The Healthiest Pasta Recipes To Satisfy Every Carb Lover

People sometimes look at pasta, and the word healthy doesn’t necessarily factor in. They focus too much on the fact that this food is primarily carbs and think it’s best to steer clear. However, those of us that love carbs and know the good they can bring are well aware that this sort of mindset is way off.

Not only is eating pasta an excellent way to maintain a good diet but there are tons of healthy dishes that feature this as the main ingredient. If you want to prove the haters wrong and chow down on some pasta dishes that are great for you, you might want to check out the healthiest pasta recipes to satisfy every carb lover.

Vegan mac & cheese

• 1 pound pasta
• 1 onion
• 1 potato
• ½ bell pepper
• 3 ½ cup water
• 1 ½ cup raw cashews
• ⅔ cup sauerkraut
• 3 tablespoons nutritional years
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon vinegar
• 1 tablespoon hot sauce
• 1 tablespoon ground mustard
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin

Mac & cheese is a favorite dish for many. However, it’s not necessarily one that people think of as healthy. Thankfully, you can change that perspective with this vegan take on the meal. First, boil your pasta in salt water. At the same time, cook your onion and pepper in a pot with vegetable oil, giving it roughly six minutes, so they soften nicely. After seasoning these with salt and pepper, add the mustard and cumin, allowing several more minutes to cook. After that, toss in your cashews and cubed potatoes, along with your water. Leave these to boil for seven or so minutes, then blend until smooth. Add in the rest of the unused ingredients before blending again, then combine with the pasta until it’s ready to serve.

Kale pesto

• 1 bunch kale
• 1 cup basil leaves
• 1 clove minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ cup olive oil
• ¼ cup walnuts
• ¼ cup grated Parmesan

The best thing about some of these healthy pasta dishes is that they don’t take long to make at all. In fact, you can make a bowl of kale pesto in a matter of minutes and have enough to feed you throughout the week. To make the sauce, you simply need to throw your ingredients in a food processor and let the machine work its magic. Start with the oil, kale, and basil, pulsing until these have combined. Then, throw in the rest and blend until everything is thoroughly mixed together. After that, just store your concoction in an airtight container and use it throughout the week. Simply add it to cooked pasta and stir together before serving.

Cacio e pepe sweet potato noodles

• 12 ounces spiralized sweet potatoes
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon ground black pepper
• ½ cup shredded Parmesan
• ½ cup shredded Pecorino Romano

Sweet potatoes are one of those ingredients that people often highlight as being a healthy alternative. So, surely using sweet potato noodles in a pasta dish makes it healthy? To create cacio e pepe sweet potato noodles, you’ll want to heat half of your oil on medium heat before cooking your sweet potato noodles with the salt for a few minutes. Then, in a separate pan, use the rest of the oil to melt your butter and cook your pepper. After about a minute, add in the noodles - as well as the Parmesan and Pecorino Romano - and toss until it’s combined.

Creamy tomato vegan pasta

• 16 ounces pasta
• 6 tablespoon tomato paste
• ¾ cup raw cashews
• ¼ cup chopped tomatoes
• ¼ cup basil
• 3 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 tablespoon salt
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 onion
• 3 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes

On high heat, get a pot of water to boil, then remove it and add most of your cashews. Cover this up and allow the nuts to soak for an hour. Once done, drain and rinse the cashews before adding them to a blender with ½ cup water and a dash of salt. You’ll want the mixture inside to become nice and smooth. Meanwhile, boil another pot of water with two tablespoons of salt and cook your penne for several minutes. Once that’s done, place a tablespoon of oil, a dash of salt and red pepper flakes, and the rest of your cashews in a skillet, tossing them frequently on high heat for roughly five minutes. Once they’re done, put them in a bowl and place the rest of the oil - plus the onion, garlic, and ½ teaspoon of salt - in that same skillet. After roughly six minutes, bring in the tomato paste, chopped tomatoes, and the rest of the red pepper flakes. Three or four minutes later, whisk in your blended cashews, then simmer as you add the pasta and cook for several more minutes.

Pasta dishes might not sound like the healthiest thing in the world, but hopefully, these recipes prove otherwise. Have fun cooking them and proving to your loved ones that carbs can be your friend.