Get 30+ healthy pasta recipes including simple vegetarian, lean protein recipes, and easy to make one-pot meals. All of these recipes are delicious, low in saturated fat and calories and make wonderful family dinners.
Pasta brings families to the dinner table. You know your kids can’t get enough mac and cheese, and piles of spaghetti make everyone happy.
However, in this time of low-carb diets, pasta has gotten somewhat of a bad rap. Believe it or not, you can have a healthy meal that includes pasta, and your family will actually enjoy it!
Although traditional pasta doesn’t make a complete meal on its own, pasta does go well with the nutrient rich, healthy ingredients you want in your family dinners: vegetables, beans, lean proteins, and healthy fats.
Tips for Making Healthy Pasta Dishes
When building your pasta dish, keep these tips in mind.
Choose the Right Pasta
Make your pasta dish healthier by using whole wheat or multi-grain pasta as the base for your dish. You can also go gluten free! Tip: I end up cooking gluten free pasta more al dente for the initial dish because I find that it reheats better later (without getting mushy or falling apart).
Use Veggies
Add tons of veggies! If you want to get sneaky, you can puree them as part of a sauce, or finely dice them to mix in well with other ingredients. I love zucchini, butternut squash, eggplant, mushrooms, roasted red peppers . . .
Make the Sauce
Make your own sauces. Store bought sauces, especially creamy ones, can be high in fat, sugars, and salt. If you make your own, you have more control. There are plenty of recipes to be found online.
Use Smart Swaps
You can have a cheesy, creamy sauce and still have it be healthy. Just make smart swaps! Sprinkle cheese instead of throwing in handfuls, replace heavy creams with lighter milk or Greek yogurt, and use spray instead of olive oil when cooking the meats.
Choose Lean Proteins
Use lean proteins like chicken breast, fish, beans and shrimp. You can add tofu as well, but just pay attention to the calorie count if you are tracking.
Pay Attention to Portions
Keep portion sizes in mind when plating. Get out measuring cups if you need to; you’d be surprised at how quickly the calories add up when you fill your plate with too much pasta.
Check Your Sides
Keep the dinner table healthy. Ditch the garlic bread and bread sticks along with the butter and oil you may like to put on them. Don’t bring cheese to the table — just sprinkle parmesan on the whole dish before sitting down to eat. Serve a salad along side of your healthy pasta dinner.
Now – I’d love for you to check out these 30+ healthy pasta recipes I’ve found for you! Each recipe has followed some or all of the tips above.
When nutrition information was provided, I’ve made sure that the calories are around 600 or less per serving; saturated fat is 5g or less; and protein and/or fiber is high to keep you full. Just scroll down and dig in!
Then let me know what you think in the comments.
Healthy Pasta Recipes
Get 30+ healthy pasta dishes including vegetarian, lean protein recipes, and easy to make one-pot meals. All are great for family dinners!
Scallop Shrimp Pasta with Burst Cherry Tomatoes
An impressive yet quick and easy recipe perfect for date night or just any weeknight! With less than 500 calories per serving and 32g protein that will keep you satiated.
Eggplant Linguine
Learn how to make this vegetarian linguine featuring some of your favorite veggies like eggplant and sun dried tomato.
Italian Orzo Spinach Soup
Get warmed up in cool weather with this orzo soup chock full of vegetables and Italian seasonings!
Almond Chicken Florentine
Adding healthy nuts like almonds to your pasta not only gives the dish a boost of fiber, protein and healthy fats, it also adds a bit of crunch!
One Pot Loaded Veggie Pasta
There is nothing better than a one pot meal! This pasta recipe is loaded with vegetables, so you can clear out your produce drawer.
Tuna Pasta
This lightened up tuna pasta recipe is creamy and delicious without the guilt! Plus it uses one skillet so clean up is a breeze.
Chicken Lasagna Roll Ups
These lasagna roll ups are made with wheat or brown rice pasta, chicken, a healthy white sauce, artichoke hearts and spinach. Fun to make and delicious!
Turkey Enchilada Pasta Casserole
This delicious casserole makes a perfect meal for a family. While it says that it's "enchilada," that is just the flavor. The base is pasta! It's tasty with a bit of Mexican flair - and the calorie count is just right!
Pasta with Asparagus, Peas and Parmesan
This one-pot meal is ready in 30 minutes or less. Full of healthy spring veggies and whole wheat pasta, this recipe is delicious and perfect for busy weeknight dinners.
Lemon Shrimp and Spinach with Spaghetti
In 30 minutes you can enjoy this shrimp pasta meal as an easy dinner. Features 23g of protein and only 2g of saturated fat! The lemon adds a nice, light flavor that brings the meal together.
Vegan Pasta Primavera
This light and flavorful dish features lemon, garlic and fresh veggies. Bonus? It is ready in 30 minutes!
Healthy Baked Ziti with Kale & Mushrooms
This quick & easy pasta recipe is freezer-friendly. Using cottage cheese & vegetables, healthy baked ziti is sure to be a household favorite!
Grilled Southwestern Steak Salad
Can you believe there is a steak recipe on this list of healthy pasta dishes? This bow tie salad can be served hot or cold and has tons of veggies, 30g of protein and only 3g saturated fat per serving!
Lemon Orzo Salad
Only 8 ingredients needed for this fresh, tangy side dish perfect for summer get togethers.
Weeknight Mediterranean Pasta
You'll love this healthy recipe filled with tomatoes, feta, lemon, and herbs. Quick and easy, it's the ultimate weeknight Mediterranean spaghetti.
Vegetable Pasta Bake
A veggie packed dinner that even the meat-eaters will devour - this vegetable rigatoni bake is tasty, filling comfort food.
Italian Wedding Soup with Turkey Meatballs
Turkey meatballs have less saturated fat than beef meatballs, so they are perfect for this recipe. Bonus? The whole recipe takes 28 minutes or less!
Creamy Tomato and Cannellini Pasta
This vegan dish is easily made with items you have in your pantry or it can be made with fresh ingredients when available. The cannellini beans cook down and create a deliciously creamy pasta sauce.
Creamy Mushroom Pasta
This lightened up mushroom pasta might have less fat and calories, but it still has all the creaminess and taste of the standard version!
Chicken Caprese Pasta
This is a super easy 'dump and bake' recipe only takes 5 minutes of prep! You don't even have to boil the pasta.
Tuscan Chicken Pasta
This Tuscan chicken pasta is a healthier copycat Olive Garden recipe. It is creamy and full of flavor just like the original, but it has so much less fat!
Grilled Chicken and Asparagus Pesto Pasta
This recipe is perfect for summer! Simple ingredients, but tons of flavor thanks to grilling and the pesto lemon sauce.
Roasted Broccoli and Cauliflower Pasta
With 16 cups of broccoli and cauliflower, this recipe is definitely full of veggies! No need for a side salad with this pasta dish.
Ground Turkey and Broccoli Pasta
This highly rated pasta recipe features ground turkey and broccoli. It takes 30 minutes to make and is very filling with 31g of protein per serving!
Greek Pasta Salad
Pasta, veggies, feta, olives and a homemade Greek salad dressing come together to make a delicious side dish perfect for picnics or barbecues
Hummus Pasta
This healthy vegetarian dish uses hummus in place of cream so there is only 1 gram of saturated fat in each serving!
Greek Yogurt-Herb Fettucine Alfredo
This is a healthy pasta dish that is masquerading as a comfort food. Unlike the Alfredo, this dish doesn't have cream and parmesan. Instead Greek yogurt is used and you get a similar creamy sauce!
Vegetarian Baked Spaghetti
Comfort food made healthy! This baked spaghetti is still topped with cheese, but is chock full of veggies and uses whole wheat spaghetti.
Semi-Homemade Pasta and Veggies
You don't always have to make your healthy pasta recipes from scratch. This pasta with broccoli, corn and peas is super easy to make with a store bought pesto!
Vegan Lentil Bolognese
You won't miss the meat in this lentil bolognese with tomato sauce. Lentils are super filling, full of fiber (28g) and protein (25g) and cheap — cha-ching!
Walnut Sauce Pasta
With only 5g of saturated fat and 19g of protein per serving, this walnut sauce pasta is not only healthy, it is delicious!
Baked Zucchini "Meatballs"
Enjoy this meatless meal in 30 minutes! The "meatballs" are made with zucchini, cheese and seasoning.
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