One-pan skillet pastas that taste slow-simmered

Skillet pastas are weeknight magic: one pan, dry pasta straight in, and a starchy sauce that tastes like it took all afternoon. The trick is the liquid-to-pasta ratio and finishing with something creamy or punchy so the starch glosses instead of clumps. These are the sets I reach for when everyone’s hungry now.

Lemon chicken orzo that eats like risotto

Brown bite-size chicken with salt and pepper, then add dry orzo, garlic, and a little butter. Stir in 2½ cups broth and simmer until the orzo is tender and glossy.

Stir in peas from the freezer, a big squeeze of lemon, and chopped parsley. The orzo’s starch makes its own sauce—no roux required.

Sausage, pepper, and mozzarella stovetop bake

Brown Italian sausage, add sliced peppers and onions, then pour in dry rigatoni with 2½–3 cups broth and a cup of jarred marinara. Simmer until the pasta softens.

Stir in a handful of mozzarella and a spoon of pesto, cover for two minutes, and let it get stretchy. It’s a skillet “bake” without the oven.

Creamy tomato basil in 20 minutes

Sauté garlic and a pinch of red pepper in olive oil. Add dry penne, a can of crushed tomatoes, 2 cups broth, and simmer covered, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is just shy of al dente. Stir in a splash of cream and a handful of Parmesan.

Kill the heat, add torn basil, and rest two minutes so the sauce thickens. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil. It tastes like you babysat a pot for hours.

Creamy mushroom and spinach farfalle

Cook sliced mushrooms in olive oil until they give up their liquid and caramelize. Add dry farfalle, garlic, thyme, and 3 cups broth. Simmer, stirring, until pasta is tender.

Fold in a big handful of spinach and a scoop of mascarpone or cream cheese. The cheese melts into a silky sauce that clings to every bowtie.

Spicy shrimp linguine with cherry tomatoes

Sauté crushed garlic and chili flakes, add dry linguine, halved cherry tomatoes (or canned), and 3 cups broth. Simmer until the noodles are almost done.

Stir in raw shrimp and cook just until pink. Kill the heat, add lemon zest and parsley, and toss. The carryover heat keeps shrimp tender.

Pantry carbonara-ish with peas

Crisp diced bacon, remove half the fat, add dry spaghetti and 3 cups water or broth. Simmer until tender, then cut the heat.

Beat two eggs with Parmesan, temper with a little hot pasta water, then stir off heat until glossy. Fold in peas and black pepper. It’s weeknight-friendly and still tastes indulgent.

Tips that make every skillet pasta work

Keep liquid close: start with roughly 3 cups per 12 ounces of pasta and adjust by a splash as it cooks. Stir often so nothing sticks and the starch emulsifies.

Always finish with something: a knob of butter, a spoon of pesto, lemon, or grated cheese. That last-minute addition is the difference between “good” and “why is this so good?”