12 Plant-Based Pastas for Healthier Weeknight Dinners
Updated: Mar. 17, 2022Whether you're craving more protein, fewer carbs or tons of veggies, these pasta alternatives are both healthy and tasty.
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Chickpea Pasta
Boasting twice the protein, three times the fiber and half the net carbs of traditional pasta, Banza chickpea pasta is a smart choice for hectic days. Not only is it hearty, but it cooks in under 10 minutes. Plus, Banza is available in all sorts of fun pasta shapes, like cavatappi, penne, rotini and more. (Banza sells pizza, too!)
Veggie Pasta
If you’re just dipping your toe into the world of plant-based pastas, give Barilla’s veggie pasta a try. This variety tastes very similar to the real deal, but it gets a nutritional boost from added spinach and zucchini.
Butternut Squash Noodles
Skip sifting through a long list of hard-to-pronounce ingredients. These veggie spirals from Green Giant have just one ingredient: butternut squash. Each serving contains a mere 12 grams of carbs and 50 calories. For more veggie fun, Green Giant also offers zucchini noodles and spaghetti squash.
Edamame Pasta
You know and love edamame as a sushi appetizer, but have you ever tried it in pasta form? These spaghetti strands from Explore Cuisine are low in carbs but rich in fiber, which will keep you feeling full.
Spaghetti Squash
When fresh squash is out of season, turn to Solely’s dried spaghetti squash. This 1-ingredient pasta is a great pantry staple. Enjoy it served with meat sauce, accompanied by apples, bacon and walnuts or baked in a casserole.
Hearts of Palm Pasta
Yes, your favorite salad topping can turn into pasta. Just ask Palmini’s hearts of palm linguine. This canned replacement is low in calories and carbs, and has zero fat. Try it in a stir-fry with veggies and your favorite protein.
Cassava Pasta
Grain-free pasta lovers, rejoice! This cassava fusilli from Jovial Foods tastes very close to the real deal—but without any gluten. Try it with red sauce or as part of a pasta salad.
Cauliflower Pasta
You can find pretty much anything made with cauliflower these days. (Have you tried cauliflower rice yet?) And pasta is no exception! Caulipower’s linguine is packed with the cruciferous veggie for a nutritious dinner option. Plus, it cooks in three minutes!
Kelp Noodles
Traditional to Asian cuisine, Sea Tangle’s kelp noodles are cholesterol-free, low in sodium, gluten-free and low-calorie. They’re made with just three ingredients—kelp, water and sodium alginate—and are ready to absorb the flavor of your favorite sauce.
Shirataki Noodles
Craving Asian food? Thrive Market’s shirataki noodles are the way to go. Made from the plant-based fiber glucomannan, shirataki noodles are a great option for a healthy lo mein. Each serving has just 10 calories!
Lentil Pasta
Lentils are a great plant-based protein source, and this Tolerant rotini packs all the benefits of lentils into a familiar, easy-to-eat shape. Find it in both red lentil and green lentil varieties. Learn more about why you should love lentils.
Black Bean Pasta
The Only Bean’s black bean spaghetti is pretty much exactly what it sounds like—pasta made from black beans. There are no add-ins and no preservatives, just good ol’ fiber and protein. This pasta is a good source of iron, too.
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