6 Easy Jamie Oliver Pasta Recipes (30 Minute Meals)

Jamie Oliver 30 Minute Pasta Meals are here with the full, easy recipes you need. If you’re looking for quick pasta dinner ideas for your family, this is the perfect guide. Get the step-by-step instructions from the famous Jamie Oliver cookbook for 6 complete pasta meals, including his famous Broccoli Orecchiette and hearty Sausage Pasta.

Every recipe is a full dinner with salads and sometimes even dessert, all ready in just 30 minutes. Save this pin to find the best Jamie Oliver pasta recipes for any busy weeknight.

1. Broccoli Orecchiette

This Jamie Oliver pasta recipe is a full Italian meal. You get a tasty broccoli pasta, a fresh courgette and mozzarella salad, and a classic prosciutto and melon side. It’s a perfect dinner for family or friends.

SERVES 6

Ingredients:

• Pasta: 125g Parmesan cheese, 1 large head of broccoli, 200g purple sprouting broccoli, 1 × 30g tin of anchovies in oil, 1 heaped tbsp capers, 1 small dried chilli, 3 cloves of garlic, fresh thyme, 500g dried orecchiette.
• Courgette Salad: 3 large sprigs of fresh mint, ½ a fresh red chilli, 1 lemon, 200g baby courgettes, 1 × 125g tub of bocconcini di mozzarella.
• Prosciutto & Melon Salad: A small bunch of fresh basil, ½ a lemon, 2 × 115g packs of prosciutto, 1 cantaloupe melon, balsamic vinegar.
• Seasonings: Olive oil, extra virgin olive oil, sea salt & black pepper.

How to Make It:

1. Prep: Get ingredients ready. Boil the kettle. Put a large frying pan on a low heat and a food processor with the fine grater attachment ready.
2. Start Sauce Base: Grate the Parmesan in the processor and set it aside. Prepare the broccoli. In the processor (with the standard blade), blitz the large broccoli stalk, anchovies with their oil, capers, chilli, and garlic into a paste.
3. Cook Sauce & Pasta: Put the broccoli paste in the frying pan with olive oil and thyme. Add a wineglass of water and the Parmesan rind. Turn heat to medium. Cook the orecchiette pasta in a large pan of salted boiling water.
4. Make Courgette Salad: While the pasta cooks, finely chop mint and chilli with lemon zest. Mix on a platter with olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Use a peeler to make courgette ribbons over the dressing. Top with mozzarella.
5. Add Broccoli to Pasta: After the pasta has cooked for 5 minutes, add the broccoli florets to the pasta water.
6. Make Prosciutto & Melon Salad: Make a paste with basil and salt in a pestle & mortar. Mix with olive oil and lemon juice. Arrange prosciutto and melon chunks on a platter. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar and the basil dressing.
7. Finish Pasta: Drain the pasta and broccoli (save some cooking water). Add them to the frying pan with the sauce. Remove the Parmesan rind. Stir in grated Parmesan and enough cooking water to make a shiny, creamy sauce.
8. Serve: Toss the courgette salad and bring all three dishes to the table to enjoy.

2. Pregnant Jools’s Pasta

This is a famous Jamie Oliver sausage pasta recipe. It’s a hearty and comforting meal that comes with a simple salad and quick frangipane tarts for dessert. A perfect family dinner.

SERVES 6

Ingredients:

• Pasta: 4 spring onions, 1 carrot, 1 celery stick, 1–2 fresh red chillies, 6 good-quality sausages (approx. 400g), 1 heaped tsp fennel seeds, 1 tsp dried oregano, 500g dried penne, 4 cloves of garlic, 4 tbsp balsamic vinegar, 1 × 400g tin of chopped tomatoes, fresh basil.
• Salad: 2 red chicory, 100g bag of rocket and watercress, Parmesan cheese, 1 lemon.
• Tarts: 6 small shortcrust pastry cases, 1 egg, 100g ground almonds, 100g softened butter, 90g caster sugar, 1 orange, 1 tbsp vanilla paste, raspberry jam, 250g tub of crème fraîche.
• Seasonings: Olive oil, extra virgin olive oil, sea salt & black pepper.

How to Make It:

1. Prep: Turn oven to 190°C/375°F/gas 5. Boil the kettle. Put a large frying pan on a high heat and a food processor with the standard blade ready.
2. Start Pasta Sauce: Blitz the spring onions, carrot, celery, and chillies in the processor. Add the sausages, fennel seeds, and oregano, and pulse until mixed. Fry this mixture in the hot pan with olive oil, breaking it up as it cooks.
3. Make Tarts: Mix the egg, almonds, butter, sugar, orange zest, and vanilla. Spoon jam into the pastry cases, top with the almond mixture, add more jam, then more almond mixture. Bake for exactly 18 minutes.
4. Cook Pasta: Add the penne to a large pan of salted boiling water and cook according to packet instructions.
5. Finish Sauce: Crush 4 unpeeled garlic cloves into the sausage mixture. Stir in the balsamic vinegar and the tin of tomatoes. Add a splash of pasta water if it looks too thick.
6. Make Salad: Arrange the chicory leaves on a platter with the rocket and watercress.
7. Combine Pasta and Sauce: Drain the pasta (save some cooking water). Tip the pasta into the sauce and stir well, adding a splash of the saved water to make it silky.
8. Serve: Serve the pasta in a big bowl with grated Parmesan and fresh basil on top. Serve the salad with olive oil and lemon wedges. Enjoy the warm tarts with a spoonful of crème fraîche for dessert.

3. Cauliflower Macaroni

This Jamie Oliver Cauliflower Macaroni is a cheesy, baked pasta dish. It’s a great twist on mac and cheese, served with a fresh chicory salad and a simple stewed fruit dessert.

SERVES 6

Ingredients:

• Cauliflower Macaroni: 8 rashers of pancetta, 1 large head of cauliflower, 500g dried macaroni, 250g mature Cheddar cheese, 4 thick slices of country bread, fresh rosemary, 2 cloves of garlic, 250g tub of crème fraîche, Parmesan cheese.
• Salad: 2 large red chicory, 2 large white chicory, fresh basil, 1 clove of garlic, ½ tin of anchovies, 1 tsp Dijon mustard, 2 tbsp natural yoghurt, 3 tbsp red wine vinegar, capers.
• Stewed Fruit: 18 ripe plums (or other stone fruit), 1 tsp vanilla paste, 2 heaped tbsp caster sugar, 1 orange, 1 cinnamon stick, brandy (optional), vanilla ice cream.
• Seasonings: Olive oil, extra virgin olive oil, sea salt & black pepper.

How to Make It:

1. Prep: Turn oven to 220°C/425°F/gas 7. Boil the kettle. Put the coarse grater attachment in the food processor.
2. Start Macaroni: Lay the pancetta in a large roasting tray and put it on the top shelf of the oven to crisp up. In a large saucepan, boil the cauliflower and macaroni together in salted water.
3. Start Stewed Fruit: In another roasting tray, mix the plums, vanilla, sugar, orange zest and juice, and cinnamon stick. Add a splash of brandy if you like. Place on the bottom shelf of the oven to cook for about 15 minutes.
4. Make Topping: Grate the Cheddar in the processor. Take the crispy pancetta out of the oven and blitz it with the bread and rosemary to make breadcrumbs.
5. Assemble Macaroni: Drain the pasta and cauliflower (save the water). Tip them into the pancetta roasting tray. Add 400ml of the saved pasta water, crushed garlic, crème fraîche, and the grated Cheddar. Gently break up the cauliflower.
6. Bake Macaroni: Spread the mixture evenly and top with the pancetta breadcrumbs. Bake on the top shelf for about 8 minutes until golden and bubbling.
7. Make Salad: Arrange the chicory leaves on a platter. In a liquidizer, blend basil, garlic, anchovies, mustard, yoghurt, vinegar, and olive oil to make the dressing. Fry the capers in a small pan until crispy.
8. Serve: Serve the hot cauliflower macaroni with extra Parmesan shaved over the top. Take the fruit out of the oven. Serve the chicory salad with the dressing and crispy capers. For dessert, serve the stewed fruit layered with vanilla ice cream.

4. Trapani-Style Rigatoni

A beautiful Jamie Oliver pasta recipe with a fresh, raw tomato and almond pesto. It’s served with two simple salads and a quick limoncello trifle for a perfect summer meal.

SERVES 6

Ingredients:

• Ciabatta: 1 ciabatta loaf, 1 heaped tsp dried thyme.
• Pasta: 500g dried rigatoni, 40g Parmesan cheese, 100g whole blanched almonds, 2 cloves of garlic, 1–2 fresh red chillies, 2 large bunches of fresh basil, 4 anchovy fillets, 450g cherry tomatoes.
• Chicory Salad: 2 red chicory, 2 white chicory, balsamic vinegar, fresh rosemary, ½ a clove of garlic.
• Rocket Salad: 100g bag of wild rocket, 40g Parmesan cheese, ½ a lemon.
• Trifle: 3 oranges, 75ml limoncello, 100g sponge fingers, 250g mascarpone, 2 heaped tbsp icing sugar, 100ml semi-skimmed milk, 1 lemon, 1 tsp vanilla paste, raspberries, 100g bar of dark chocolate.
• Seasonings: Olive oil, extra virgin olive oil, sea salt & black pepper.

How to Make It:

1. Prep: Turn oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4. Boil the kettle. Put a griddle pan on a high heat and the standard blade in the food processor.
2. Warm Ciabatta: Drizzle the ciabatta with olive oil, thyme, and salt. Place in the oven to warm through.
3. Make Trifle: Squeeze orange juice into a serving dish and stir in the limoncello. Line the bottom with sponge fingers. In a bowl, whisk mascarpone, icing sugar, milk, lemon zest and juice, and vanilla. Spread this over the sponge fingers. Top with raspberries and shaved chocolate. Put in the fridge.
4. Make Chicory Salad: Halve the chicory and grill them on the hot griddle pan until charred. Roughly chop the chicory and dress with balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt, pepper, chopped rosemary, and crushed garlic.
5. Cook Pasta: Cook the rigatoni in a large pan of salted boiling water.
6. Make Pesto: While the pasta cooks, blitz Parmesan, almonds, garlic, and chillies in the food processor. Add 1½ bunches of basil, anchovies, and two-thirds of the cherry tomatoes. Whiz to a paste, adding olive oil to loosen.
7. Finish Pasta: Drain the cooked pasta (save some water). Return it to the hot pan and mix in the pesto. Add a splash of the saved water to make it silky.
8. Make Rocket Salad: Put the rocket in a bowl and shave Parmesan over the top. Make a simple dressing with olive oil and lemon juice.
9. Serve: Tip the pasta into a large serving bowl and top with the remaining cherry tomatoes and basil. Serve with the warm ciabatta and both salads. Enjoy the trifle for dessert.

5. Wonky Summer Pasta

This is a fresh and simple Jamie Oliver pasta dish using fresh lasagne sheets. The sauce is a no-cook mix of egg yolks, Parmesan, and lemon. Served with a herby salad and quick meringue tartlets.

SERVES 4

Ingredients:

• Pasta: 2 egg yolks, 125g Parmesan cheese, zest and juice of 2 lemons, a small bunch of fresh basil, 500g fresh lasagne sheets.
• Salad: 8 rashers of pancetta, 1 clove of garlic, 1 tbsp fennel seeds, 100g bag of rocket or watercress, fresh mint, fresh tarragon, a handful of grapes, 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar, ½ a lemon.
• Tartlets: 4 small shortcrust pastry cases, raspberry jam, 1 × 400g tin of pear halves, 2 egg whites, 100g caster sugar, 1 tsp vanilla paste, vanilla ice cream.
• Seasonings: Olive oil, extra virgin olive oil, sea salt & black pepper.

How to Make It:

1. Prep: Turn oven to 190°C/375°F/gas 5. Put a large pan of water on to boil. Put the fine grater attachment in the food processor.
2. Make Tartlets: Spoon jam into the pastry cases. Top with sliced pears. Whisk the egg whites with sugar and salt until glossy and stiff. Fold in the vanilla and spoon the meringue over the tarts. Bake for 6 minutes until golden.
3. Make Pasta Sauce: In a big serving bowl, mix the 2 egg yolks with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Grate the Parmesan and add it to the bowl with the lemon zest and juice. Make a basil paste in a pestle & mortar and add it to the bowl along with some chopped basil. Stir everything together.
4. Start Salad: Fry the pancetta in a pan with a squashed garlic clove until golden. Add the fennel seeds.
5. Cook Pasta: Slice the fresh lasagne sheets into thin strips. Cook in the boiling salted water for just 1½ minutes.
6. Finish Salad: Arrange the salad leaves on a platter with fresh mint, tarragon, and grapes. Top with the crispy pancetta and fennel seeds. Make a dressing with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and lemon juice.
7. Finish Pasta: Use tongs to move the cooked pasta directly into the bowl with the sauce (the cooking water helps make it creamy). Toss everything together quickly. Add more cooking water if needed to make it silky.
8. Serve: Serve the pasta immediately with extra Parmesan. Dress the salad at the table. Enjoy the tartlets with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

6. Spaghetti Alla Puttanesca

This is a classic Jamie Oliver spaghetti recipe. The sauce is a quick and flavourful mix of tuna, anchovies, capers, and tomatoes. It’s served with garlic bread, a crunchy salad, and a silky chocolate ganache for dessert.

SERVES 4–6

Ingredients:

• Garlic Bread: 1 ciabatta loaf, fresh flat-leaf parsley, 3–4 cloves of garlic.
• Salad: 2 bulbs of fennel, a bunch of radishes, 1 lemon.
• Spaghetti: 500g dried spaghetti, 1 × 225g jar of tuna in oil, 2 cloves of garlic, 1 tbsp capers, 1 × 30g tin of anchovies, 1–2 fresh red chillies, fresh flat-leaf parsley, 8 black olives, ground cinnamon, 1 × 700g jar of passata.
• Ganache: 2 × 100g bars of dark chocolate, a knob of butter, 300ml single cream, 3 clementines, 12 palmiers or other biscuits.
• Seasonings: Olive oil, extra virgin olive oil, sea salt & black pepper.

How to Make It:

1. Prep: Turn oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4. Boil the kettle. Put a large frying pan and a large deep saucepan on low heat. Put the thick slicer disc in the food processor.
2. Make Garlic Bread: Slice the ciabatta most of the way through. Mix chopped parsley, salt, pepper, olive oil, and crushed garlic. Rub this mixture into the cuts of the bread. Wrap in wet greaseproof paper and put in the oven.
3. Make Ganache: Put a heatproof bowl over the pan of water for the pasta. Melt the chocolate, butter, and cream in the bowl with a pinch of salt and clementine zest. Once melted, divide between 6 espresso cups and serve later with clementines and biscuits.
4. Cook Spaghetti: Cook the spaghetti in the saucepan of boiling water under the chocolate bowl.
5. Make Sauce: In the frying pan, heat the tuna oil. Add crushed garlic, capers, anchovies, chopped chillies, and parsley stalks. Cook for 2 minutes. Add the tuna, black olives, a pinch of cinnamon, and the passata.
6. Make Salad: Shred the fennel and radishes in the food processor. Dress with lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper.
7. Finish Pasta: Drain the cooked spaghetti (save some water). Tip it into the sauce. Add most of the chopped parsley leaves, lemon juice, and olive oil. Toss well, adding a splash of cooking water to loosen.
8. Serve: Serve the pasta on a large platter with the remaining parsley on top. Serve with the warm garlic bread and the crunchy salad. Enjoy the chocolate ganache for dessert.