Kid-Friendly Pasta Recipes That Will Make Them Smile and Clean Their Plates

Family dinner on a weeknight should be nutritious, delicious, and, most important, easy to make. That can be a tall order, so when it comes to Wednesday noshing, who are you gonna call? The answer is pasta: It cooks quickly and pleases the palates of persnickety youngsters. See our favorite pasta recipes to satisfy small-fry hunger.

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Pinky Pasta

Lennart Weibull

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Seasoned tomato paste stands in for sauce in this resourceful pasta recipe that turns pantry staples into a delicious kid-approved dinner.

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Creamy Roasted Garlic Penne

Jonathan Lovekin

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This simple, velvety-smooth dish is macaroni and cheese in a sophisticated disguise. Roasting the garlic mellows its flavor -- just right for younger palates.

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Penne Frittata with Basil and Ricotta

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Chop this pasta-filled frittata into kid-size bites, and they'll devour the whole cheesy thing, no coddling required.

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Shells with Roasted Cauliflower, Chickpeas, and Ricotta

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Cauliflower and chickpeas give this dish toothsome value while ricotta rounds out the creamy kid-friendly appeal.

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Baked Penne with Chicken and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

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Twice as good? Yes, we think so -- this flavor-packed baked pasta recipe makes two meals. One for now and one to freeze and reheat for a super-fast weeknight dinner.

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Easy Spaghetti and Meatballs

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Some nights, it's best to go with a blockbuster. Simmer the meatballs right in the sauce, and this particular crowd-pleaser takes only 30 minutes to get to the table.

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Broken Noodles with Tomato Sauce and Ricotta

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Wide, flat pappardelle are silky and delicious -- cook the broken noodles in homemade tomato sauce, and you'll have this vegetarian meal together in just 15 minutes.

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Fettuccine with Leeks and White Beans

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Who wants fettuccine alfredo when our version, creamy with protein-rich white beans, is on offer?

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Baked Pasta with Spinach, Ricotta, and Prosciutto

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Thick slices of this cheesy, rich baked pasta are a handy way to get kids to eat vitamin-rich spinach.

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Creamy Pasta with Peas

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Short bow ties (fusilli) are always a hit with kids. Add in crowd-pleasing peas and some peppery arugula. You may find you have a secret arugula fiend at your table.

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Pappardelle with Caramelized Onions and Parmesan

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Buttery-sweet caramelized onions are perfect for developing palates -- top with salty Parmesan for contrast.

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Baked Shells with Winter Squash

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Orange-hued winter squash mixed with Parmesan cheese makes a delicious and nutritious sauce -- and this dinner casserole looks just like the familiar shells with cheddar.

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Antipasti Pasta Salad

Petrina Tinslay

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Kids who like salty over sweet will love this pasta salad made with salami and prosciutto.

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Broccoli Rabe Pesto with Whole-Wheat Pasta and Sausage

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Switch things up for lovers of spaghetti and meatballs with this mean, green (and cook-time lean!) pasta. Whole-wheat linguine have a subtly different taste from its regular semolina counterpart, but in this hearty pesto-and-sausage pairing, the kids won't even notice.

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Kid-Friendly Pasta Recipes That Will Make Them Smile and Clean Their Plates

1 of 14

Pinky Pasta

1 of 14

2 of 14

Creamy Roasted Garlic Penne

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3 of 14

Penne Frittata with Basil and Ricotta

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4 of 14

Shells with Roasted Cauliflower, Chickpeas, and Ricotta

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Baked Penne with Chicken and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

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Easy Spaghetti and Meatballs

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Broken Noodles with Tomato Sauce and Ricotta

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Fettuccine with Leeks and White Beans

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Baked Pasta with Spinach, Ricotta, and Prosciutto

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Creamy Pasta with Peas

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Pappardelle with Caramelized Onions and Parmesan

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Baked Shells with Winter Squash

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Antipasti Pasta Salad

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Broccoli Rabe Pesto with Whole-Wheat Pasta and Sausage

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