These Healthy, Easy, Low-Calorie Pasta Recipes Will Keep You Full (2024)

These Healthy, Easy, Low-Calorie Pasta Recipes Will Keep You Full (1)

If you think that the words 'pasta' and 'healthy' don't belong in the same sentence, boy, do we have some stuff to show you! Pasta is far from off limits — even if you're working your way

through a brand new diet — and can be the quickest and easiest meal you pull off all week. When you're craving a big bowl of carbs after a long, hard workout, simply wishing to prepare make-ahead meals for the week, or are trying to sneak more healthy fiber into your kid's day, these veggie-heavy pasta dishes are perfect for you.

Some of our healthiest pasta recipes are ready in under 30 minutes and can be made in one pot, too. Maybe you're looking for a smart way to use up leftover vegetables from a serious meal prep session — or hunting for the perfect use of your summer garden's best veggies? These lightened pasta dinners can be whipped as family-style recipes, often saving you from having to hit the grocery store yet again.

Most importantly, these pasta dishes are anything but heavy on the calories, carbs, and sodium counts. Nearly all of the pasta ideas in this collection contain less than 500 calories, and often clock in at under 50g of carbohydrates, which is a feat in its own right. You can make these pasta meals even better by skimping on added parmesan and heavy cream, choosing lean proteins, and in some cases, swapping out traditional pasta altogether (hello zucchini noodles!). You'll love using faux noodles — from zoodles to chickpea pasta — and loading up on as many fresh veggies as you can get your hands on. Follow along as we highlight these good-for-you ingredients, and then check out the healthiest ways to eat pasta according to a nutritionist.

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1

Summer Squash, Mint, and Pecorino Pasta

These Healthy, Easy, Low-Calorie Pasta Recipes Will Keep You Full (3)

Every vegetarian's dream in a bowl, this summer pasta medley incorporates the season's best flavors. And if you wait to add the cheese, it can even be shared with your vegan guests.

Get the recipe for Summer Squash, Mint, and Pecorino Pasta »

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2

Creamy Broccolini Pasta With Chile Breadcrumbs

These Healthy, Easy, Low-Calorie Pasta Recipes Will Keep You Full (4)

This peppery dish has all the best elements of our favorite casserole recipes: Fresh breadcrumbs, snappy veggies, and luscious noodles.

Get the recipe for Creamy Broccolini Pasta With Chile Breadcrumbs »

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3

Creamy Corn Pasta With Bacon and Scallions

These Healthy, Easy, Low-Calorie Pasta Recipes Will Keep You Full (5)

Who says bacon can't be healthy? Sprinkle it into this bright bowl of corn, basil, and scallions for a better-for-you comfort dinner.

Get the recipe for Creamy Corn Pasta With Bacon and Scallions »

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4

Pea Pesto Pappardelle

These Healthy, Easy, Low-Calorie Pasta Recipes Will Keep You Full (6)

This pea + ricotta + pesto combo tastes so refreshing. Plus, you only need five ingredients to whip up this tasty dish.

Get the recipe for Pea Pesto Pappardelle »

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5

Pasta With Red Pepper Alfredo

These Healthy, Easy, Low-Calorie Pasta Recipes Will Keep You Full (8)

Heavy cream and fresh parmesan are instantly lightened with fresh peppers, basil, and garlic. There's nearly 20g of protein in each vegetarian-friendly bowl, to boot!

Get the recipe for Pasta With Red Pepper Alfredo »

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6

Beef Stroganoff

These Healthy, Easy, Low-Calorie Pasta Recipes Will Keep You Full (9)

Even with beef and sour cream included, this one-pan meal still manages to stay under 500 calories.

Get the recipe for Beef Stroganoff »

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7

Linguine Carbonara

These Healthy, Easy, Low-Calorie Pasta Recipes Will Keep You Full (11)

Skip the bacon to make this one a bit healthier and vegetarian-friendly.

Get the recipe for Linguine Carbonara »

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8

Grilled Ratatouille Linguine

These Healthy, Easy, Low-Calorie Pasta Recipes Will Keep You Full (13)

Throw in all of your favorite veggies for a filling, summer-inspired dinner.

Get the recipe for Grilled Ratatouille Linguine »

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9

Shrimp and Zucchini Scampi

These Healthy, Easy, Low-Calorie Pasta Recipes Will Keep You Full (15)

Consider shrimp the answer to your dieting dilemmas — and it tastes simply divine in this so-easy scampi dish.

Get the recipe for Shrimp and Zucchini Scampi »

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10

Brussels Sprout & Basil Bowties

This recipe has our vote for "most delicious way to cook up what's in your fridge."

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11

Spaghetti With No-Cook Heirloom Tomato Sauce

These Healthy, Easy, Low-Calorie Pasta Recipes Will Keep You Full (19)

Homemade sauce in less than 30 minutes? Now that's a quick weeknight meal.

Get the recipe for Spaghetti with No-Cook Heirloom Tomato Sauce »

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12

Ratatouille Pasta

These Healthy, Easy, Low-Calorie Pasta Recipes Will Keep You Full (21)

This recipe follows a simple equation: one veggie for every noodle.

Get the recipe for Ratatouille Pasta »

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13

Orecchiette With Morels and Peas

These Healthy, Easy, Low-Calorie Pasta Recipes Will Keep You Full (23)

Packed with sugar snap peas, shoots, peas, morel mushrooms and more, this gorgeous dish gives you the perfect excuse to hit up the farmers' market this season.

Get the recipe for Orecchiette with Morels and Peas »

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14

Puttanesca Fresca

These Healthy, Easy, Low-Calorie Pasta Recipes Will Keep You Full (25)

Sometimes pasta is just the canvas for a truly, beautiful sauce. Here, rigatoni is smothered with a fresh, no-cook topping that celebrates the best of summer.

Get the recipe for Puttanesca Fresca »

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15

Easiest-Ever Spinach Lasagna

These Healthy, Easy, Low-Calorie Pasta Recipes Will Keep You Full (27)

As if you really needed another reason to love your slow cooker. Each slice of this super-satisfying lasagna clocks in at just about 350 calories.

Get the recipe for Easiest-Ever Spinach Lasagna »

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16

Veggie Lo Mein

These Healthy, Easy, Low-Calorie Pasta Recipes Will Keep You Full (29)

This spin on a Chinese takeout classic is crazy healthy and really easy to put together. The best part? It's ready in 15 minutes.

Get the recipe for Veggie Lo Mein »

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17

Spanakopita Penne Bake

These Healthy, Easy, Low-Calorie Pasta Recipes Will Keep You Full (31)

There is so much spinach hidden in here, it's practically a salad. You'll only need five other ingredients to bring this casserole to life.

Get the recipe for Spanakopita Penne Bake »

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18

Roasted Veggie Penne

These Healthy, Easy, Low-Calorie Pasta Recipes Will Keep You Full (33)

Roasting your veggies before tossing them with penne amps up the flavor of your whole dish. It's seriously worth the (minimal) extra effort.

Get the recipe for Roasted Veggie Penne »

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19

Zucchini "Pasta" Caprese

These Healthy, Easy, Low-Calorie Pasta Recipes Will Keep You Full (35)

When you transform everyday veggies, like zucchini, into noodles, it's a totally guilt-free way to enjoy endless amounts of "pasta."

Get the recipe for Zucchini "Pasta" Caprese »

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20

Light Spaghetti Squash

These Healthy, Easy, Low-Calorie Pasta Recipes Will Keep You Full (37)

You can lighten up almost any pasta dish with a few ingredient swaps — including ditching pasta altogether. Spaghetti squash naturally forms springs and is sturdy enough to support all your favorite Italian sauces. Chances are you won't miss the pasta one bit!

Get the recipe for Light Spaghetti Squash »

These Healthy, Easy, Low-Calorie Pasta Recipes Will Keep You Full (2024)

FAQs

What is the healthiest type of pasta? ›

Whole-Wheat Pasta

Also called whole-grain pasta, this type of pasta keeps the bran, endosperm, and germ of the grain together. It's filled with fiber, vitamins, and minerals. This helps you feel full longer and keeps your blood sugar from spiking. It also has a little over 8 grams of protein per cup cooked.

What to eat with pasta for weight loss? ›

Protein builds lean muscle, fiber reduces hunger and promotes gut health, and healthy fats enhance satiety. You can make any fat-burning pasta dish by using whole-grain, high-protein noodles, adding lean meats, and replacing fatty dairy products with low-fat cream and cheese.

How do you eat pasta and stay healthy? ›

There are plenty of ways to make pasta fit into your diet. For example, choose whole-grain or bean varieties more often, bulk it up with veggies and protein, and choose sauces with less sodium. If you're gluten-free, you can cook with gluten-free pasta—which has come a long way.

Which pasta is best for weight loss? ›

In fact, whole wheat or whole grain pasta is the best option for weight loss as whole wheat pasta takes longer to digest than pasta made from refined flour. Slower digestion means blood sugar will rise slowly after consumption, preventing your body from storing excess fat.

Is there a pasta diet to lose weight? ›

Pasta is frequently consumed as part of the Mediterranean diet, which is one of the most well-researched diets for weight loss and reduction of risk of type 2 diabetes (T2D) and cardiovascular disease [6,7,8].

What rice is healthiest? ›

For example, whole grains are better for our health when compared to simple carbs – which is why brown rice or black rice are regarded as the healthiest options. You should certainly be looking into eating whole grain rice.

Which is better for weight loss, rice or pasta? ›

At 117 calories per 100g Vs pasta's 160 calories per 100g, rice has significantly lower calories, so swapping pasta to rice may be beneficial for anyone controlling their calories as a way to lose or maintain their weight.

Is tuna good for weight loss? ›

Tuna is a lean meat. It's relatively high in protein, but low in calories, which means that it keeps you full longer and stops you from eating more. In one study, adolescents who regularly ate lean fish like tuna for several weeks lost an average of two pounds more weight than the control group that didn't eat fish.

Are eggs good for weight loss? ›

Eating eggs may support weight loss, especially if a person incorporates them into a calorie-controlled diet. Research suggests that eggs boost metabolic activity and increase feelings of fullness. Eating an egg-based breakfast may stop a person from consuming extra calories throughout the day.

What is the golden rule for pasta? ›

To be sure that your pasta is cooked correctly, it is enough to follow a few, simple rules. To begin with, you should keep in mind the right quantities. In Italy, the golden rule for cooking pasta is 1, 10, 100 or 1 liter of water, 10 grams of salt for every 100 grams of pasta.

What do Italians eat for breakfast? ›

A healthy Italian breakfast might consist of some bread, butter, jam, some yogurt, and fruit. Italians also eat muesli and cereal in the mornings with yogurt or milk. A combination of dried fruit, fresh fruit, nuts, and yogurt is a healthy and popular option.

What can I add to pasta to make it healthier? ›

Try this today: You can easily give almost any pasta dish an easy upgrade by piling on the nutrient-dense ingredients, like veggies. I like making macaroni and cheese and mixing in chickpeas, broccoli, zucchini, and Brussels sprouts to make it a healthy, high fiber meal!

Which pasta and rice is best for weight loss? ›

So, when it comes time to lose weight, traditional pasta is usually one of the first things that nutritionists recommend cutting from your diet. However, lots of weight loss warriors and health experts swear by pasta made out of different ingredients, including whole wheat, chickpea, and brown rice.

Which type of pasta has the least carbs? ›

  1. Shirataki noodles (konjac noodles) and tofu shirataki noodles. If you're counting carbs and craving pasta, these are your best bet. ...
  2. Zucchini noodles. Also known as zoodles, these are simply long strands that have been spiralized from whole squash. ...
  3. Hearts of palm noodles. ...
  4. Spaghetti squash noodles.
Oct 31, 2022

What is a low calorie alternative to pasta? ›

6 Healthy Alternatives to Traditional Pasta
  • Zucchini Noodles or “Zoodles” Zucchini is low in saturated fat and sodium, and very low in cholesterol. ...
  • Squash Noodles. ...
  • Quinoa Pasta. ...
  • Rice Pasta. ...
  • Black Bean Pasta. ...
  • Shirataki Noodles.

Can you buy low calorie pasta? ›

Eat Water Slim Pasta Penne 20 Pack * 270 Grams | Made from Organic Konjac Flour | Keto Paleo Diet and Vegan | Zero Sugar/Carbohydrate and Low Calorie Food. This product has sustainability features recognised by trusted certifications.

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