The term healthy vegetarian pasta recipes are intended to be used with meals that are not only meat free, but will supply your body with the nutritional balance it needs. Unfortunately healthy and taste good are not always associated with each other. This can be contributed to our mothers telling us when we were young to eat what we did not like because it was good for us. In the real world, there are ways to make healthy meals taste good without destroying the health aspect of them.

One of the easiest ways to help increase the nutritional values of any pasta dish is to use whole grain pasta instead of one made from bleached flour. The bleaching process helps to give the pasta consistent color, but removes all the good nutrients of the whole grain.

Use whole grain pasta as the main ingredient for your recipe.

To start off today’s healthy vegetarian pasta recipes is the Sun Dried Tomatoes with Walnut Penne Pasta. As always start by preparing the pasta by boiling water with about 8 ounces of pasta. Use whole grain if you can find it.

Next start preparing the ingredients for the sauce, you need to mince up 2 cloves of garlic, chop 1/3 cup of walnuts. ¾ cup of sun dried tomatoes, 2 tablespoons of oil and 1 tablespoon of basil. Then take ½ block of firm tofu and smash it up before adding it to the mixture. Mix these ingredients together and wait for the pasta to be done.

Walnut Penne Pasta Recipe

Once the pasta is done mix the pasta and the contents of the mixture and stir until the pasta is covered with it. This recipe can be severed at room temperature, hot or chilled, the choice is yours. Some suggestions have people adding cheese on top but then this would not be a true vegetation dish.

This will make 4 servings with 279 calories per serving. There is also 13 grams of protein, 22 grams of carbohydrates and 3 grams of fiber. It also only contains 17 grams of fat of which only 2 grams are of the saturated variety. There is also only 19 mg of cholesterol and 135 mg of sodium. Many people add salt to taste. The less you add, the lower the sodium content will be.

Another tofu and pasta dish with a southwestern theme can also be easily prepared and be a healthy choice for you and your family. This requires a simple box of macaroni and cheese prepared as described on the box.

Tofu Macaroni with Cheese

You will also need about 7 ounces of tofu cut into little cubes then brown with a little bit of oil. When the pasta and tofu are prepared combine the tow along with a can of drained corn, a can of drained black beans and 1 ½ cups of salsa. Heat this miture on a low heat for 10 minutes and serve.

If you add sour cream and cheddar cheese to the top, it will taste better but will not be as healthy for you.

These healthy vegetarian pasta recipes and many more are available to you so you can make a difference in just how well you eat and the state of your health.

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There are many Italian vegetarian pasta recipes that are fabulous to eat and enjoy. One of the first ones ever made is still popular today in many different forms. Centuries ago a chef had some leftover pasta and decided to experiment. He flattened it out in a circle then covered it with herbs, olive oil and garlic, then he baked it. Yes that was how the first pizza was made.

There are plenty of Italian vegetarian pasta recipes that are easy to make.

Today there are many Italian recipes that do not include meat in them and are still enjoyable by the masses. One of them is the spaghetti alla Carbonara. This pasta meal is very easy to prepare. Here is the recipe. Take 2 tablespoons of butter and 3 table spoons of olive oil and place them in a skillet over a medium setting. Once the butter melts then add ¼ cup of finely chopped onion. This needs to cook until the onions are translucent. At this point add 1/3 cup of white dry wine and cook until ½ the liquid is gone and remove from the heat source.

Spaghetti Carbonara is a favorite Italian pasta meal.

This is when you need to start cooking the pasta. The water should have already been placed on the stove and has begun to boil. Cook 1 pound of spaghetti until it is al dente.

In a separate bowl beat 2 eggs then add 4 tablespoons of parmigianno-reggiano cheese that has been freshly grated. Mix the two together then add the pasta after it has been drained. Next add the onions that were already cooked and mix until the pasta is covered with all the ingredients then serve immediately. This is a favorite in Italy that is also referred to as the Charcoal Makers Special.

Another favorite is spicy vermicelli with oyster sauce. This requires you to cook the vermicelli for about 5 minutes then stop the process and rinse the 400 grams of pasta with cold water.

Italian Vermicelli

Cook 1 cup of zucchini and ½ cup of asparagus spears, which have been sliced for 2 minutes in boiling water, then drain them as set them aside.

Cook 1 teaspoon of chopped garlic and warm it in a skillet with some olive oil for 2 minutes then add 4 cups of oyster mushrooms that have been shredded and cook for an additional 4 minutes, then add the vegetables and 4 chopped red chilies. This needs to be cooked for an additional 3 minutes. At this time add salt and pepper to taste then pour over the pasta and serve. For many the sprinkling of Parmesan cheese adds to the enhancement of the meal.

For those of you looking to enjoy more Italian vegetarian pasta recipes to your family’s meal selection, it is easier than you might think. With Italian food the spices are robust and by just removing the meat from any dish can be done without ruining its flavor. Eggplant and zucchini are the two vegetables of choice for substitutions for meat when you feel the need but it is not always necessary.

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The need for easy vegetarian pasta recipes is more frequent than many people think of. Many of the pastas have meat in the pasta or as an alternative to your order. The best example of this is spaghetti with marinara sauce with the option of meatballs.

Easy Salad Vegetarian Pasta Recipes

One of the summer favorite easy vegetarian pasta recipes requires no cooking other than the pasta itself. The rest of the ingredients are combined to make a delicious salad. This recipe will result in a dish similar to a Greek salad. This is made by combining a dozen cherry tomatoes with 50 grams of pitted black olives and 100 grams of feta cheese together first.

The delicious summer pasta salad

The sauce is made from 2 cloves of garlic that are crushed and mixed with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and a handful of basil leaves. This sauce mixture along with the tomatoes olives and cheese can be made in advance and refrigerated. The pasta is cooked as directed on the package until it is al dente.

The mixing of all the ingredients together is done after the pasta is cooked and then it is ready to be severed. The total prep time along with cooking the pasta should be under 15 minutes. All of the ingredients are readily available at any local grocery store, but it is best when the tomatoes are fresh in the summer months. This is served cool and is refreshing after a hot day.

Home made cherry salad pasta

Alpine Mushroom Pasta Recipes

Another of the many easy vegetarian pasta recipes that can be prepared in about 30 minutes is the Alpine Mushroom Pasta. This recipe has you cooking the pasta, preferable fettuccini. At the 4 minute mark of boiling the pasta you add 6 cups of shredded Savoy cabbage. Take off the stove when the cabbage is tender or about 4 minutes. Drain the water but retain ½ cup of it for later.

The healthy alpine mushroom pasta that is packed with vitamins and minerals.

Stir fry 4 Portobello mushrooms that are thinly slices along with one small onion that is chopped and 3 cloves of garlic that are minced. This should be done for approximately 5 minutes. At the same time add ¾ a cup of dry white wine and 2 teaspoons of flour and whisk them together. When the stir fry ingredients are ready add this mixture to the pan and add salt and pepper to taste. This miture should thicken in about 1 minute. At this point add 1 cup of cheery tomatoes cut in half and heat for an additional minute.

To the drained pasta and cabbage add the mushroom sauce then add the ½ cup of juice saved from the boiling of the cabbage and pasta. Top it off with 1 cup of cheese and ¾ teaspoon of sage. The cheese can be mozzarella, cheddar or gouda.

Mushroom pasta is always my favorite.

This is a low calorie pasta dish that has wonderful flavor and only takes a short time to make. All of the ingredients can be found in any grocery store and should be easy to assemble. This recipe is from the northern part of Italy, but the influences of Austria and Switzerland are evident in the robust flavor it packs.

These are just two of the many easy vegetarian pasta recipes that are available to the working family that loves to eat good, but not the time to prepare their dinner after a hard day at the office. If you have 15 to 30 minutes, you too can enjoy a favorable dinner that is easy and good for you.

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This awesome vegetarian pasta recipe is so simple to make and prepare. The ingredients used for this dish are only a few items and are very very easy to get. Moreover, this vegetarian pasta recipe contains low calorie and low fat and is ideal for anyone looking for a light meal for lunch or dinner.

It comes loaded with high fiber and contains high calcium. Only olive oil is used for preparing this pasta recipe. Therefore, there is no cholesterol and contains low sodium. This hearty pasta recipe is definitely an ideal meal for lunch or dinner.

Spaghetti with Garlic and Olive Oil

This dish is a little spicy since there is chilli in the ingredients. The Italian name for this dish is Spaghetti Aglio e Olio, but in Rome, they run the words together and pronounce this dish as ‘spaghetti-ayo-e-oyo’ or just ‘ayo-e-oyo’. It is sometimes given its full name of Spaghetti Aglio, Olio e Peperoncino because chilli is always included to give the dish some bite. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

Serves 4

• 400g/14oz fresh or dried spaghetti
• 90ml/6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2-4 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 dried red chilli
• 1 small handful fresh flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped
• Salt

Steps by Steps Cooking Instructions:

1. Prepare a large pan for cooking the pasta. Cook the pasta in salted boiling water and boil according to the instructions in the packet.

2. While waiting for the pasta, in a separate pan, add the olive oil and turn to low heat. Add the crushed garlic and whole dried chilli into the heated pan.

3. Stir the garlic and chilli until the garlic begins to brown. After that, discard the chilli.

4. When the pasta is done, transfer the drained pasta to a large warmed bowl. Pour on the oil and garlic mixture, add the parsley and toss well. Serve immediately.

Nutritional information per portion: Energy 505kcal/2126kj; Protein 12.8g; Carbohydrate 76.4g of which 3.5g is sugars; Fat 18.6g of which 2.6g is saturated fat; Cholesterol 0mg; Calcium 27mg; Fiber 3.3g; Sodium 3mg.

Vegetarian Pasta With Mushrooms

This hearty vegetarian pasta can be served with warm ciabatta. Ciabatta is famous flat oblong bread having a moist interior and a crispy crust. This combination makes an excellent lunch or dinner. Fresh wild mushrooms can be used instead of chestnut mushroom but they are seasonal and often expensive.

The dish is not only delicious but also very nutritious with low calorie and fat. It has high calcium and fibre and contains absolutely zero cholesterol. This excellent vegetarian pasta recipe is perfect for someone who is on diet or in the process of losing weight. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

Serves 4

• 15g/ ½ oz dried porcini mushrooms
• 175ml/6fl oz/¾ cup warm water
• 45ml/3tbsp olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 handful fresh flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped
• 2 large pieces drained sun-dried tomato in olive oil, sliced into thin strips
• 120ml/4fl oz/ ½ cup dry white wine
• 225g/8oz/2 cups vegetable stock
• 450g/1lb/ 4 cups dried short pasta shapes, e.g. ruote, penne, fusilli or eliche
• Salt and ground black pepper
• Rocket (arugula) and fresh flat leaf parsley to garnish

*Ruote is a round, wide pasta, with spokes coming into a central round, hollow axle.

*Penne is a 2 inch long pasta, about the width of a fat fountain pen, with a hole right down it’s length to absorb some pasta sauce.

*Fusilli - Though many call it a spiral, Fusilli is actually a helix.

Steps by Steps Cooking Instructions:

1. The first thing that you need to do is to soften the dried porcini mushrooms. Use warm water and pour it in a large bowl. Leave the mushroom in the bowl with the warm water for 15 to 20 minutes.

2. After that, when the mushrooms are soft enough, transfer them to a fine sieve or strainer. At this stage, remember to put a bowl under the sieve or strainer to contain the water.

3. Squeeze the mushrooms with your hands as much as you can to release the water absorbed by the soaked mushrooms. Reserve the strained soaking liquid. After that, chop the porcini mushrooms finely into small pieces.

4. In a large pan, heat the oil and cook the garlic, sun-dried tomato strips and the mushrooms over low heat. Stir often so that they are cooked evenly. Stir for about 5 minutes.

5. Stir in the wine, simmer for a few minutes until reduced, then stir in the chestnut mushrooms. Pour in the stock and simmer, uncovered, for 15 to 20 minutes more until the liquid has reduced and the sauce is quite thick and rich.

6. Meanwhile, in a separate pot, cook the pasta in salted boiling water according to the instructions on the packet.

7. While waiting for the pasta to ready, taste the mushroom sauce for seasoning

8. When the pasta is ready, drain the pasta and reserve some of the pasta cooking water.

9. In a separate large bowl, mix the pasta with the mushroom sauce and toss well. Thinning the sauce if necessary with some of the reserved pasta cooking water.

10. Viola! This hearty pasta is ready to be served. Sprinkle liberally with some chopped rocket or parsley.

Nutritional information per portion: Energy 420kcal/1787kj; Protein 15.1g; Carbohydrate 84.9g of which 5.1g is sugars; Fat 2.6g of which 0.3g is saturated fat; Cholesterol 0mg; Calcium 61mg; Fiber 4.8g; Sodium 14mg.

Conchiglie with Roasted Vegetables

Anyway, the conchiglie pasta with roasted vegetables is simple to cook and the ingredients used are only a few items. Most ingredients can be easily purchased from the local grocery stores. This vegetarian pasta recipe is very healthy and suitable for even non vegetarians who have decided to take a break from meat-based diet. The flavor is simply superb. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

Serves 4

• 1 red (bell) pepper, seeded
• 1 yellow or orange (bell) pepper, seeded
• 1 small aubergine (eggplant), roughly diced
• 2 courgettes (zucchini), roughly diced
• 75ml/5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 15ml/1 tbsp chopped flat leaf parsley
• 5ml/1 tbsp dried oregano or marjoram
• 250g/9oz baby Italian plum tomatoes
• 2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
• 350-400g/12-14oz/3-3 ½ cups dried conchiglie (shell pasta)
• Salt and ground black pepper
• 4 – 6 fresh marjoram or oregano flowers, to garnish

Steps by Steps Cooking Instructions:

1. We need to roast the vegetable in the first step. Therefore, before roasting the vegetables, preheat the oven to 190°C or 375°F.

2. While waiting for the oven to heat, cut the peppers into 4cm or 1 ½ in squares.

3. At the same time, put the augergine (eggplant) and courgettes (zucchini) under cold running water and rinse them thoroughly.

4. While waiting for the vegetables to drain, prepare a large roasting pan that is to be used later for roasting the vegetables in the oven.

5. Transfer the cut peppers, the augergine (eggplant) and the courgettes (zucchini) to the roasting pan when they are ready.
6. Pour 45ml or 3 tbsp of the olive oil over the vegetables and sprinkle with the fresh and dried herbs. Season to taste and stir well.

7. Roast for about 30 minutes, stir occasionally. Ensure the vegetables are roasted evenly.

8. Hull the tomatoes and halve them lengthways. Add the tomatoes and garlic to the roasting pan and roast for 20 minutes more, stir occasionally.

9. Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to the packet instruction.

10. Drain the pasta and transfer into a warm bowl. Add the vegetables and the remaining oil and toss well. Serve sprinkle with a few herb flowers.

11. The pasta is ready to be served.

Nutritional information per portion: Energy 277kcal/1171kj; Protein 9.5g; Carbohydrate 50.3g of which 8.7g is sugars; Fat 5.5g of which 0.6g is saturated fat; Cholesterol 0mg; Calcium 52mg; Fiber 4.6g; Sodium 11mg.