Vegetarian Pasta Dishes

Pasta, beans and greens are a classic Mediterranean combination and perfect for an easy weeknight dinner. The pasta is orecchiette, a type of pasta shaped like "little ears" but you can substitute penne or rigatoni.

Recipe: Pasta with White Beans, Greens, and Lemon

The elegant sauce practically creates itself when you pour the hot pasta and vegetables on top of gorgonzola cheese, butter, and sage mixture. This is an easy one-dish meal that's certainly worthy of dinner guests.

Recipe: Linguine with Gorgonzola, Potatoes, Green Beans, and Sage

There's nothing like the sense of culinary accomplishment that comes from making your own pasta. It's not hard at all, and the fresh taste can't be beat. Stuff the ravioli with a creamy mixture of chard greens, ricotta cheese and parmesan for a memorable bistro-style dish.

Recipe: Tabla Mediterranean Bistro Magical Egg Ravioli

In authentic Sicilian style, this pasta doesn't have a thick heavy sauce that completely coats the pasta. Rather, the pasta is tossed lightly in olive oil and a mixture of roasted eggplant and bell pepper.

Recipe: Bucatini with Eggplant and Roasted Peppers

Layer lasagna noodles with a cheesy spinach mixture, shredded Monterey Jack cheese, and a thick sauce made by combining mashed black beans with jarred pasta sauce. Black beans, cumin, and cilantro give this traditional Italian-style lasagna recipe a Tex-Mex flair.

Recipe: Spinach-Black Bean Lasagna

Toss wide, flat pappardelle pasta with a simple mixture of steamed baby artichokes and asparagus. The fresh lemon juice and lemon rind perk up this colorful springtime dish with a splash of citrus.

Recipe: Pappardelle with Lemon, Baby Artichokes, and Asparagus

The exotic mushrooms and ultra-creamy sauce make this bow-tied shaped pasta dish worthy of a special occasion. We recommend that you splurge on the premium Parmigiana-Reggiano cheese because this dish deserves it.

Recipe: Farfalle with Creamy Wild Mushroom Sauce

Toss soba noodles (or angle hair pasta) in a spicy peanut sauce, then stir in cucumber, carrot and greens onions for an Asian-style main dish salad that can be served chilled or at room temperature.

Recipe: Peanut-Noodle Salad

Nothing says "comfort" better than a baked pasta and cheese casserole. The addition of collard greens gives this one an extra home-style feel.

Recipe: Baked Rigatoni with Ricotta and Collard Greens

Although orzo looks like rice, it's actually pasta and is often used in Mediterranean dishes such as this one-dish meal of pasta, ricotta cheese, olives and broccoli rabe. Broccoli rabe is a leafy green vegetable related to both the cabbage and turnip families. It's distinguished by 6- to 9-inch stalks and clusters of broccoli-like buds. It has a slightly bitter flavor and works well when combined with pasta and cheese.

Recipe: Orzo with Ricotta and Broccoli Rabe

The splash of sherry in the sauteed mushrooms adds another dimension of flavor to the creminis and shitakes. If you don't have dry sherry, use white wine as a substitute instead of cooking sherry because the cooking contains added salt.

Recipe: Mushroom Rigatoni Bake