Spaghetti Pie And 3 Other Pasta Dishes You Never Thought Of

We never tire of pasta. With hundreds of sauce and noodle combinations popping in our heads at the mere mention of our favorite Italian treat, what's not to love? But if you want to try something that departs from the usual, we have four unusual pasta dishes you have to try.

Some of these creations throw tradition out with the pasta water, while others simply tweak the usual pasta and sauce combination with unexpected ingredient traditions, like this Cajun-inspired jambalaya pasta dish that combined Creole flavors with our beloved spaghetti noodles perfectly.

If you aren't into that much heat, make individually portioned lasagna cups. You can stick with your traditional Bolognese and béchamel here, but baking your petite lasagnas in a muffin tin makes them easy to pick up, perfect for a buffet at your next party.

Check out the rest of our unusual pasta dishes you must try below:

Cupcake Lasagna

Lasagna cupcakes are one of the easiest, most versatile morsels I like to make at home, especially when hosting a large group of friends. It's my favorite kind of dish: one that demands little time, but garners endless praise from party guests. Though this particular recipe yields a classic meat lasagna, have fun changing it up to create an edible kaleidoscope of these mini-pasta stacks. My favorite variations include pesto, fontina, and pine nuts; Gruyère, béchamel, and shaved mushrooms with a drizzle of truffle oil; or crabmeat, vodka sauce, and asiago. A simple visit to a local market can provide fodder for endless inspiration. — Bradley Hawks

For the Lasagna Cupcakes recipe, click here.

Jambalaya Pasta

Sometimes a spicy dish is the only thing that can satisfy your hunger pains. This flavorful and hearty dish is perfect for just such an occasion. — Lauren Gordon

For the Cheesecake Factory's Cajun Jambalaya Pasta recipe, click here.

Quesadilla Lasagnakidney beansand lasagna

Ground turkey and  makes this a better-for-you mashup of quesadillas  that doesn't skimp on flavor. — Bush's Beans

For the Quesadilla Lasagna recipe, click here.

Spaghetti Pie

This hearty Italian dish makes a simple spaghetti dinner without meat. Use homemade marinara sauce or a good bottled kind for an easy dinner. Add some garlic bread and a salad, and you're all set. — Good Housekeeping

For the Spaghetti Pie recipe, click here.