Penne pasta recipes are here to save the day when you want a delicious comfort meal but want to put in fast-food energy.

Not only are these 23 pasta recipes incredibly effortless, they are also versatile and can be used with all types of sauces and proteins.

Pasta is a foolproof way to prepare a meal that everyone will love.

Whether you want a quick meal to satisfy your hunger, or something more elaborate for the family to enjoy together for dinner, penne noodles should make a special appearance on your dinner table!

Penne is a great addition for not only pasta, but casseroles, and soups as well.

Italian Pasta Salad is a fresh and light way to enjoy your penne noodles.

Maybe your kids want a burger but you want pasta.

Try your hand at a One Pot Cheeseburger Pasta to satisfy everyone!

If you want to make a savory soup a little bit more filling, try your hand at preparing some Cheesy Chicken Parmesan Soup.

It is very difficult to mess up pasta and for that, it is a well-deserved staple in many of our kitchen pantries!

Have some fun and try some new dishes for your penne!

You are sure to find a few penne pasta recipes that you will love on this list!

1. Chicken Penne Pasta With Parmesan Cream Sauce

The ridges on the penne pasta make a great surface for the Parmesan cream sauce in this recipe to soak into the noodles.

The addition of diced chicken adds some filling protein seasoned to perfection with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning.

Add some more black pepper, thyme or parsley, and of course, as much Parmesan as you want for a quick meal that will leave everyone full and happy!

2. Penne Arrabbiata

If you are a spice-lover and tend to go straight for the heat, try to add some arrabbiata sauce into your penne dinner.

Even if you prefer a more mild sauce, you can adjust this recipe to your spice-liking!

No matter how much heat you decide to add to this sauce, the tomato based sauce goes great with penne, and is even better when topped with extra cheese and a bit of basil leaves!

3. Southwest Chicken Alfredo

This creamy penne pasta dinner idea is the perfect blend of a classic Italian base with a creamy Southwestern sauce.

The chicken has a bit of honey tossed in before the seasonings are added for just the right amount of sweetness.

The blend of Southwest seasonings in this recipe is so special and adds the right level of kick to your dinner!

Add in some of the seasonings to your creamy sauce for a flavorful and creamy addition to your dinner!

Use a piece of garlic bread to soak up the last bits of sauce once the penne and chicken are all done!

Here are some of our tips for knowing when pasta is done cooking!

4. Gigi Hadid’s Viral Pasta

Fans of the model will easily recognize this pasta recipe which has taken TikTok by storm!

This version leaves out the vodka, but rest assured, it still tastes as great as social media has led you to believe!

Pasta enthusiasts may see this as a Spicy Vodka Pasta, but since this version excludes the vodka and has a little Gigi twist, it is now recognized as her own recipe!

Gigi used shell pasta but this is a great use of the penne pasta in your pantry.

5. Baked Penne Pasta with Ricotta

Using ricotta cheese with your penne pasta adds some smooth and velvety texture into your bake.

It also adds some mild cheesiness to your dish so the flavors of your penne pasta noodles can truly shine!

One of the many great things about this dish is how it can easily be transformed into something new by just adding some vegetables or meat!

6. Philly Cheesesteak Pasta

No matter how much you love philly cheesesteak, it can be hard to get the family on board with eating the sandwiches every night.

Luckily, by turning it into a pasta dish, it keeps the flavors you love, while changing it into something new!

You get your favorite combination of ground beef, onions, peppers, mushrooms, and provolone, all tossed into a big bowl of penne for an easy weeknight dinner for the whole family!

7. Cajun Shrimp Pasta

Penne is a great pasta for many reasons, but one of those reasons has to be how well it soaks up the tastes that come from the protein and sauce it is cooked in.

The cajun seasoning mix in this recipe can be adjusted to reduce the spice and saltiness but it is perfect for coating the tender shrimp in and as a base for your creamy sauce.

Since this dish is bursting with flavor, a light and simple side of vegetables is a great choice to make this a full meal.

8. Creamy Sun Dried Tomato Chicken Pasta

Recipes with penne pasta tend to be an easy way to get a delicious dinner on the table in little time, and this recipe does exactly that!

Even though this recipe can be followed in half an hour already, there are plenty of tips to make this a little bit quicker and easier!

Although this is a fast dish to throw together, it doesn’t skimp on flavor thanks to the sun dried tomatoes, fresh basil, seasonings, and garlic.

9. Baked Penne With Roasted Vegetables

Perfect for vegetarians with the many roasted vegetables in this dish, be prepared for your meat-loving friends and family to grab a plate or two of this baked pasta!

Even if you just want to sneak some veggies into your children’s meals, this dish is so enticing that even the pickiest of eaters will get excited for this.

Use red bell peppers, zucchini, squash, mushrooms, and peas for some extra zest and some beautiful color in your penne pasta dish.

We’ve got some tips here for reheating pasta too!

10. Italian Penne Pasta Salad

If you are wondering what to make with penne pasta for a picnic or barbecue that won’t spoil from being in the sun all day, this pasta salad is for you!

Since there are no ingredients that go bad from heat and the dressing allows the pasta to stay moist, this is a great choice for your next outdoor potluck.

While the pasta is boiling, you can get your vegetables ready.

This dish can be prepared in little time and is an effortless addition to your summertime get-togethers!

11. Tahini Pasta Stir-Fry

Soup is always a comforting way to end a day but if you want to mix in your favorite pasta to make it that much more heartening, check out this recipe!

By making your pasta into a soup, you still get your favorite Italian flavors but with the addition of lots of vegetables and a hearty broth.

Your pasta can cook right in your soup, which will help thicken the broth.

With the addition of crushed red pepper flakes and the spicy Italian sausage, you can get some extra heat in your soup.

12. Spicy Italian Sausage Penne And Vegetable Soup

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13. Chicken And Broccoli Penne Alfredo

Chicken and broccoli together are a match made in food heaven, but by adding in some penne alfredo, believe it or not, you can make it even better.

Feel free to either make your own alfredo sauce or to use your favorite jarred version, both will work great for this recipe.

If chicken and broccoli aren’t what you are in the mood for, you can leave that part out and just enjoy a delicious plate of penne alfredo.

14. Brown Butter Sausage Penne Pasta

This pasta dish features beautiful caramel brown colors from the browned butter and bright green peas for an extra dash of color.

While you are making your brown butter sauce, remember to leave the brown bits at the bottom since this is where all the flavors meld together.

The Italian sausage will also be flavorful from all of the spices and seasonings added in to it.

15. One Pot Cheeseburger Pasta

This recipe is a great way to combine two favorite dishes into one tasty meal.

You get all of the best parts of a cheeseburger in this pasta dish: the burger with onions and seasonings, tomato flavors, and of course, cheddar cheese.

Burgers aren’t complete without pickles and you can definitely add some to this pasta dish, if that is what you like.

16. Penne Rosa Pasta

This simple penne pasta recipe is better than what you could get through takeout and quicker than waiting for the delivery, too.

All of the ingredients in this dish are common household ingredients so you are likely to have most of these in your kitchen, already.

Whether you are vegan or craving more protein, you can easily adjust this simple recipe to make it fit whatever dietary concerns you may have.

17. Pepperoni And Olive Penne Pasta

Although this recipe has limited ingredients, it is very easy to add on to make it your own unique recipe.

The basic version of this pasta uses either kalamata or black olives and some pepperoni but if you want to add in more toppings, sausage, bacon, mushrooms, spinach, and basil are great additions.

Even if you decide to follow the base recipe, the pasta will give you a filling and hearty meal to share!

18. Penne Alla Vodka Pasta

This may be one of the most popular penne pasta dishes there is!

If this is your favorite meal to order at Italian restaurants, you can now make it for yourself in the comfort of your own home.

The key to making this dish as great as possible is to use the best quality ingredients you can!

You have the freedom to add in whatever protein, vegetables, or cheese you like to make this recipe your own!

19. Pasta Primavera

The fresh and colorful vegetables in this dish make it a perfect pasta recipe for spring and summer seasons.

This is a very effortless dish that can be easily changed up to incorporate whatever vegetables are currently in season.

This pasta dish tastes just as good as it looks!

20. One Pot Cheesy Sausage Penne

No matter how busy your weeknights get, you want to put a nice hot meal on your dinner table for the family to enjoy.

This pasta is uncomplicated and scrumptious enough for the whole family to enjoy.

The extra cheesy topping definitely doesn’t hurt the taste!

21. One Pot Chicken Taco Penne Pasta

Looking for recipes using penne pasta to make a unique taco Tuesday dish?

This chicken taco pasta will help you make an imaginative dish to satisfy both your taco and your pasta cravings.

The diced green chiles and taco seasoning give this all of the taco flavor while skimping on the taco shells or tortilla.

22. Cheesy Chicken Parmesan Soup

Soup is good almost every day, any season, for any mood.

This cheesy pasta soup is an exciting addition to your soup lineup.

The pasta has a brothy tomato-based sauce mixed with chicken broth and topped with all of the cheese you could want!

23. Maple Curry Penne

This is an elegant and indulgent dish at a fraction of the price you might expect.

The curry seasonings used in this dish give it some savory, spicy, and slightly sweet flavors.

With the maple syrup added into the creamy sauce, you get a little bit more sweetness to complement the savory flavors of the pasta dish!

The bottom line

Penne pasta recipes are a great choice for simple and quick weeknight meals that everyone will enjoy.

And you’ve made it this far, so I bet you want to know what to serve with your pasta!

Whether you want a simple pasta dish or something slightly more unique to change up your weeknight dinner lineup, this list has got you covered with delicious and fun recipes that are sure to deliver on flavor!

Take a look at some of our other epic pasta lists too!