30+ Easy, Healthy Pasta Recipes
These nutritious pasta recipes are all designed by a Registered Dietitian – try one for dinner tonight! This collection of recipes features all kinds of healthy pasta dishes, including vegetarian pastas, vegan pastas, shrimp pastas, and pasta sauces.
Do you often wonder “is pasta good for you”? As a Registered Dietitian, I’m here to assure you that pasta can absolutely be a part of a healthy diet!
Is pasta healthy?
On its own, pasta is a minimally processed food, made from just wheat flour, water, and sometimes eggs. One cup of regular cooked pasta provides 2.5 grams of dietary fiber and 8 grams of plant-based protein!
What makes a pasta recipe nutritious is what you add to the pasta. Because pasta is so versatile, it’s the perfect vehicle for lots of healthy additions, like vegetables, healthy fats, and high quality proteins.
- Vegetables add dietary fiber, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals
- Healthy fats you can add to pasta include olive oil, olives, nuts, and healthy pasta sauces.
- Pasta is delicious with all sorts of proteins, including shrimp, seafood, tofu, and cheese.
As you can see, pasta can be a nutritious, well balanced meal that provides carbohydrates, fiber, protein, and healthy fat. Enjoying pasta in this way helps keep you full and satiated by slowing digestion and stabilizing blood sugar levels.
Read on for all of the healthy pasta recipes, including vegetarian pastas, vegan pastas, shrimp pastas, baked pastas, and pasta salads.
Quick & Healthy Green Sauce for Pasta
One of the most popular recipes on my blog, this vibrant spinach and basil green sauce for pasta is a delicious way to get your greens in. Make it tonight for an easy weeknight dinner win, or meal prep a batch for a week of healthy eats! Ready in 30 minutes or less.
20-Minute Creamy Lemon Garlic Kale Pasta
This vegetarian pasta recipe features a deliciously creamy lemon garlic sauce and nutrient-dense kale! Made on the stovetop in about 20 minutes, this creamy kale pasta is a comforting and cozy weeknight meal. Use your favorite long, wide noodle like fettuccine for this recipe.
Delicata Squash Pasta with Broccoli and Sage
This delicious and wholesome vegetarian pasta dish is filled with delicata squash, broccoli, sage, parmesan cheese, and pine nuts. It’s easy to make and comes together in under 30 minutes for an easy weeknight win.
Creamy Blended Cottage Cheese Pasta Sauce
You’d never guess that this creamy pasta sauce is made with cottage cheese! It’s a healthy tomato basil vodka sauce recipe that pairs perfectly with rigatoni or penne. This recipe is easy to make in 30 minutes or less. Cook the sauce on the stovetop, then blend with cottage cheese in a blender until velvety smooth and creamy.
Quick & Healthy Kale Basil Vegetarian Pesto Pasta
A warm bowl of vegetarian pesto pasta coming right up! Follow these easy steps at home to make this 20-minute pasta dish, loaded with good-for-you ingredients. The blended homemade pesto is made with both fresh kale and basil. This greens-packed pasta is a terrific healthy option for lunch or dinner.
Pasta alla Norma with Basil and Fresh Mozzarella
Pasta alla Norma is an Italian pasta dish that features eggplant. It’s typically eaten in Sicily, as it originates from Catalia, Sicily. Traditional Pasta alla Norma ingredients include pasta, eggplant, tomatoes, basil, and ricotta salata cheese. To make this recipe, I stuck mostly to the traditional ingredients it calls for, but swapped out ricotta salata for parmesan and fresh mozzarella.
Pea Pesto Pasta With Roasted Tomatoes
This pea pesto pasta with roasted tomatoes is an easy and delicious vegetarian meal. It’s sure to please everyone for lunch or dinner!
Butternut Squash and Kale Pasta with Parmesan Cheese
This butternut squash and kale pasta is the coziest fall meal ever! It’s made with chickpea pasta, so it’s gluten free and has an extra protein boost, too.
Creamy Rosé Wine & Tomato Pasta Sauce
This creamy vegan pasta recipe combines ripe tomatoes with rosé wine and fresh basil to create a comforting blush pasta sauce that’s completely dairy free. The rosé pasta sauce is velvety, comforting, and packed full of flavor.
Roasted Pepper and Tomato Pasta
This roasted pepper and tomato pasta is the ultimate vegetarian comfort dish. It’s filled with flavors of roasted vegetables, garlic, olive oil, and fresh herbs.
Creamy High Protein Mushroom and Spinach Pasta
This creamy mushroom and spinach pasta sauce is made using a secret high protein ingredient! It’s a delicious and filling weeknight meal.
Spring Pasta with Lemon, Asparagus, Mushrooms and Peas
This pasta dish is spring in a bowl! It combines the fresh flavors of asparagus, dill and lemon for a light yet satisfying meal that comes together quickly.
Vegan Cauliflower Alfredo Sauce (No Cashews!)
This vegan cauliflower alfredo sauce without cashews is easy & quick to make in 20 minutes or less. The creamy vegan sauce is made from cauliflower, garlic, onions, tahini, and nutritional yeast for a savory, cheesy flavor. This sauce is perfect for making nut free vegan fettuccine alfredo for dinner! You can also enjoy this velvety smooth sauce with roasted veggies or drizzled onto grain bowls.
Vegan Sun-Dried Tomato Sauce with Pasta
You won’t believe this sun-dried tomato pasta is completely vegan! The decadent, velvety sauce coats the noodles perfectly to create this healthy pasta recipe (yes, pasta can be healthy!). Top this pasta off with fresh basil or parsley for an easy weeknight dinner win!
Creamy Pumpkin Alfredo Sauce Pasta
This vegan pumpkin alfredo sauce is what autumnal dreams are made of. It’s packed with rich flavor, and has the creamiest texture thanks to cashew cream!
Ratatouille Pasta
This ratatouille pasta is the best warm, and comforting, and healthy recipe. The ratatouille sauce is packed with vegetables and delicious flavor.
Angel Hair Pasta with Shrimp and Asparagus
This spring inspired angel hair pasta with shrimp and asparagus is light, fresh, and super satisfying. It’s easy enough for a weeknight dinner, but feels fancy enough for date night in!
Shrimp Scampi Zoodles and Noodles
This shrimp scampi zoodles and noodles recipe is the perfect light and easy pasta dish. It is full of fresh summer flavors like basil, lemon, garlic, and zucchini. This recipe takes 30 minutes to make and will please everyone!
Vegetarian Baked Ziti with Roasted Cauliflower
This baked ziti recipe features roasted cauliflower florets in place of meat for a vegetarian twist on the classic Italian dish. This vegetarian pasta bake is plant-based comfort food, packed with ziti noodles, marinara sauce, and three cheeses. Ready to eat in under one hour, vegetarian baked ziti is the perfect main dish when cooking for a crowd – it also makes for excellent leftovers.
Spinach Mushroom Lasagna with Cottage Cheese and Ricotta
This meatless four cheese lasagna recipe with cottage cheese and ricotta is comfort food at its finest! Lasagna is the perfect easy make-ahead meal for a crowd or to freeze for later. This vegetarian lasagna features layers of sauteed spinach and mushrooms, lasagna noodles, marinara sauce, and a creamy ricotta & cottage cheese mixture with mozzarella and parmesan. It’s easy to make and ready to eat in one hour!
Use your favorite jarred marinara sauce for this recipe, or try it with my simple homemade marinara.
Easy Baked Pumpkin Mac and Cheese
Made with cheddar and parmesan cheeses, this baked pumpkin mac and cheese recipe is sure to please everyone! The ultra creamy sauce is made in a blender, so it’s easy to make for a weeknight dinner.
Baked Goat Cheese Spinach Artichoke Pasta
This baked goat cheese spinach artichoke pasta is loaded with delicious flavor and nutritious vegetables. An easy weeknight win, as it’s ready in just about 30 minutes.
Cold Bowtie Pasta Salad with Feta Cheese and Spinach
This cold bowtie pasta salad (or farfalle pasta salad) is perfect for cookouts or an easy weekday meal. Cooked and cooled al dente bowtie pasta is tossed with crumbled feta cheese, chopped spinach, green olives, sweet roasted cherry tomatoes, and pesto sauce – yum! Make your own pesto or use store-bought. It’s an easy, crowd-pleasing recipe that comes together in 30 minutes or less.
Healthy Tri-Color Pasta Salad with Spinach Basil Sauce
This tri-color rotini pasta salad is served cold, making it perfect for summertime gatherings. It features my popular spinach basil green sauce, which uses a whole bag of spinach (!) and provides vibrant green color and a pesto-like flavor. Toss cooked and cooled tri-color rotini with the homemade sauce along with cherry tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, and mini mozzarella balls for a nutritious and delicious cold pasta salad.
15-Minute Vegetarian Greek Tortellini Salad
This vegetarian Greek tortellini pasta salad is filled with lots of nutritious crunchy vegetables, cheese tortellini, kalamata olives, and feta cheese, all tossed a creamy homemade Greek yogurt dressing. Served cold, this tortellini salad is a delicious and filling weeknight meal (or cookout recipe for summer parties) that takes just 15 minutes to make!
Vegetarian Cold Taco Pasta Salad
You’re going to love this taco pasta salad recipe! It’s a cold pasta salad made with nutritious taco-inspired ingredients (corn, black beans, cilantro, avocado – yum)! Toss everything in a creamy homemade taco salad dressing. This crowd-pleaser vegetarian recipe comes together in 30 minutes or less. Perfect for summer cookouts!
Healthy Roasted Vegetable Pasta Salad
Make this healthy roasted vegetable pasta salad for dinner tonight, or your next outdoor cookout! Made with simple, nutritious ingredients, it’s easy to make and will satisfy everyone.
Caprese Orzo Salad
Make this easy caprese orzo salad recipe for a simple and delicious side dish tonight. Mixed with homemade basil vinaigrette, it’s a great make ahead recipe, too!
Pasta Salad with Roasted Vegetables and Tuna
This easy pasta salad is a light and refreshing recipe for warmer weather. The addition of canned tuna in olive oil gives this meal a delicious and filling boost of protein, Make it for dinner tonight and have leftovers tomorrow!
Let me know if you love these recipes by leaving a comment or star rating below, and check out Instagram and Pinterest for more healthy lifestyle inspiration. Thanks for stopping by!
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30+ Easy, Healthy Pasta Recipes: Ratatouille Pasta
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: serves 4
- Category: main dish
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Vegan
Description
These nutritious pasta recipes are all designed by a Registered Dietitian, try one for dinner tonight! This collection of recipes features all kinds of healthy pasta dishes, including vegetarian pastas, vegan pastas, shrimp pastas, and pasta sauces.
Ingredients
- 1 medium eggplant, diced into 1 inch pieces
- 2 zucchinis, diced
- 1 yellow bell pepper, diced
- 4 tbsp olive oil, divided
- Salt
- Pepper
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 shallot, thinly sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 tbsp Italian seasoning blend
- 4 roma tomatoes, chopped
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 1/3 cup fresh basil, chopped
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 8 oz pasta (I used bowtie)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 420 degrees. Line two sheet pans with parchment paper.
- Toss eggplant with 2 tbsp olive oil and a shake of salt and pepper, and spread out onto one sheet pan.
- Toss zucchini and bell pepper with 1 tbsp olive oil and a shake of salt and pepper, and spread out on the other sheet pan.
- Roast vegetables for 25-30 minutes, until beginning to caramelize and fork tender.
- While vegetables roast, prepare stovetop tomato sauce. Heat remaining 1 tbsp olive oil over medium heat in a saute pan.
- Add onion and shallot with a generous shake of salt and pepper. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until transparent.
- Add garlic and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes.
- Add Italian seasoning, stirring to coat onion mixture, and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add tomatoes, tomato paste, and basil. Stir to mix everything up, then cover and cook for 10-15 minutes. Stir sauce every few minutes to ensure even cooking. Add up to 1/2 cup water as necessary to keep ingredients from sticking to the pan.
- Once vegetables are done roasting, stir them into the tomato sauce. Mix everything up to combine.
- Add balsamic vinegar plus salt and pepper to taste. Cover and simmer for 5-10 minutes.
- While sauce simmers, prepare the pasta according to package instructions.
- Mix cooked pasta into the plan with sauce. Serve warm, with fresh basil for garnish.
Notes
- Keeps well in the fridge for up to 5 days, and tastes good warm or cold.
- Add freshly grated parmesan cheese if desired/not vegan.
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