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29 Vegetarian Pasta Recipes

You won’t miss meat a bit in these delicious comfort-food dishes

Elaine Johnson
1 /29 Annabelle Breakey

Mushroom and Fresh Herb Lasagna

It takes a little time to cook the rich béchamel (white sauce), concentrate the flavors in the mushrooms, and assemble the lasagna, but the results are worth it.

Recipe: Mushroom and Fresh Herb Lasagna

2 /29 Annabelle Breakey

Whole-Wheat Lasagna with Butternut Squash and Kale

Bags of pre-cubed and -peeled butternut squash are a great short-cut for this hearty dish.

Recipe: Whole-Wheat Lasagna with Butternut Squash and Kale

3 /29 Jim Franco

Ultimate Mac ’n’ Cheese

Why "ultimate"? Because the sauce is creamy, not grainy; it's flavored with shallots, gruyère, and white wine, like fondue; and it's topped with crunchy sourdough bread crumbs.

Recipe: Ultimate Mac ’n’ Cheese

4 /29 Dan Goldberg

Spring Vegetable Macaroni 'n' Cheese

The comfort-food classic gets studded with jewels of fresh vegetables for an all-in-one meal.

Recipe: Spring Vegetable Macaroni 'n' Cheese

5 /29 Dan Goldberg

Parsley Mint Pistachio Pesto

Loads of bright, robust herbs make this version of pesto a standout.

Recipe: Parsley Mint Pistachio Pesto

6 /29 Jennifer Martiné

Arugula-Walnut Pesto Farfalle

To create a mild, nutty flavor in this special pesto, be sure to toast the walnuts, and use baby arugula rather than full-grown.

Recipe: Arugula-Walnut Pesto Farfalle

7 /29 Annabelle Breakey

Seashells with Basil, Tomatoes, and Garlic

This very simple, seasonal recipe is all about super-ripe, juicy tomatoes.

Recipe: Seashells with Basil, Tomatoes, and Garlic

8 /29 Annabelle Breakey

Parsley Ravioli with Brown Butter Sauce

When summer weather brings on fat bunches of parsley, we like to use it generously as both filling and topping for these ravioli.

Recipe: Parsley Ravioli with Brown Butter Sauce

9 /29 Leo Gong

Zucchini Fusilli

Freshly grated parmesan is essential to give the medley of corkscrew-shaped fusilli and zucchini strips the most flavor.

Recipe: Zucchini Fusilli

10 /29 Annabelle Breakey

Ricotta and Pea Pasta

A little lemon juice and zest brighten this simple, fresh combination.

Recipe: Ricotta and Pea Pasta

11 /29 Annabelle Breakey

Farfalle with Artichokes, Peppers, and Almonds

If you’re cooking for vegans—or just like the rich flavor of roasted almonds—this recipe is a great choice.

Recipe: Farfalle with Artichokes, Peppers, and Almonds

12 /29 Iain Bagwell

Mushroom-Herb Spaghetti

Sliced mushrooms give the sauce a meaty texture and loads of earthy flavor.

Recipe: Mushroom-Herb Spaghetti

13 /29 Leo Gong

Vegetable Ribbon Pasta Shells

If you have a mandoline, it makes quick work of creating the carrot and zucchini ribbons, but you can also use a vegetable peeler.

Recipe: Vegetable Ribbon Pasta Shells

14 /29 Leo Gong

Tomato Orecchiette with Brie and Basil

Instead of the usual parmesan, a Sunset reader opted for creamy brie, which coats the pasta beautifully.

Recipe: Tomato Orecchiette with Brie and Basil

15 /29 Annabelle Breakey

Spinach Mushroom Pasta

Feel free to be generous with the salt and pepper to bring out the most flavor in the hearty vegetables and whole-wheat pasta.

Recipe: Spinach Mushroom Pasta

16 /29 Annabelle Breakey

Spaghetti with Brussels Sprouts

Cut into the runny egg yolk to create a little sauce for the garlic- and butter-seasoned Brussels sprouts and pasta.

Recipe: Spaghetti with Brussels Sprouts

17 /29 Iain Bagwell

Whole-Grain Penne with Walnuts, Caramelized Onions, and Ricotta Salata

Cooking onions for almost an hour brings out their sweet side, which is excellent with the salty cheese.

Recipe: Whole-Grain Penne with Walnuts, Caramelized Onions, and Ricotta Salata

18 /29 Leigh Beisch

Sweet-Potato Gnocchi with Mushrooms and Spinach

This spectacular main dish will impress discerning vegetarians and omnivores alike.

Recipe: Sweet-Potato Gnocchi with Mushrooms and Spinach

19 /29 Annabelle Breakey

Blue Cheese, Mustard, and Beer Noodles

For the mildest flavor, choose a full-fat, creamy blue like gorgonzola and a lager-style beer; or go for a tangy Danish blue and an IPA-style beer if you’d like a more robust dish.

Recipe: Blue Cheese, Mustard, and Beer Noodles

20 /29 Alex Farnum

Eggplant Stroganoff

Sautéed mushrooms as well as eggplant give a meatiness to the sour cream sauce.

Recipe: Eggplant Stroganoff

21 /29 Annabelle Breakey

Tofu and Rice Noodles with Black Bean Sauce

Pan-searing sliced tofu gives it a meatiness that’s deliciously offset by crunchy vegetables, a drizzle of salty black bean sauce, and a bed of chewy rice noodles.

Recipe: Tofu and Rice Noodles with Black Bean Sauce

22 /29 Iain Bagwell

Stir-Fried Thick and Thin Noodles with Vegetables and Tofu (Pancit)

Our version of this Filipino favorite is based on a garlicky, peppery one at House of Sisig in Daly City, California. Substitute vegetable broth for chicken.

Recipe: Stir-Fried Thick and Thin Noodles with Vegetables and Tofu (Pancit)

23 /29 Annabelle Breakey

Bok Choy and Tofu Noodle Bowl

Browning tofu in a little oil gives it a more complex flavor; the tofu also develops a crisp surface that contrasts nicely with the tender noodles and tender-crisp bok choy.

Recipe: Bok Choy and Tofu Noodle Bowl

24 /29 Annabelle Breakey

Peanut Noodles with Tofu

The creamy sauce is on the sweeter side; if you like, feel free to start with less sugar in the sauce and add more to taste.

Recipe: Peanut Noodles with Tofu

25 /29 Iain Bagwell

Warm Soba Noodle Bowl

A big noodle bowl hits the spot on a cool evening, and this one, topped with hard-cooked eggs and hearty shiitake mushrooms, is one of our favorites.

Recipe: Warm Soba Noodle Bowl

26 /29 Valerie Martin

Sesame Broccoli Pasta

Whole-wheat pasta lends extra nuttiness to a Sunset reader’s Indonesian-inspired vegetarian main dish.

Recipe: Sesame Broccoli Pasta

27 /29 Annabelle Breakey

Soba "Fideos" with Sea Vegetables

Three kinds of sea vegetables, a.k.a. seaweed, give this dish incredible depth of flavor.

Recipe: Soba "Fideos" with Sea Vegetables

28 /29 Rachel Weill

Pearl Couscous with Fall Vegetables and Caramelized Onions

Cookbook author Joanne Weir’s beautiful, richly flavored dish makes a fine option for vegetarians at Thanksgiving or any other special fall meal.

Recipe: Pearl Couscous with Fall Vegetables and Caramelized Onions

29 /29 Annabelle Breakey

Seven-Vegetable Couscous

This recipe gets its intriguing flavor from Ras-el-hanout, an aromatic Moroccan spice mix.

Recipe: Seven-Vegetable Couscous