32 Comforting Fall Pasta Recipes

By

Jorie Nicole McDonald

Updated on July 31, 2024

Leftover Turkey Casserole — Photo: Photographer: Jennifer Causey Food Stylist: Torie Cox Prop Stylist: Claire Spollen

Autumn is the time of year to fully embrace Southern comfort food. And what could possibly be more comforting and delicious than fall pasta dishes? Whether you're in the mood for pasta topped with hearty Bolognese, creamy Alfredo, or nourishing fall vegetables, there's truly something for everyone to enjoy. These pasta recipes feature fresh fall produce like broccoli, greens, and butternut squash, along with ample helpings of beef, chicken, or bacon. We're a fan of these recipes because they are usually on the table and ready to eat in less than 30 minutes. Overflowing with savory flavor, these dinnertime favorites are the key to an unforgettable fall season.

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Chicken Spaghetti Casserole

Southern Living Chicken Spaghetti Casserole in the dish to serve — Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Karen Rankin, Prop Stylist: Claire Spollen

Cool nights call for a cozy dish, and nothing comforts like a casserole. Spaghetti, chicken, and vegetables cook in a creamy sauce. What's not to love?

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Baked Ziti

Southern Living Baked Ziti in the baking dish ready to serve — Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley

Ziti, ground beef, and marinara sauce are baked in a creamy ricotta mixture and topped with lots of cheese for the tastiest baked pasta dish. Add spinach or another vegetable to the mix to incorporate some greens.

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Chicken Alfredo Lasagna

Southern Living Chicken Alfredo Lasagna in the pan to serve — Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Margaret Dickey

You're cozy night in just got a whole lot cozier. This lasagna recipe swaps out the marinara for homemade Alfredo sauce for a mouthwatering casserole that everyone will love. The casserole dish feeds up to 12 people, but if you don't have that many mouths to feed, don't worry. It is easy to reheat or you can freeze it for up to two months.

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Quick And Easy Spaghetti Bolognese

Quick and Easy Spaghetti Bolognese — Greg DuPree

With a full-bodied meat sauce and freshly shaved Parmesan cheese, this pasta recipe is blooming with flavor. You won't have to stir the pot for hours—we have simplified the technique so you can create a satisfying family-style sauce in under 30 minutes. For the best flavor, use a quality jarred pasta sauce, such as Barilla or Classico.

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Creamy Chicken Alfredo Casserole

Creamy Chicken Alfredo Casserole — Greg DuPree

Creamy chicken Alfredo is a classic dinnertime favorite. And store-bought sauce, rotisserie chicken, and pre-shredded cheese make this casserole a true superhero. We've added pesto and plenty of chopped spinach to brighten up the flavor.

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Cheeseburger Pasta

Southern Living Cheeseburger Pasta in a bowl to serve — Caitlin Bensel, Food Stylist: Torie Cox

Quick, warm, and filling, Cheeseburger Pasta makes a great weeknight dinner. Use just one pan to make this dish—there's no need to boil the pasta separately. Worcestershire, mustard, chili sauce, and spices add umami and smokiness.

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Sloppy Joe Pasta

Sloppy Joe Casserole - Southern Living — Iain Bagwell

There's nothing sloppy about this dinner made with Sloppy Joe filling and elbow noodles. Hamburger buns become a crunchy topping.

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Southern Pimiento Mac And Cheese

Southern Pimiento Mac and Cheese — Hector Sanchez

Make pimiento cheese sauce for this spin on classic mac and cheese. Flavored with bacon, a crisp panko topping, and a dash of hot sauce, this comfort food meal is ready in 20 minutes.

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Meatball Pasta Bake

Meatball Pasta Bake — Hector Sanchez; Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas

There's no doubt a jar of marinara sauce, box of pasta, and frozen meatballs make a good meal. Brighten the flavor with fresh orange juice and sliced fennel. Dinner is still on the table in a flash.

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Chicken-Bacon Ranch Casserole

Chicken-Bacon Ranch Casserole — Fred Hardy; Food Stylist: Karen Rankin; Prop Stylist: Christine Keeley

Need a dinner the whole family will love? Chicken, bacon, and ranch pasta is sure to be a hit. This makes plenty for leftovers and reheats well.

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Stuffed Shells

Southern Living Stuffed Shells in the baking dish to serve — Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

Cut prep time without sacrificing flavor by using jarred pasta sauce, frozen spinach, and packaged shredded cheese. Adapt the filling to your liking by adding Italian sausage, ground beef, or veggies, or swap the sauce for a jar of Alfredo.

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Instant Pot Chicken Cacciatore

Instant Pot Chicken Cacciatore — Southern Living

This homemade sauce is a winner, and with the help of an Instant Pot, you can have a warm meal on the table in about an hour. You can also make this dish ahead of time and warm it before serving.

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Pizza Spaghetti Casserole

Pizza Spaghetti Casserole — Beth Dreiling Hontzas

Hosting an Italian-style dinner party but can't decide on pasta or pizza? No problem. This genius recipe pairs two family favorites. You can make it as much as a month ahead of time and stick it in the freezer.

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Buffalo Chicken Casserole

Buffalo Chicken Casserole — Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis

Spice up weeknights with a pasta bake reminiscent of your favorite chicken wings. Make a batch of this for game day and your crowd will cheer.

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Tortellini Soup

Tortellini Soup — Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Torie Cox

If tomato soup is a favorite in your house, this heartier version will hit the spot. Kale, sweet Italian sausage, and cheese-filled tortellini make this a complete meal.

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Chicken And Broccoli Pasta Bake

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

When you are short on time but still want to prepare a comforting meal for your hungry family, this chicken, broccoli, and pasta bake is a great choice. Pepperoncini salad peppers add a bit of spice to the dish. Save yourself a pot by boiling the broccoli with the pasta.

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Creamy Kale And Pasta Bake

Creamy Kale and Pasta Bake — Hector Manuel Sanchez

Even the doubters will love kale when it's baked in a creamy cheese sauce with tender pasta shells. A dash of hot sauce adds an unexpected kick. This dish can be served as a main or a side.

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Butternut Squash Lasagna

Butternut Squash Lasagna — Greg Dupree; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

We've taken your favorite family-style pasta and amped up the fall flavor with creamy, sweet butternut squash. Ricotta cheese, chopped spinach, and fresh sage enhance the texture and taste. Use no-boil noodles to save on prep time.

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Chicken-And-Broccoli Skillet Pasta

Chicken-and-Broccoli Skillet Pasta — Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

This dish comes together in one skillet, beginning with bacon, then progressing to the creamy, garlicky sauce, and finally ending with chicken and broccoli broiled to a crispy finish. We flavored it with Peppadew peppers, which is the brand name of the small, round piquanté pepper pickled in a sweet-and-spicy brine. You can buy them in a jar or find them on the olive bar in your grocery store's deli section.

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Butternut Squash Mac And Cheese

Southern Living Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese — Antonis Achilleos; Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer; Prop Stylist: Kathleen Varner

Mac and cheese fans may never go back to the standard version again. This comfort food gets the fall treatment. Skip the white sauce and blend butternut squash puree with broth to make a creamy sauce.

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Buffalo Chicken Mac And Cheese

Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese — Photographer: Jennifer Causey Food Stylist: Rishon Hanners Prop Stylist: Christina Daley

Mac and cheese always hits the spot on a fall night. Since it includes chicken, this is a great main dish. Add a side of roasted veggies, and dinner is done.

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One-Pot Pasta

Ground Beef Recipes: One-Pot Pasta — Southern Living

Perfect for a busy fall weeknight, One-Pot Pasta saves time on cooking and on washing dishes. Storebought ravioli cooks right in the delicious sauce beefed up with flavors of ground meat, mushrooms, onions, and garlic. Stir in mozzarella at the end for a meal you'll be eager to dig into.

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Pasta-Chicken-Broccoli Bake

Pasta-Chicken-Broccoli Bake — Iain Bagwell; Prop Stylist: Heather Chadduck; Food Stylist: Ana Kelly

All you need to settle in on a chilly fall day is this loaded casserole. You'll crave the combination of chicken, cheese-and-spinach tortellini, pecans, broccoli, and a flavorful sauce every night of the week.

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New Tuna Casserole With Potato Chips

New Tuna Casserole — Greg Dupree

Tuna casserole is the ultimate comfort food on a chilly night. But this recipe goes far beyond the typical, adding in green beans, leeks, fresh herbs, gourmet mushrooms, and heavy cream. As if that wasn't delicious enough, this recipe includes a crispy potato chip, bread crumb, and Parmesan topping.

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One-Pot Cajun Chicken Alfredo

One-Pot Cajun Chicken Alfredo — Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis

Warm up after a crisp day of raking leaves or apple picking with this one-pot wonder. Cajun chicken takes creamy Alfredo pasta to another level of comfort.

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Instant Pot Spaghetti And Meatballs

Instant Pot Spaghetti and Meatballs — Photography: Caitlin Bensel, Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

This Instant Pot recipe will have you eating tender meatballs and perfectly sauced spaghetti in under an hour. The meatballs are browned on the saute setting before you add the sauce and pasta—no boiling required. The pasta simmers directly in the marinara to absorb its flavor and cook until tender.

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New Turkey Tetrazzini

New Turkey Tetrazzini Recipe — Alison Miksch

If you're searching for a delicious pasta bake that uses up leftover turkey, look no further. We've lightened the standard turkey tetrazzini with loads of fresh spinach and mushrooms enhanced with a dry white wine, garlic, and onion mixture. This recipe will use up your extra box of Stovetop stuffing, too.

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Pimiento Cheese Chicken-Broccoli Casserole

Chicken Cheese-Broccoli Casserole — Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis

A casserole with pimiento cheese? Don't mind if we do! Two Southern classics combine for a creamy, cheesy meal to end a busy day. Try one of the other variations for more ways to impress your crowd.

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Leftover Turkey Casserole

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

This dish gives your leftover turkey from Thanksgiving another chance to shine, but you can also use rotisserie chicken in its place. Penne pasta and shredded poultry absorb the juices of cremini mushrooms, peas, fresh thyme, and cream of mushroom soup. A mixture of panko breadcrumbs and parmesan add a buttery crunch on top.

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Spinach Ravioli Lasagna

Spinach-Ravioli Lasagna — SL Van Chaplin

This easy lasagna bake makes use of store-bought pesto sauce, jarred Alfredo sauce, and frozen cheese ravioli to create a delicious main dish in record time. We add plenty of fresh baby spinach to the pesto for fresh flavor. The result is a bubbly, creamy, cheesy dish you can't wait to sink your teeth into.

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Broccoli Pesto Pasta

Broccoli Pesto Pasta — Photographer Victor Protasio, Food Stylist Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist Christine Keely

Fall meals will never be the same. Make the pesto with broccoli instead of basil, and toss in walnuts for crunch. Add in sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, or grilled chicken for more flavor.

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Slow Cooker Goulash

Slow Cooker Goulash — Jennifer Causey

A chuck roast stewed with tomatoes, carrots, onions, and paprika is sure to warm you on a chilly night. Our goulash recipe only requires browning the beef before tossing it into the slow cooker with the rest of the ingredients. Serve this meaty dish over tender egg noodles with a sprinkle of parsley.

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