Pasta is one food that has been villainized by the diet industry as being bad for your health and a primary cause of weight gain due to its carbohydrate content. However, depending on how it’s prepared, pasta can be an excellent addition to your eating plan in order to increase satiety and make your diet for weight loss feel exciting and taste great.
Integrating vegetables into your pasta dishes is one of the best ways to increase the nutritional value of your meal, so we scoured the internet for the best veggie-packed pasta dinners to try this week for keeping you full and satisfied after eating, while contributing to healthy weight loss.
Mediterranean Roasted Vegetable Pasta
Loaded with a colorful variety of vegetables to add fiber and valuable vitamins and minerals to your dish, this Mediterranean inspired recipe is sure to be a staple this spring, coming together in under an hour. Making the entire recipe offers six servings, so cook it up on a Sunday night and enjoy this meal throughout the week for a filling and hearty dinner that contributes to healthy weight loss.
Ingredients: Penne, zucchini, red onion, red bell pepper, yellow bell pepper, olive oil, salt, black pepper, olive oil, parmesan, garlic clove, Italian herbs, salt, pepper,
Parmesan Spinach Mushroom Pasta
This warming and delicious vegetarian pasta will not only taste amazing, but also work as a wonderful meal to eat while losing weight that provides a serving of veggies in each bowl. Mushrooms and spinach help to fuel healthy digestion with a boost of fiber, and red chili flakes will add a satisfying kick to the dish.
Ingredients: Farfalle pasta, olive oil, garlic, mushrooms, spinach, low-sodium vegetable broth, pepper, Italian seasoning, parmesan cheese, red chili pepper flakes
Penne Pasta Primavera
For the warmer months, this colorful pasta primavera packed with broccoli, tomato, carrots, and a variety of other veggies will act as the perfect on-the-go meal to enjoy throughout the week for effortless weight loss or maintenance. Veggies increase satiety and allow you to stay full for longer, eliminating mindless snacking that may be standing in your way of seeing positive changes in your body.
Ingredients: Penne pasta, extra virgin olive oil, carrot, red onion, red bell pepper, broccoli, zucchini, yellow squash, garlic, cherry tomato, Italian seasoning, fresh lemon, mozzarella, grated parmesan, salted butter
Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce
If you don’t actually enjoy the taste of vegetables but are still trying to increase your intake, one of the best ways to do so is by blending them up into a sauce. Butternut squash makes for an excellent and creamy pasta sauce that pairs well with rosemary for a satisfying and soothing dish that promotes healthy weight loss and fulfills a serving of veggies for the day. Not to mention this recipe offers 15g of protein per serving.
Ingredients: Butternut squash, butter, rosemary, creme fraiche, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and pepper, chili flakes, spinach, parmesan, pasta
Greek Pasta Salad
Making pasta salad in the summer is undeniably satisfying and refreshing, and packed with healthy fats, carb, and protein it makes for a balanced meal for weight loss. This particular recipe uses Greek dressing and feta cheese to tie together the flavors, with red onion and cucumber as major players as well.
Ingredients: Bowtie pasta, grape tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, red onion, kalamata olives, feta cheese, parsley, olive oil, water, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, honey, dijon mustard, garlic, dried oregano, dried dill, salt, pepper
