12 Healthy One Pot Pasta Recipes - Sweet Peas and Saffron (2024)

FAQs

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

Load it with veggies.

Make it more about the vegetables than the pasta and you're already off to a great start. Try to add enough vegetables to the dish that they're in the majority, whether that means sautéing a few additional handfuls of spinach or roasting extra cauliflower.

Adding capers, lemon juice, feta cheese and artichoke hearts will give you a classic Mediterranean pasta dinner dish. Grilled chicken is a good addition for both hot and cold Mediterranean pasta dishes. If you want to up the vegetable content, add some cucumber, onion, bell peppers and zucchini.

If you are buying a jarred or canned sauce, choose a tomato-based (marinara) sauce rather than a creamy sauce. Creamy sauces usually have more saturated fat and calories. Eating too much saturated fat has been linked to heart disease. Tomato-based sauces also contain more nutrients like vitamin A and lycopene.

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.

We've combined basil, oregano, rosemary, thyme and sage to provide a typically Italian touch. Whether you're making a salad, lasagne, cream sauce, bruschetta or colourful oven-roasted vegetables, you'll enjoy delicious dishes that are reminiscent of your favourite Italian restaurant.

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.

Fresh or dried herbs will also add flavor to pasta dishes.

"I use a lot of parsley, either fresh or even dried," Montillo said. "Oregano, garlic powder, onion flakes, black pepper all work well in a variety of sauces."

Can you make pasta healthier? ›

White bread and pasta do have less fiber and nutrients when compared to whole grains. However, if you prefer white pasta, focus on ways to make the dish more nutritious by adding protein and veggies and being mindful of your pasta portions.

What's the healthiest way to cook pasta? It is recommended to cook pasta al dente (slightly firm and chewy). As well as stopping the pasta from becoming overcooked and mushy, al dente pasta is healthier because it has a lower GI.

Meat lovers – Add some lean poultry to pasta for an extra protein boost. In addition to a high protein content, chicken and turkey also provide a number of vitamins and minerals like B vitamins (especially B6 and niacin) and selenium and zinc.