24 Healthy Easy Pasta Meals

This post features 24 healthy pasta meals including simple vegetarian, chicken as well as fish recipes, easy to make one-pots, all delicious, low in fat, perfect as family dinners. 

Cooking pasta the healthy way

Before I dive into the recipes I thought it'd be a good idea to talk a little bit about preparing the pasta.

It is important to cook your pasta al dente, so that it's neither too soft nor too crunchy, but somewhere in between. Pasta cooked al dente is still firm and slightly chewy.  This is not only a lot more appealing than overcooked mushy pasta but it's also healthier.

When you cook pasta too long it raises its GI (Glycemic Index), which can cause spikes in your blood sugar, potentially contributing to mood swings and lower energy levels.

Pasta is often associated with unhealthy foods, but this is usually due to the sauces it's served with.  The good news is you can create delicious creamy sauces that are also healthy and low in fat.  

Healthy creamy pasta meals

1. Healthy Easy Mushroom Pasta

This 6-ingredient healthy easy mushroom pasta comes together in a matter of minutes! It is made using naturally low in fat fromage frais (fromage blanc), which thickens the sauce and adds lots of delicious tanginess to it.

Prep Time: 5 minutes, Cook Time: 10 minutes, Total Time: 15 minutes

2. Creamy Pasta and Broccoli (Low Fat)

This creamy pasta and broccoli recipe is a simple vegetarian dish that comes together in under 15 minutes!  It does not contain any cream, is low in fat, super easy to make and perfect as a family dinner.

Prep Time: 5 minutes, Cook Time: 9 minutes, Total Time: 14 minutes

3. Roasted Asparagus Pesto Pasta

This asparagus tomato pasta with oregano hazelnut pesto is a delicious vegetarian easy meal idea.  It’s super easy to make and bursting with flavour!

Prep Time: 10 minutes, Cook Time: 20 minutes, Total Time: 30 minutes

4. Creamy Spinach Mac and Cheese (Healthy)

This super easy to make, healthy spinach macaroni cheese is full of colour, goodness and loads of deliciousness your family will love!

Prep Time: 5 minutes, Cook Time: 15 minutes, Total Time: 20 minutes

Easy pasta salad recipes

5. Caprese Orzo Salad with Pesto

This orzo salad with pesto combines the concept of a caprese salad and basil pesto creating a delicious pasta salad that’s perfect as a light meal or party food idea.

Prep Time: 15 minutes Total Time: 15 min

6. Roasted Beetroot and Feta Pasta Salad

This roasted beetroot feta salad with pasta is satisfying, healthy and makes a delicious vegetarian meal or party food idea. It contains a handful of ingredients, comes together in under 45 minutes and can be served warm or chilled.

Prep Time: 8 minutes, Cook Time: 35 minutes, Total Time: 43 minutes

Pasta meals with vegetables

7. Pasta with Butternut Squash, Tomatoes and Arugula

This colourful pasta with butternut squash, cherry tomatoes and arugula (rocket leaves) is a quick and easy dish, perfect as a healthy vegetarian weeknight meal idea.

Prep Time: 10 minutes, Cook Time: 40 minutes, Total Time: 50 minutes

8. Polish Pasta with Cabbage Recipe (Lazanki z Kapusta)

Polish pasta with cabbage (‘lazanki z kapusta’) is a super simple one-pot recipe that works both as a main or side dish.  Preparation is minimal and the dish is on the table in 20 minutes.

Prep Time: 5 minutes, Cook Time: 20 minutes, Total Time: 25 minutes

9. Roasted Pumpkin Pasta with Garlic

This vegan pumpkin pasta recipe with arugula and garlic is a delicious seasonal recipe that’s easy to prepare, healthy and ready in about 20 minutes!

Prep Time: 7 minutes, Cook Time: 13 minutes, Total Time: 20 minutes

10. Roasted Red Pepper Pasta with Tomatoes

This simple roasted red pepper pasta recipe combines the natural sweetness of red bell peppers with tangy fresh tomatoes for a delicious, healthy vegan meal idea. Ready in just over 30 minutes. 

Prep Time: 5 minutes, Cook Time: 30 minutes, Total Time: 35 minutes

11. Roasted Beetroot Pasta Sauce (Low Fat)

This delicious roasted beetroot pasta sauce is low in fat and nutritious.  It contains a handful of ingredients and is super easy to put together.

Prep Time: 5 minutes, Cook Time: 35 minutes, Total Time: 40 minutes

12. Healthy Salmon Spinach Pasta

This healthy salmon spinach pasta is an easy and delicious way of turning salmon leftovers into a quick and nutritious meal the whole family will enjoy. Ready in 15 minutes!

Prep Time: 15 minutes, Total Time: 15 minutes

 

Healthy pasta sauce recipes

13. Quick Turkey Spaghetti Bolognese (Healthy)

This turkey bolognese is a speedy dinner idea the whole family will enjoy.  It is low in fat but has a deliciously rich flavour and comes together in under 30 minutes!

Prep Time: 5 minutes, Cook Time: 25 minutes, Total Time: 30 minutes

14. Avocado Basil Pesto Pasta Sauce (Low Fat)

This avocado pesto pasta sauce is an all-season, healthy, delicious vegetarian family dinner idea. It requires few ingredients and only about 15 minutes of your time.

Prep Time: 5 minutes, Cook Time: 10 minutes, Total Time: 15 minutes

15. Roasted Eggplant Tomato Pasta Sauce (Vegan)

This simple, vegan roasted eggplant tomato pasta sauce is delicious with any pasta and so easy to put together it’s perfect to make on a busy weeknight.

Prep Time: 25 minutes, Cook Time: 25 minutes, Total Time: 50 minutes

16. Tofu Bolognese Sauce Recipe

This vegan tofu bolognese sauce is deliciously rich and made using baked marinated tofu for added flavour and texture. Easy to put together and ready in under 40 minutes.

Prep Time: 9 minutes, Cook Time: 30 minutes, Total Time: 39 minutes

17. Easy Turkey Meatballs in Tomato Sauce (Healthy)

These healthy turkey meatballs in tomato sauce are a delicious and easy to make dinner idea. Your family will love the soft meatballs in a tangy sauce served over a bowl of steaming spaghetti.  Ready in under 40 minutes.

Prep Time: 10 minutes, Cook Time: 30 minutes, Total Time: 40 minutes

Healthy pasta bake recipes

This is another easy, healthy way of enjoying pasta.  Cooking pasta and vegetables in one pot is not only simple to do but it also infuses the pasta with lots of flavour.  Plus it's an easy way to control your pasta portion size.

18. Creamy Salmon Leek Pasta Bake (Healthy)

This delicious salmon pasta bake with leek is a quick and easy family dinner idea that comes together in under 30 minutes. Despite being low in fat it is creamy and comforting and comes with a light and crispy blanket of panko breadcrumbs. I will show you how to make this recipe using salmon leftovers as well as how to easily prepare the salmon from raw.

Prep Time: 13 minutes, Cook Time: 15 minutes, Total Time: 28 minutes

19. Easy Eggplant Pasta Bake with Chickpeas

This easy eggplant pasta bake with chickpeas is vegan, low in fat, packed full of goodness and absolutely delicious! It’s also one of the easiest to make one pot pasta dishes you’ll ever find!

Prep Time: 20 minutes, Cook Time: 30 minutes, Total Time: 50 minutes

20. Turkey Lasagna with Vegetables

This healthy turkey lasagna is made using lots of vegetables and a creamy bechamel sauce containing a moderate amount of fat. It’s easy to assemble, filling and delicious, perfect as a family meal. 

Prep Time: 10 minutes, Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes, Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes

21. Creamy Pesto Chicken Pasta Bake

This one-pot quick and easy creamy pesto chicken pasta bake is filled with delicious Mediterranean flavours everyone loves.  It contains a moderate amount of fat and no heavy cream. Ready in under 40 minutes!

Prep Time: 20 minutes, Cook Time: 20 minutes, Total Time: 40 minutes

22. Pasta Bake with Fennel and Cherry Tomatoes

This easy pasta bake with fennel and cherry tomatoes is the perfect mid-week dish, easy to make and based around only a handful of ingredients.  It’s full of flavour and low in calories.

Prep Time: 15 minutes, Cook Time: 30 minutes, Total Time: 45 minutes

23. Lentil Lasagne with Vegetables

This delicious vegetarian lentil lasagne contains 2 types of lentils as well as a generous amount of vegetables.  It's super easy to make, hearty, filling and nutritious, perfect as a family meal.

Prep Time: 30 minutes, Cook Time: 40 minutes, Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

24. Bean Pasta Bake with Tomatoes

This simple, low fat bean pasta bake with tomatoes is a super easy to make and delicious healthy vegetarian weeknight dinner idea.

Prep Time: 10 minutes, Cook Time: 20 minutes, Total Time: 30 minutes

Related recipes

• Healthy Meatball Casserole
• Easy Sun Dried Tomato Pesto Recipe
• Healthy Tuna Bake (No Pasta)
• Meatballs in Healthy White Sauce

You might also like this collection of healthy one-pot chicken recipes.

Keep in touch!

Have you made any of these healthy pasta meals? I'd love to know which one. Let me know how it turned out in the comments below, thanks!

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