5 Favorite Pasta Dishes
When you’re in the mood for a completely satisfying yet healthy-ish meal, turn to one of these five tried-and-true vegetarian pasta recipes! Each features a lentil-, chickpea- or quinoa-based noodle, and all can be modified to be vegan. From creamy plant-based red pepper sauce to the ultimate pistachio pesto, the sauces are super flavorful and packed with a variety of veggies. Whether you’re craving spaghetti, rotini or lasagna, you’re guaranteed to love these five favorite pasta dishes!
CREAMY CORN CACIO E PEPE
Consider this Creamy Corn Cacio e Pepe an amped-up version of the classic recipe. Onions, garlic and fresh corn are sautéed with butter and seasoned with salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. A bit of the reserved pasta water is poured into the corn mixture, then an immersion blender goes to work forming it into a silky sauce. The pasta is tossed in the corn sauce to form a coherent creation, and finally, it’s all topped with fresh mozzarella, chives and additional pepper. The result is slightly sweet, slightly spicy and oh-so-delicious.
RED LENTIL PASTA WITH PISTACHIO PESTO
Hi guys — I’m here to share the 100% best pesto you’ll ever, ever have. It’s tangy. It’s rich. It’s packed with protein-laden pistachios, which have WAY more flavor than the traditional pine nuts. And here’s the kicker: the pesto contains a full five ounces of fresh spinach, meaning you’re consuming tons of dark leafy greens without even realizing it. Plus, it’s crazy easy! Blend, boil, toss and serve.
CREAMY VEGAN ROASTED RED PEPPER PASTA
This Creamy Vegan Roasted Red Pepper Pasta is MAGIC! After I whipped up the sauce, I had my husband taste it and he straight up asked: “how much heavy cream did you put in this?” The answer — since this recipe is vegan, of course — is none! The creaminess in this pasta comes from two ingredients: light coconut milk and cannellini beans. It might seem weird to purée beans into a pasta sauce, but it seriously works. The beans help to thicken up the sauce and make it super silky and rich.
GREEN VEGGIE LASAGNA WITH SPINACH PESTO
Lasagna is often thought of as being rich and decadent. But when you pack it full of as many green veggies as possible — and use green lentil lasagna noodles — it can actually be super healthy! Enter in this Green Veggie Lasagna with Spinach Pesto. Nearly four cups of fresh spinach is packed into the pesto; broccoli and peas, along with sautéed mushrooms and onions, bring this flavorful lasagna together. So skip the guilt and dig in!
TOMATO & MASCARPONE PASTA
This gluten-free Tomato & Mascarpone Pasta is oh-so-easy and oh-so-delicious. While you could sub ricotta or cream cheese, using mascarpone makes the pasta super creamy and buttery. I’m talking so good you’re guaranteed to go back for seconds. A couple of handfuls of spinach incorporate a vitamin-rich dose of dark leafy greens, and we opted for protein-packed chickpea pasta instead of the enriched white flour variety. The result definitely feels decadent, but it won’t make you feel post-carbo load sluggish.