Quick, what's the simplest way to get dinner on the table after a long day? If you guessed pasta and veggies, you're right. Pasta dishes are a godsend on busy nights because you can usually boil the water and noodles while you prep the veggies, sauce and accouterments. We've rounded up 15 brilliant vegetarian and vegan pasta recipes that feature all sorts of flavor profiles: lemon, Mediterranean-inspired, buttery, classic tomato and even pumpkin. All are ready in 20 minutes or less-and a few are even prepared in one pot!
13 Twenty-Minute Pasta Dinners
Lemon pasta is a classic quick-and-easy pasta dinner, but lightly steamed asparagus and garlicky panko seriously upgrade this version.
Put down the bottle of pasta sauce! This easy tomato penne from She Likes Food is so easy, and the best way to use up a pint of cherry tomatoes lying around in the fridge.
Brown butter makes everything better. This kid-friendly but grown-up take on buttered noodles by Kitchen Treaty is sure to become a weeknight go-to meal.
Any pasta recipe that can be made in one pot is a-okay with us; this one from The Muffin Myth is not just creamy, it's better for you thanks to a yogurt-based sauce and whole wheat noodles.
Boil the pasta while you make the simple broccoli pesto, and this recipe from Very Culinary will be on the table in about 10 minutes.
Lentils add protein and a "meaty" texture to this one-pot pasta from Emma's Little Kitchen.
Eat this savory orzo pasta salad from Joyful Healthy Eats warm or cold—if you make it ahead of time to cool, make sure to add the almonds right before serving so they don't get soggy.
When you can't even deal with dinner, this one-pot pasta comes to the rescue. Literally just throw everything in, and dinner's on the table in 20.
Barely cooked, burst cherry tomatoes serve as the "sauce" in this simple pasta dish. Play around with the amount of basil and garlic—this recipe from The View from Great Island is super customizable!
If you're craving a creamy pasta salad, this yogurt-and-dill recipe from Running to the Kitchen is ready in a flash, and it contains lots of veggies.
This pumpkin-based creamy pasta from Kitchen Treaty is packed with antioxidants, and it's ready in just 20 minutes. Pretty much all you need to do is stir.
Capers add a sophisticated flair to Iowa Girl Eats' easy lemon-and-butter pasta.
Beer-infused pasta sauce? Um, yes. This creamy sauce pairs perfectly with orecchiette.
Laura says
Yum, all of these are making my mouth water. I'm so excited for the cooler weather because for me it means pasta pasta pasta!
Laura
http://thefoxtrails.blogspot.com
Chandra Patel says
Thanks for sending regular email with recipes and ideas. I have made few recipes and they are good. I am a strict vegetarian, though not vegan.
Amy @Very Culinary says
Thanks for including me, Kiersten! I love all of these!
Danny says
I'm having trouble getting the slideshow to work. Can somebody fix it? I'm very curious to see what is in it! Thank you!
Alissa says
Apologies! We're working on bringing the slideshow back as soon as possible.