8 Pasta Meal Preps Ready in About 30 Minutes

There is no end to our love of pasta meal preps. And there’s definitely no end to our love of fast recipes ready in about a half an hour or so. We aim to please when it comes to meal preps, making things easy, and making things delicious. And we know sometimes we just need to browse some new recipes and get some serious kitchen inspiration. It’s so easy to get stuck making the same things over and over again.

Here are 8 of our favorite pasta meal preps that are not going to keep you in the kitchen all day and night. These preps are ready in about a half an hour or so and will also work well with what you have on hand, too.

One Pot Creamy Cajun Pasta

Here’s a spicy little number you’ll find especially warming in the winter but you can make it all year round! Find your favorite andouille sausage (or spicy Italian sausage, we won’t tell!) and toss it with pasta and this creamy sauce. It’s pretty addictive; you’ve been warned!

Pumpkin Sage Pasta with Ground Turkey and Mushrooms

This pasta dish is hearty and full of veggies. It’s also a great way to use that pound of ground turkey in your freezer. Don’t have pumpkin? Use canned sweet potato or pureed butternut squash. Either works. Kale can be swapped for spinach, and the turkey for chicken if needed. Any way you make it, with any of those ingredients, it will work!

Tuscan Chicken Pasta Skillet

We love a good chicken skillet dish and this one is an awesome meal prep with mushrooms, chicken, pasta, and our secret weapon from the pantry: fire roasted canned tomatoes! If you’ve never bought this canned items, may we suggest starting now? They add so much flavor!

Vegan Arugula Pesto Pasta

For the plant lovers! You’ll love this really flavorful pesto made with arugula. Yes, arugula! Add some peas and broccoli for a totally green pasta situation, or add some sliced cherry tomatoes for a bit of brightness. We like this with fusilli, but use any short stubby pasta you like, or even farfalle.

Chicken Penne Pasta

There was a time when I was making versions of this dish on a regular basis; one of my kids was so obsessed with penne and chicken. We love this dish because you don’t have to choose between chicken and pasta.

Easy Lasagna Soup Recipe

This is a classic here at WWL and for good reasons; it’s all the elements of lasagna, but in soup form. That means it’s fast and doesn’t require a ton of prep. But it still tastes like lasagna. Perfect for meal preps! Use any kind of meat you like (or even ground sausage!)

Air Fryer Pesto Pasta with Crispy Chicken

The air fryer makes prep go faster and that’s especially true with this delicious crispy chicken, which sits on top of a pesto pasta. Make it with spaghetti, penne, or whatever shape of pasta you like. We love it with a little tomato salad, but feel free to make it with a green salad or even a Caesar. We’ve even made this with zucchini noodles, too.

One Pot Creamy Shrimp Pasta

Shrimp is a great candidate for a pasta dish because it defrosts really quickly. While the pasta cooks, this sauce comes together and it’s creamy and quick and delicious!

Tips for Reheating Pasta

Reheating pasta can be tricky—it’s easy to end up with dry, mushy, or unevenly heated noodles. These tips will help you revive your pasta dishes to taste as good as when you first made them:

1. Reheat with Sauce

• If your pasta has a sauce, heat it together to avoid drying out the noodles. Add a splash of water, broth, or milk (for creamy sauces) to help loosen the sauce as it reheats.

2. Use the Stovetop

• For Sauced Pasta: Place pasta and sauce in a pan over medium heat. Stir frequently, adding a small amount of liquid if needed to maintain the texture.
• For Plain Pasta: Heat a pan with a little olive oil or butter. Toss the pasta until heated, adding a splash of water to prevent it from sticking.

3. Microwave with Moisture

• Transfer the pasta to a microwave-safe dish. Add a few tablespoons of water or sauce and cover with a microwave-safe lid or plate. This creates steam, which helps keep the pasta moist. Heat in 30-second intervals, stirring in between, until warmed through.

4. Bake in the Oven

• For baked pasta dishes like lasagna or casseroles, cover the dish with foil and reheat in an oven preheated to 350°F (175°C) for 20-30 minutes. Remove the foil for the last 5-10 minutes to crisp up the top if desired.

5. Use Boiling Water for Plain Pasta

• If you have leftover plain pasta, boil a pot of water. Place the pasta in a strainer or colander and submerge it in the boiling water for 30 seconds to 1 minute. This refreshes the texture and warms it up quickly.

6. Avoid Overcooking

• Pasta heats quickly, so avoid reheating for too long to prevent it from becoming mushy. Check frequently and remove it from heat as soon as it’s warm.

7. Store and Reheat Smartly

Store pasta and sauce separately if possible. This makes reheating easier and prevents the pasta from soaking up all the sauce.

Want some other delicious recipe ideas from us? Check these out!

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• 5 Easy Tuna Meal Preps
• 14 One-Pan Chicken Dinner Recipes You Can Meal Prep in 30 Minutes