18 Easy Meals That Start With a Jar of Pasta Sauce—No Chef Skills Needed!
Got a jar of pasta sauce sitting in your pantry? You’re already halfway to a delicious, stress-free meal. These 18 easy recipes prove that you don’t need fancy ingredients or culinary training to whip up something amazing. From cheesy bakes to hearty skillet dinners, pasta sauce is the shortcut that makes weeknight cooking a breeze.div
Cheesy Meatball Bombs
These are the BEST cheesy meatball bombs that are easy to make, landing in garlic butter bread and topped with mozzarella cheese and marinara. Perfect as a meal, appetizer or snack.
Chicken Parm Sandwich
Chicken Parm Sandwiches are a shredded chicken and red marinara sauce sandwich. The addition of dry ranch dressing mix makes this sandwich full of flavor! Add melted mozzarella cheese to the mix and you’ve got yourself a winner!
Baked Ziti with Ricotta & Italian Sausage
My tasty baked ziti with ricotta & Italian sausage is the perfect all-in-one casserole dinner that combines pasta, sausage, cheese, and tomato sauce. This freezer-friendly meal can be prepared in advance or made the day of. Either way, your family will love this delicious twist on classic lasagna.
Slow Cooker Baked Spaghetti {Million Dollar Spaghetti}
This Slow Cooker Baked Spaghetti has a slow-simmered beef sauce layered with pasta with a cream cheese layer, and a mozzarella layer. It’s often called Million Dollar Spaghetti, whatever you choose to call it, it’s delicious.
Chicken Parm Casserole
Chicken parm casserole is an easy casserole recipe that takes the classic Italian dinner and turns it into a delicious meal. This chicken parm bake is full of tender, juicy chicken, red marinara sauce, pasta, and melty mozzarella. It’s the perfect dinner for any day of the week!
Cheesy Crock Pot Tortellini
This Cheesy Crock Pot Tortellini recipe is the perfect comfort food to warm you up on a chilly night. With a savory combination of ground beef, tangy tomatoes, and gooey mozzarella cheese, this slow cooker dinner is both easy to make AND delicious!
Dump and Bake Meatball Casserole
This Dump and Bake Meatball Casserole requires just 5 ingredients and no boiling the pasta first! With minimal prep, you will have a hearty and cheese pasta and meatball bake the whole family will love.
Toasted Spinach Pesto Ravioli
I made Toasted Spinach Pesto Ravioli, Joanne Tucker’s winning recipe of the “Appetizers for Any Party” category of the 48th Pillsbury Bake-Off® Contest. Crescent dough ravioli, stuffed with a spinach and pesto cream cheese filling, is then covered with panko breadcrumbs and baked for a creamy and crunchy appetizer.
Italian Sausage Pasta
Italian Sausage Pasta recipe comes together in less than 30 minutes for a quick, hearty meal. A creamy sausage red sauce with spinach coats penne pasta for a delicious recipe ready for weeknights!
Garlic Bread Casserole
This easy recipe for Garlic Bread Casserole is one to try the next time you need a new recipe and something that is super easy. Texas toast garlic bread topped with a hearty meat sauce and tons of cheese.
Easy Zucchini Casserole with Ground Beef (Low-Carb)
This easy zucchini casserole with ground beef is full of nutritious veggies and packed with incredible flavor — the perfect low-carb casserole! A quick one-skillet meal that kids love! Giddy-up!
20 Minute Baked Tortellini
This Cheesy Vegetarian Tortellini Bake comes together in about 20 minutes, with less than 10 ingredients, and all in one pan! It’s ideal for a busy weeknight when you’re short on time but still want to get a hot meal on the table!
Dump and Start Instant Pot Creamy Ziti
Dump and Start Instant Pot Creamy Ziti is saucy, cheesy and delicious. 20 minutes is all you need to make this creamy red sauce pasta dish!
Instant Pot Pasta with Palomino Sauce
This Instant Pot Pasta with Palomino Sauce is light and creamy and delicious. It comes together in just about 20 minutes and only uses 6 ingredients! This recipe is definitely going on my normal rotation from now on.
DUMP AND BAKE PIZZA CASSEROLE
This easy dump and bake pizza casserole is a delicious 30 minute meal that’s perfect for busy nights. Pasta’s infused with big pizza flavor and baked under a cheesy crust making for simple comfort food that even the pickiest eater’s will enjoy.
Air Fryer Italian Chicken Foil Packets
Air Fryer Italian Chicken Foil Packets are a fuss-free dinner made with chicken breasts and zucchini, covered with pasta sauce and cheese, then sealed in foil for a complete meal that’s bursting with flavor & ready in 30! Great for busy weeknights!
One-Pot Veggie Pasta
One-pot veggie pasta is an easy, budget-friendly meal that you can whip up in just 20 minutes on a busy weeknight. It’s truly a fuss-free meal that also helps you save on washing up!
Baked Mostaccioli Recipe
This Baked Mostaccioli Recipe is a deliciously creamy pasta dish that comes together quickly and is perfect for busy weeknights. It is made with a creamy red sauce, filled with ground beef for some great protein, and topped with melty mozzarella cheese!
