Oodles of Noodles: 12 Healthy Pasta Dishes
Pasta is a weeknight staple. It's easy to make, fun to improvise, and totally satisfying. While we love mac and cheese in all its delicious forms, and are partial to cookie-shaped lasagna, pasta is also a great vehicle for super healthy eating. Here are 12 of our favorite noodlicious dishes, from spaghetti squash to soba.
Pasta is a weeknight staple. It's easy to make, fun to improvise, and totally satisfying. While we love mac and cheese in all its delicious forms, and are partial to cookie-shaped lasagna, pasta is also a great vehicle for super healthy eating. Here are 12 of our favorite noodlicious dishes, from spaghetti squash to soba.
1. Almond Soba Noodles: When it comes to healthy pasta eating, the first thing most people think is: Soba. Well, this thought is pretty legit. These buckwheat noodles are quite a bit healthier than their Italian cousins. (Recipe and photo: 101 Cookbooks)
2. Pasta With Beets, Walnuts and Goat Cheese: Every since we experimented with Beet Latkes, we can't get enough of this bright magenta veggie. (Recipe and photo: Not Without Salt)
3. Noodleless Butternut Squash Lasagna Cups: Not a pasta, but an awesome pasta replacement, this dish totally takes advantage of one of our favorite kitchen go-tos: The Muffin Pan! (Recipe and photo: E Is for Eat)
4. Spaghetti Squash with Avocado and Parmesan: I mean, it's called Spaghetti Squash. Pretty much impossible not to love the idea of replacing those carb-y noodles with their gourdy friends of the same name. (Recipe and photo: The Kitchn)
5. Korean Stir-Fried Sweet Potato Noodles: Classically known as Japchae, this clear noodle is light and a great base for a light dinner or healthy lunch. We definitely want to experiment with this in the Brit kitchen. (Recipe and photo: CHOW)
6. Raw Sauce with Zucchini Noodles: Zucchini can totally turn into noodles. Woot woot! If this is a little too much zucchini for you, we recommend mixing it up with summer squash and carrot peels. (Recipe and photo: Food, Fitness, Fresh Air)
7. Kelp Noodles with Broccoli Pesto: Not your run-of-the-mill noodle, Kelp noodles are fun to experiment with if you've got a few odds and ends in your kitchen. We're loving the broccoli pesto in this recipe. (Recipe and photo: Scandi Foodie)
8. Spaghetti Squash Sesame Noodles: Our second helping of spaghetti squash, these noodles are a great combo of traditionally Asian flavors with earthy squashy goodness. (Recipe and photo: Family Fresh Cooking)
9. Drunken Spaghetti: Replacing water with beer or wine is one of our favorite culinary hacks. This drunken spaghetti gets its maroon hue from a cheap Red Zin. (Recipe and photo: Elena the Epicurean)
10. Curried Noodle Patties: Oops, you made too much pasta last night. Time to repurpose your pasta into these delicious curried noodle patties. Yum! (Recipe and photo: 101 Cookbooks)
11. Multi-Grain Pasta With Sicilian Salsa Verde: When you're looking to a good helping of greens with your pasta, use this recipe as inspiration for a simple sicilian salsa verde pasta. (Recipe and photo: Bon Appetit)
12. Sweet Potato Ravioli with Kale Pesto: For a vegan twist on ravioli, use sweet potato as a filling and toss with a creamy (but not creamy) kale pesto. We recommend subbing walnuts in for pine nuts. Stay tuned for more on our new favorite nut tomorrow! (Recipe and photo: The First Mess)
What are your favorite healthy weeknight dinners? Got any delicious pasta alternatives we should know about? Leave us a note in the comments below or find us on Twitter.
