This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through links on our site, we may earn a commission.
Have you ever made too much pasta before? I know I sure have! For some reason, I make too much pasta or not enough. There are many Leftover Pasta Recipes to make so the pasta doesn’t go to waste.
If you are like me, it’s easy to cook too much pasta for a meal. I never can seem to get the amount needed just right. But before you throw out the extra pasta, check out these great uses for that leftover cooked pasta.
After these ideas, you’ll be making more pasta on purpose!
Table of Contents
- Can you Freeze Leftover Pasta?
- Leftover Pasta Recipes
- 1. Parmesan Pasta
- 2. Baked Mac and Cheese
- 3. Pasta Frittata
- Turn leftover pasta into a pasta salad
- 1. Greek Pasta Salad
- 2. BLT Pasta Salad
- 3. Classic Italian Pasta Salad
- 4. Tuna Pasta Salad
- 5. Pasta Salad
- 6. Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad
- Add it to a casserole!
- 1. Chicken Noodle Casserole
- 2. Pizza Pasta Casserole
- 3. Tuna Casserole
- 4. Million Dollar Spaghetti
- 5. Chicken Tetrazzini Casserole
- Stir leftover pasta into a soup.
- 1. Crock Pot Minestrone Soup
- 2. Steak Soup
- 3. Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup
- 4. Pasta Fagioli Soup
- 5. Crock Pot Italian Chicken Soup
- Use it in a crock pot meal.
- 1. Crock Pot Chicken Parmesan Pasta
- 2. Crock Pot Chiken Fajita Pasta
- 3. Crock Pot Olive Garden Chicken Alfredo Pasta
- 4. Crock Pot Chicken Cacciatore
- 5. Crock Pot Cajun Chicken Pasta
- 6. Crock Pot Chicken Chow Mein
- More great Leftover Ideas
Can you Freeze Leftover Pasta?
Did you know that you can freeze pasta? This is an easy way to use leftover pasta. Just freeze it! Learn how to freeze pasta and check how easy it is to do with just a little bit of olive oil.
Freezing pasta is a great way to save time and money for future meals. I love freezing pasta once it has cooled to room temperature so that I will always have some on hand for a quick side dish or my favorite casserole meals.
Leftover Pasta Recipes
I love turning leftover pasta into another meal or side dish for my family. Check out some of my favorite recipes to use with leftover pasta.
1. Parmesan Pasta
Parmesan pasta is one of my favorite side dishes and we make it all the time with leftover spaghetti. With leftover noodles, this easy side dish recipe can be made in under 3 minutes. All you have to do is season with salt and pepper to taste and it’s ready to serve.
Feel free to use different type of pasta.
2. Baked Mac and Cheese
Baked Mac and Cheese is easy to make with leftover pasta. This easy Baked mac and cheese recipe is so creamy and cheesy. Plus using leftover pasta makes this recipe come together even quicker because no boiling water is needed. You can even add in leftover ham or chopped broccoli.
3. Pasta Frittata
You can also make an easy pasta frittata recipe that you can serve for breakfast or lunch. This leftover pasta frittata can be made in no time at all and is delicious too.
Turn leftover pasta into a pasta salad
Leftover pasta is great to use in a delicious pasta salad recipe. Here are a few of our favorite recipes that we love to make when we have leftover pasta in the house.
1. Greek Pasta Salad
This Greek Pasta Salad is so easy and frugal to prepare. Tons of veggies and pasta with the best flavor tossed together in a large bowl make this pasta salad recipe a family favorite. Loaded with fresh vegetables and mozzarella.
2. BLT Pasta Salad
BLT Pasta Salad is always a crowd-pleaser. There is something about that creamy ranch dressing combined with the bacon and veggies that makes this delicious. Add in chopped onion for added flavor.
3. Classic Italian Pasta Salad
Classic Italian Pasta Salad loaded with olives, tomatoes, cheese and more! Easy Italian pasta salad has the best flavor and will be a hit with the entire family. This classic pasta salad is made with pantry ingredients.
4. Tuna Pasta Salad
Easy Tuna Pasta Salad is a toss-and-go recipe full of protein, veggies, and more. You will love the creamy pasta and delicious tuna for a quick meal.
5. Pasta Salad
This easy pasta salad recipe is the most simple pasta salad recipe ever and it feeds a crowd. The best pasta salad recipe is so easy and a family favorite in my house.
6. Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad
If you love ranch, you’ll love this Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad! No need to buy store-bought mixes when it is so easy to make this bacon ranch pasta salad recipe. This is delicious with tons of ranch, bacon, and more.
Add it to a casserole!
Casseroles are fun to make but they take longer to make when you have to boil pasta for the dish. Now, plan ahead and make extra pasta and plan for that casserole. Here are a few of our favorite casserole dishes that we love to make with leftover pasta. With these recipes, all you have to do is bake at 350 degrees F and dinner is done. Waiting to preheat the oven to 350 is the hardest part!
1. Chicken Noodle Casserole
Chicken Noodle Casserole is easy and the best comfort food dish. Creamy chicken and noodles with cheese make this a casserole everyone will go crazy over.
2. Pizza Pasta Casserole
Pizza Pasta Casserole is a family pleaser! An Easy casserole recipe that my family requests all the time. If you love pizza, you will love this easy pizza pasta casserole. Nothing is better than pizza mixed in with pasta with tomato sauce or marinara sauce.
3. Tuna Casserole
This easy tuna casserole recipe does not disappoint. It is so creamy and the topping with Italian-style bread crumbs is crunchy and delicious.
4. Million Dollar Spaghetti
Million dollar spaghetti recipe has so much delicious cheese, ground Italian sausage, and tons of flavor for the best meal. This savory meal comes together in minutes but is special enough for company. This recipe is similar to a spaghetti pie and we have even served with a side of meatballs.
5. Chicken Tetrazzini Casserole
This casserole is a family favorite. We have even made it with penne pasta for a delicious casserole recipe.
Stir leftover pasta into a soup.
Leftover pasta is also great to stir into one of your favorite soups. Here are some of our favorite soup recipes that are great with leftover pasta mixed in!
1. Crock Pot Minestrone Soup
Crock Pot Minestrone Soup Recipe comes together for a flavor-packed meal with very little effort and is perfect for any type of leftover pasta. Make this soup to satisfy your craving for a warm bowl of delicious soup and let the crockpot do all the work.
2. Steak Soup
This Steak Soup Recipe is the perfect soup to leave everyone satisfied. This soup is hearty and delicious and sure to be a hit.
3. Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup
Enjoy this Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe in just 20 minutes any day of the week thanks to this easy recipe. If you are craving soup and need a super fast and delicious recipe. This soup mixture comes together easily with simple steps.
4. Pasta Fagioli Soup
Pasta fagioli soup recipe is so filling and delicious. This copycat pasta fagioli soup comes together quickly and makes an easy meal any night of the week. It’s a great way to stretch your meat budget too!
5. Crock Pot Italian Chicken Soup
Crock Pot Italian Chicken Soup Recipe is hearty, filling, and healthy. This meal is sure to be a hit with the entire family.
Use it in a crock pot meal.
We love crockpot dinners, but when you need to boil pasta to complete the meal, it ruins the “quickness” of having dinner ready when you get home.
We use the leftover pasta from previous dinners and serve it with our crockpot meals. Check out some of our favorite crock pot recipes that you can use with your leftover pasta.
1. Crock Pot Chicken Parmesan Pasta
Crock Pot Chicken Parmesan Pasta Recipe is easy to make and packed with the traditional flavors of chicken parmesan made in a hot pan. Everything you need for a delicious dinner including tender chicken and flavorful pasta sauce is in the slow cooker!
2. Crock Pot Chiken Fajita Pasta
Crock pot chicken fajita pasta recipe is a one-pot meal that has everything you need for a delicious dinner. If you love fajitas, this creamy pasta will be a hit and the slow cooker does all of the work!
3. Crock Pot Olive Garden Chicken Alfredo Pasta
Enjoy creamy and delicious Crock pot olive garden chicken alfredo sauce pasta at home and save a ton of money. Let the slow cooker do all the work and serve your family a delicious pasta meal.
4. Crock Pot Chicken Cacciatore
Crock Pot Chicken Cacciatore sounds fancy but it is so simple to make in the slow cooker. If you are looking for a one-pot meal that has the best chicken, mushroom, and tomato sauce, this recipe is a must-try.
5. Crock Pot Cajun Chicken Pasta
Crock Pot Cajun Chicken Pasta Recipe is creamy and delicious with a little bit of heat. The Cajun flavor really jazzes up this chicken dish for an easy meal that your family will love. Served topped with parmesan cheese.
6. Crock Pot Chicken Chow Mein
Our family loves Chinese takeout but now we can make Crock Pot Chicken Chow Mein Recipe at home and save time and money. This recipe tastes amazing and has the perfect blend of flavors with soy sauce. If you love stir fry and fried noodles, you are going to love this easy chow mein recipe!
No matter what you do, it is easy to find ways to use leftover pasta without your family knowing that you are eating leftovers.
Wow, I love this page! The recipes all looked great! The ads were minimal and not intrusive. Also, your email popup wasn’t really a popup. It was an inline call out that dimmed the rest of the page and went away when I clicked elsewhere. Thanks for a great experience. I’m adding your site to my favorites.