shrimp when preparing this pasta dish.

14 of 17

Lemon Vinaigrette Pasta Salad with Field Peas

Lemon Vinaigrette Pasta Salad with Field Peas
Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Claire Spollen; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners

Aside from cooking your penne noodles, all that's required to make this pasta salad is a little bit of stirring.

15 of 17

Penne with Squash and Italian Chicken Sausage

Penne with Squash and Italian Chicken Sausage
Jennifer Causey; Food Styling: Melissa Gray; Prop Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller

Squash, onions, and bell peppers add plenty of flavor and nutrients to this colorful pasta dish.

16 of 17

Leftover Turkey Casserole

Leftover Turkey Casserole
Jennifer Causey; Food Stylist: Torie Cox; Prop Stylist: Claire Spollen

Whether you have leftover turkey from a holiday or want to make use of a rotisserie chicken, this creamy casserole will work with either.

17 of 17

Spinach-and-Herb Pastatta

Spinach-and-Herb Pastatta
Melina Hammer

Think of this dish as a combination of baked pasta and a frittata.

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