21 Healthyish Noodle Recipes That Will Satisfy Your Pasta Craving (2024)

Penne for your thoughts.

Hannah LoewentheilPublished on October 08, 2017
21 Healthyish Noodle Recipes That Will Satisfy Your Pasta Craving (2)

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1. Creamy Avocado Spinach Pasta

21 Healthyish Noodle Recipes That Will Satisfy Your Pasta Craving (3)

Jo Cooks / Via jocooks.com

There's absolutely no heavy cream involved in this rich pasta dish. Get the recipe.

2. Easy Balsamic Veggie Pasta

Gimme Some Oven / Via gimmesomeoven.com

Grab all your favorite veggies, roast them in the oven, and call it pasta night. Get the recipe.

3. Drunken Zucchini Noodles

21 Healthyish Noodle Recipes That Will Satisfy Your Pasta Craving (4)

The Movement Menu / Via themovementmenu.com

Who needs takeout when you can make this better-for-you take on an Asian classic? Plus, there's nothing bland about zucchini noodles when they're drowning in a sauce of chili garlic paste, fish sauce, lime, and ginger. Get the recipe.

4. Dairy-Free Butternut Squash Stuffed Shells

21 Healthyish Noodle Recipes That Will Satisfy Your Pasta Craving (5)

Love and Lemons / Via loveandlemons.com

Cashew cream takes the place of dairy in this comforting fall dinner. Get the recipe.

5. Parmesan Garlic Spaghetti Squash

6. Sun Dried Tomato Fettuccine

21 Healthyish Noodle Recipes That Will Satisfy Your Pasta Craving (6)

Table For Two / Via tablefortwoblog.com

Non-fat Greek yogurt and sour cream makes this pasta taste totally decadent. Get the recipe.

7. Tomato and Ricotta Whole Wheat Pasta

21 Healthyish Noodle Recipes That Will Satisfy Your Pasta Craving (7)

Foodie Crush / Via foodiecrush.com

This whole-wheat medley is simple, veggie-packed, and full of flavor. Get the recipe.

8. Mushroom Spaghetti in Olive Oil

21 Healthyish Noodle Recipes That Will Satisfy Your Pasta Craving (8)

My Food Story / Via myfoodstory.com

You can leave out the butter all together and make this rustic pasta with nothing more than good olive oil, garlic, parsley, and chili flakes. Get the recipe.

9. Peanut Chicken Zucchini Noodles

Sally's Baking Addiction / Via sallysbakingaddiction.com

Packed with protein and veggies, these Thai-inspired zucchini noodles get a kick from a sauce made with peanut butter, low-sodium soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger, and Sriracha. Get the recipe.

10. Butternut Squash Alfredo

21 Healthyish Noodle Recipes That Will Satisfy Your Pasta Craving (9)

Joyful Healthy Eats / Via joyfulhealthyeats.com

Take advantage of fall's produce and make this rich "alfredo" sauce with roasted butternut squash and milk. Get the recipe.

11. Roasted Cauliflower and Mushroom Carbonara

21 Healthyish Noodle Recipes That Will Satisfy Your Pasta Craving (10)

Closet Cooking / Via closetcooking.com

This recipe has all the flavors of classic carbonara, but it's loaded with roasted veggies that'll fill you up without weighing you down. Get the recipe.

12. Ratatouille Spaghetti

21 Healthyish Noodle Recipes That Will Satisfy Your Pasta Craving (11)

Wallflower Kitchen / Via wallflowerkitchen.com

Ready in about 20 minutes, this simple spaghetti gets an upgrade from eggplant, zucchini, pepper, and tomato, all sautéed into melt-in-your-mouth goodness. Get the recipe.

13. Pesto Vegetable Pasta

21 Healthyish Noodle Recipes That Will Satisfy Your Pasta Craving (12)

Sue Bee Homemaker / Via suebeehomemaker.com

Angel hair pasta gets bulked up with spiralized zucchini, carrots, and squash. Then the whole thing gets tossed in nutty pesto (which you can whip up from scratch or buy pre-made). Get the recipe.

14. Roasted Veggie Pasta

Simple Bites / Via simplebites.net

Pop your favorite fall veggies into the oven while the pasta cooks, then toss it all together on a sheet pan with olive oil and Parmesan cheese for a feel-good weeknight pasta you'll want to make time and time again. Get the recipe.

15. Sun Dried Tomato and Basil Pasta with Shrimp

Carlsbad Cravings / Via carlsbadcravings.com

Who knew you could make such a fancy dinner in just 20 minutes? Get the recipe.

16. Lemon Broccoli Skillet Pasta

The Food Charlatan / Via thefoodcharlatan.com

This vegetarian meal is loaded with roasted broccoli, and it gets a zesty-hot kick from garlic, lemon, and red pepper flakes. Get the recipe.

17. Butternut Squash Noodles with Spinach and Ricotta

Running to the Kitchen / Via runningtothekitchen.com

Sauté spiralized butternut squash for about 5 minutes in garlic and olive oil and it'll become slightly-soft like perfectly al dente pasta. Get the recipe.

18. Parsnip Pasta with Brussel Sprouts and Sausage

Skinny Taste / Via skinnytaste.com

Look! It's everything you love most about fall in a single skillet. Get the recipe.

19. Carrot Gnocchi

21 Healthyish Noodle Recipes That Will Satisfy Your Pasta Craving (13)

PHOTO: LIZ ANDREW/STYLING: ERIN MCDOWELL / Via purewow.com

You've never had gnocchi like this before. Carrots take the place of potatoes in this light and airy recipe that gets dressed in a sauce of butter, garlic, and sage. Get the recipe.

20. Spaghetti with Mushroom Lentil Ragu

21 Healthyish Noodle Recipes That Will Satisfy Your Pasta Craving (14)

Fox Loves Lemons / Via foxeslovelemons.com

Bookmark this one for meatless Monday. Get the recipe.

21. Dairy-Free Roasted Red Pepper Pasta

Crazy Vegan Kitchen / Via crazyvegankitchen.com

This red pepper blender sauce is made with nut milk, tomato passata, and nutritional yeast...and you'll want to put it on just about everything from now on. Get the recipe.

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    21 Healthyish Noodle Recipes That Will Satisfy Your Pasta Craving (2024)

    FAQs

    How to make pasta more healthy? ›

    1. Pack on protein, vegetables, and healthy fats.
    2. Pick portions that fit your lifestyle.
    3. Add variety with pasta substitutions.
    4. Be mindful of fiber content.
    5. Add cheese in moderation.
    6. Try a cheese alternative.
    7. Make sauces at home.
    8. Don't overcook your pasta.
    Apr 1, 2022

    What can I eat instead of pasta? ›

    8 Low-Carb & Grain-Free Substitutes for Pasta
    • Zucchini. Zucchini is a popular noodle substitute because its texture makes it easy to spiral out into spaghetti-like shapes. ...
    • Cauliflower. ...
    • Spaghetti Squash. ...
    • Egg Noodles. ...
    • Cucumber. ...
    • Broccoli. ...
    • Eggplant. ...
    • Cabbage.

    How do you make pasta more exciting? ›

    1. Breadcrumbs can transform plain macaroni and cheese into a tasty pasta bake. Baked mac and cheese with breadcrumbs. ...
    2. Olives add a Mediterranean flair to an otherwise simple pasta dish. Pasta with olives. ...
    3. If you have lemons hanging around your kitchen, they can instantly add zest and acidity to simple pasta dishes.
    Sep 26, 2023

    What is the healthiest pasta to eat? ›

    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.

    Can I eat pasta everyday and be healthy? ›

    It is possible to eat pasta daily and still be healthy. The key to eating pasta every day is to limit your portion size and supplement your pasta bowl with essential nutrients. The recommended portion size is two ounces of dry pasta or one cup of cooked pasta.

    Is there a healthy pasta? ›

    Whole wheat pasta has a higher fiber and nutrient content than refined, white pasta. Here's why: There are three parts of a grain: the bran, the germ, and the endosperm. The bran and the germ contain fiber, healthy fats and vitamins.

    Can I still eat pasta and lose weight? ›

    Dietitians and other health care professionals should consider pasta as a low-glycemic carbohydrate option within the context of a healthy diet or a weight loss/weight maintenance diet.

    What noodles have no carbs? ›

    Because they are mostly made up of fiber, the net carbs in shirataki noodles is zero or close to it.

    How do you satisfy pasta cravings? ›

    7 Pasta Alternatives to Satisfy Your Cravings
    1. Zucchini Noodles. Looking to cut back on sodium and saturated fats, zucchini is a great place to start on your pasta alternatives journey! ...
    2. Spaghetti Squash. ...
    3. Quinoa Pasta. ...
    4. Shirataki Noodles. ...
    5. Sweet Potato. ...
    6. Black Bean Pasta. ...
    7. Rice Pasta.
    Mar 3, 2022

    What can I put in pasta instead of sauce? ›

    Cheese is an excellent way to add flavor to your pasta without having to rely on sauce. Try mixing your angel hair pasta with goat cheese, and toss in sun-dried tomatoes to make an amazing meal with just a few ingredients. Garlic butter is a terrific way to season all types of noodles.

    How to jazz up pasta? ›

    Spice Up Pasta FAQ

    Classic spices to add to a plain tomato sauce include Italian seasoning, garlic (fresh or powder), onion powder, basil, salt and pepper. You can also add a little bit of chili or cayenne powder for some heat.

    Does rinsing pasta make it healthier? ›

    No, in almost every case, you should not rinse pasta after it's cooked. It's true that rinsing noodles or pasta after cooking halts the cooking process. “This is also known as shocking,” Tiess says. But rinsing also removes the starch water after the noodles are strained, which is what helps adhere sauce to noodles.

    Can you eat pasta when trying to lose weight? ›

    Dietitians and other health care professionals should consider pasta as a low-glycemic carbohydrate option within the context of a healthy diet or a weight loss/weight maintenance diet.

    Does reheating pasta make it healthier? ›

    An experiment on the BBC TV show Trust me, I'm a Doctor, led by Dr Denise Robertson (senior nutrition scientist at the University of Surrey), showed that eating cooled or reheated pasta – turning it into 'resistant starch' – could help to reduce the rise of blood glucose levels.

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