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Lunch Ideas With Pasta

by Laura Fuentes

August 12, 2022
updated Jul 11, 2023

All the articles & recipes on this website have been created through real-life testing and experience (no ai) since 2010. This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

These easy pasta ideas for lunch are a great way to fill up bellies at lunchtime!

With these recipes, you will save time by turning leftover pasta dinners into another meal or utilizing dinner leftovers and packing them in a thermos. Pasta lunches make epic nutritious lunchboxes kids love.

From warm pasta packed in a thermos to quick cold pasta salads, you’ll find something for everyone in these recipes.

Pasta Recipes

It’s hard to resist a warm, tasty serving of pasta at lunch. Veggies, proteins, and cheese turn simple pasta into a complete lunch that will please both kids and adults! If it’s a winner for dinner, it’s a winner for lunch!

Thermos Chili Mac
5 from 13 votes
A cheesy, hearty pasta with smoky flavors, perfect for those days when you crave a warm and filling lunch.
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Salsa Verde Chicken Pasta
5 from 13 votes
Heavenly creamy, this pasta recipe comes together fast and has a smoky, vibrant flavor everyone will love!
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No Bake Lasagna
Just like traditional lasagna but without much work! A classic cozy meal to enjoy at home, school, or office.
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Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta with Chicken
5 from 15 votes
A delicious lunch you can cook in 30 minutes and makes you feel like you’re eating at an Italian restaurant!
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Spaghetti Carbonara
5 from 10 votes
Made in one skillet, this quick and easy pasta lunch has crispy bacon, cheese, and all the flavor!
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Veggie Mac & Cheese
4.87 from 22 votes
Yummy and easy, this lunch idea is a clever way to add more veggies to kids’ lunchboxes!
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Chicken & Broccoli Alfredo
5 from 13 votes
A creamy and complete meal that makes broccoli kid-friendly. Easy and delicious!
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Spinach and Tomato Tortellini in a thermos
Spinach & Tomato Tortellini
A 20-minute meal from start to finish, with a creamy texture and an irresistible cheesy flavor. Delicious!
Make This Recipe

Pasta Salad Lunch Ideas

The term “salad” isn’t just for lettuce-based salads. These pasta salad recipes use up last night’s pasta leftovers and turn it into a fresh and healthy lunch to be eaten cold or at room temperature.

cauliflower crunch pasta salad in a metal lunchbox
Crunchy Cauliflower Pasta Salad
4.92 from 12 votes
The perfect blend of flavors and texture with tender pasta and crunchy veggies. Super yummy and nutritious!
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cobb pasta salad in a lunchbox with beans and strawberries on the side
Cobb Pasta Salad School Lunch
5 from 16 votes
A hearty meal made with simple ingredients everyone loves. Plus, an epic homemade dressing!
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pizza pasta salad in a metal lunch box with cucumber slices on the side
Pizza Pasta Salad
5 from 7 votes
If it goes on a pizza, it can be tossed with pasta! Make this 5-min lunch stat!
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Easy Peasy Pasta Salad
5 from 9 votes
A healthy and colorful salad for a light lunch. The whole family will love it, especially the little ones!
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Pasta Salad with Tomatoes & Turkey
5 from 12 votes
Skip the turkey sandwich and toss pasta with a few slices of deli turkey and juicy tomatoes… fast and so good!
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Thai Chicken Pasta Saled in a Lunchbox
Thai Chicken Pasta Salad
Grilled chicken, pasta, and crispy veggies tossed in a homemade dressing! Easy, colorful, and scrumptious!
Make This Recipe

How to Pack Pasta for Lunch

There are two ways to enjoy pasta for lunch: warm or cold. If you want to pack pasta for lunch to be enjoyed warm, you ‘ll need a thermos. To enjoy it cold or at room temperature, you simply pack it inside your favorite lunch container.

To pack hot pasta in a thermos, you’ll preheat the thermos container, heat up the pasta serving piping hot, transfer it into the heated thermos, and seal.

Related: Best Thermos Containers for Hot Foods

To pack pasta for lunch to be eaten cold or at room temperature, you’ll simply assemble the pasta salad directly in the lunch container and close the lid.

Want to see learn how to preheat a thermos? Watch this video:

by Laura Fuentes
onAugust 12, 2022

If you enjoyed the article, please share it with others. Thank you!

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Hi, I'm Laura! I help you make healthy lunches and meals your kids will love, with simple and tasty recipes.

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