7 Fast and Healthy Pasta Dinners You Can Make With 5 or Fewer Ingredients

Place a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil.

Season both sides of chicken breast with Tajin and add to skillet. Cook for 9-10 minutes, flip and cook for another 6 to 8 minutes, until both sides are golden brown and the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. Remove from pan and set aside.

Add 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, orzo, mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes, and 2 cups of water (or a low-sodium chicken broth) to the skillet. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer, cover, and cook until orzo is soft, about 20 minutes.

Stir in baby spinach, if using; cook 1 minute more until spinach has wilted and serve topped with chicken.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until it reaches desired tenderness, about 7–9 minutes. Drain and return the pasta to the pot.

Reduce the heat to low and add chickpeas, pesto sauce, and bell peppers. Toss well, let mixture heat up, about 5 minutes. Serve warm.

In a large saucepan over heat oil over medium heat. Add mirepoix, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, 12–15 minutes.

Add garlic, tomatoes, and cooked lentils to the pan and cook to allow flavors to come together, about 5 minutes.

Fill a large pot with water and bring it to a boil over high heat. Add spaghetti and cook to desired tenderness, about 7–8 minutes.

Serve sauce over cooked spaghetti and garnish with parsley, if desired.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Place cherry tomatoes in a large baking dish and drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil and toss to coat. Add feta to center of the dish and sprinkle with oregano. Bake until tomatoes have burst and feta has slightly melted, about 25 minutes.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat and cook pasta until it reaches desired tenderness, about 10–12 minutes. Drain and stir pasta into tomato feta sauce.

Garnish with basil, if desired, and serve hot.

In a large skillet over medium-high, heat olive oil. Add onion and cook until translucent, 8–10 minutes.

Add salmon to the skillet and season with pepper. Cook 6–8 minutes, flip, and cook another 6 minutes, until internal temperature reaches 145 degrees F.

Add gnocchi to the skillet and cook until golden, 3–5 minutes. Stir in peas, drizzle with Alfredo sauce, if using, and serve hot.

Place all ingredients except macaroni in a slow cooker. Stir to evenly combine and cook on high for 3½ hours.

Stir in macaroni and cook for another 30 minutes, or until it reaches desired consistency. Garnish with parsley and grated Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Alternative directions for Instant Pot/Pressure Cooker Place all ingredients in an Instant Pot, set to high, and cook for 10 minutes. Once the pressure cooker is done, allow to naturally depressurize for 30 minutes before removing the cover.

Alternative directions for stovetop Place all ingredients except for the pasta in a large stockpot, bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook to allow flavors to come together, 15–20 minutes. Add pasta and cook until soft, another 5–6 minutes.

Place all of the ingredients except for the basil into a serving bowl and toss gently to evenly coat the pasta and tuna.

Garnish with basil, if desired, just before serving.