There’s almost nothing better than a delicious bowl of pasta packed with flavor. If you’ve been a long-time AK reader you know I love to throw a good noodle in soups, one pan meals, skillet dinners and more. We’re skipping Olive Garden and getting down with over 20 healthier pasta recipes that make the perfect dinner.
Reasons to fall in love with these healthy pasta recipes
Once you try them I can guarantee they’ll be instant favorites. I love quick and easy noodle and pasta recipes because:
- Pasta is inexpensive. You can frequently get plenty of noodles in a box for under $2, which makes pasta a wonderful weeknight dinner option when budgeting. Stock your pantry so you can whip up a yummy, healthy pasta recipe any night.
- Hello, variety. As you’ll see from this roundup we have everything from lasagna and spaghetti noodles to orzo and couscous. The options are endless.
- It’s the perfect base. Pasta is neutral in flavor, so it’s perfect for adding your favorite veggies, sauces, proteins and more. It’s also delicious hot or cold (hello, pasta salad season) so the leftovers are amazing.
What can I add to pasta to make it healthier?
You might be wondering what makes these pasta recipes healthier and the answer is: adding!
- Boost the veggies. Many of these healthy pasta recipes have lots of veggies even if you don’t necessarily see them. What’s great about pasta is that you can easily add tons of greens and other veggies to make them nutrient dense.
- Lighten up the sauce. I also lighten up the sauces used in these pasta recipes by using a little bit less of things like butter, cheese, and oil, though these things are often still included (and are completely delicious).
- Pack the protein & fiber. These healthy pasta recipes also pack plenty of protein and fiber to keep you feeling satisfied longer. Post-workout pasta, anyone? You’ll find healthy pasta recipes with chicken, fish, ground turkey, and plant-based proteins.
- Adjust based on diet preference. I’ve included tons of delicious, unique vegetarian and vegan pasta recipes that all have great sources of plant-based protein! Many of the recipe can be adjusted to be vegan or vegetarian, too, and you can always feel free to use gluten free noodles.
What to serve with healthy pasta recipes for dinner
Many of these easy noodle recipes serve 4-6, but you can easily feed more by adding some yummy sides! Here are some great recipes to serve with pasta:
- The Best Garlic Bread You’ll Ever Eat
- Everything Spring Green Salad with Basil Lemon Vinaigrette
- The Easiest Chopped Greek Chickpea Salad
- Vegan Caesar Salad
- Balsamic Herb Sheet Pan Roasted Vegetables
- Italian Chopped Brussels Sprouts Salad
Get all of my salad recipes here, and my side dishes here!
And when in doubt, make it a kid’s night by pairing a good old mac & cheese with my crispy baked chicken nuggets. I hope you love these easy, healthy pasta recipes! If you make any of them I’d love for you to leave a rating and comment on the recipe so I know how you liked it. Enjoy, xo!
V = vegan recipe
Veg. = vegetarian recipe
Veggie-packed pasta salads
Street Corn Pasta Salad with Cilantro Pesto + Goat Cheese Veg.
Damn Good BLT Pasta Salad with Creamy Jalapeño Cashew Dressing
Herby Olive Italian Orzo Salad Veg.
Grilled Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad
Peach, Tomato & Corn Arugula Pasta Salad Veg.
Avocado Tomato Chickpea Pasta Salad with Lemon Basil Vinaigrette Veg.
Cozy soups with pasta
Courtney’s Curry Chicken Noodle Soup
Creamy Tomato Orzo Soup with Mini Turkey Meatballs
Comforting & Healthy Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup
The Best Chicken Soup You’ll Ever Eat
Hearty baked pasta recipes
Incredible Caramelized Onion Spinach Chicken Pasta Bake
Pesto Mushroom Chicken Lasagna Roll Ups
The Best Healthy Turkey Lasagna You’ll Ever Eat
Vegetarian Spinach Pumpkin Lasagna Veg.
Cozy Roasted Vegetable Butternut Squash Lasagna Veg.
Vegan Butternut Squash Lasagna with Garlic Tahini Tofu Cream V
Stir fry noodle recipes
30 Minute Vegan Stir Fry Sesame Noodles with Chickpeas & Basil V
Sweet & Spicy Hot Chili Chicken Noodles
Crispy Broccoli Sweet and Spicy Sesame Tahini Noodles V
Mac and cheese & classic pasta recipes
Buffalo Mac and Cheese Stuffed Zucchini Boats Veg.
One Pan Lightened Up Hamburger Helper
One Pot Cheesy Mushroom Spinach Beef Pasta
Buffalo Cauliflower Mac and Cheese Veg.
Bacon Parmesan Brussels Sprouts Spaghetti
30 minute Healthier Pasta Carbonara
Spinach Bacon Pumpkin Mac and Cheese
Stovetop Southwest Tuna Mac and Cheese
20 Minute Garlic Parmesan Rigatoni with Chicken Sausage & Broccoli
Brussels Sprouts Mac and Cheese Veg.
Fun & creative pasta recipes
30 Minute Brown Butter Goat Cheese Grilled Veggie Orzo Veg.
Creamy Sweet Corn & Brown Butter Ricotta Pasta Veg.
Spinach Garlic Parmesan Orzo with Crispy Bacon
Greek Turkey Meatballs with Lemon Orzo & Creamy Feta Yogurt Sauce
Date Night In Cilantro Pistachio Pesto Shrimp Pasta
Vegan Pasta Primavera with Creamy Garlic Cashew Sauce V
Brown Butter Pistachio Pesto Pasta with Chickpeas Veg.
Roasted Butternut Squash Broccoli Cheddar Chicken Couscous
Kickin’ Vegan Taco Pasta with Sweet Corn V
Brown Butter Acorn Squash Pasta with Toasted Hazelnuts + Sage Veg.
Creamy Chipotle Sweet Potato Penne Pasta V
Roasted Rainbow Vegetable Pasta with Cashew Pesto + Goat Cheese Veg.
Creamy Roasted Butternut Squash Pasta with Peas V
Cilantro Pesto Pasta with Roasted Pumpkin & Honey Veg.
One Pot Moroccan Chicken Stew with Sweet Potato & Couscous
If you make any of these healthier pasta recipes be sure to leave a comment and rating on the recipe so I know how you liked it! Really appreciate it – xo!
Love your site. Have started getting busy in the kitchen with the help of retirement, a new stand mixer and several attachments, and your blog. Seeing, “ Healthier Pasta Recipes for the Perfect Dinner” made me think you were going to address how to make the pasta itself, as my wife is GF. Where would be a good place to search for GF pasta choices? By the way, the kitchen is a great place to be in quarantine or self-isolation, with the obvious exception of shopping trips.
Thank you for what you are doing.
I’m so glad you found Ambitious Kitchen! Many pasta brands have gluten free versions of their traditional pastas, so I’d suggest checking the labels. Banza is also a great, gluten free brand, or you could look for brown rice pastas! Enjoy!