Healthy pasta dishes

Light meatballs in tomato sauce

Lean beef meatballs are enhanced with egg whites and portobello mushrooms. Serve with whole-wheat spaghetti for a balanced and healthy meal.

Recipe: Light meatballs in tomato sauce

Orecchiette pasta with rapini pesto

Combining pistachios, rapini, and part-skim ricotta makes for a low-calorie pasta dish.

Recipe: Orecchiette pasta with rapini pesto

Fettuccine pasta made with fresh zucchini and a spicy chunky tomato sauce

There's no spaghetti in this dish, but the thin strips of zucchini look very similar.

Recipe: Fettuccine pasta made with fresh zucchini and a spicy chunky tomato sauce

Shrimp scampi in a light sauce

Give this lemon-glazed shrimp dish an unexpected crunch by adding crushed multigrain croutons.

Recipe: Shrimp scampi in a light sauce

Pasta Alfredo in a creamy cauliflower sauce

This isn't just cream, butter, and pasta. This dish contains whole-wheat pasta, cauliflower, and peas.

Recipe: Pasta Alfredo in a creamy cauliflower sauce

Angelfish pasta in a spicy tomato-zucchini sauce

Pair thin pasta with a quick zucchini and tomato sauce. A hearty lunch is ready in under 40 minutes.

Recipe: Angelfish pasta in a spicy tomato-zucchini sauce

Whole wheat spaghetti with lemon, basil and salmon

Giada prefers whole-grain spaghetti, which has a subtle nutty flavor. For a light, healthy meal, she pairs it with fresh vegetables and fish, seasoned with lemon and herbs.

Recipe: Whole wheat spaghetti with lemon, basil and salmon

Vegetable pasta with zucchini and whole grain noodles

Ellie slices zucchini into pasta shapes, creating a large serving of pasta that's half vegetable.

Recipe: Vegetable pasta with zucchini and whole grain noodles

Pasta with shrimp and zucchini ribbons

Medium-sized shrimp are ideal for this spaghetti with zucchini strips. For a vegetarian version, omit the shrimp, double the tomatoes, and serve with a dollop of part-skim ricotta.

Recipe: Pasta with shrimp and zucchini ribbons

Creamy fettuccine pasta

Ellie makes a quick roasted pepper sauce for pasta in a food processor. It's cream-free; the velvety texture comes from broth and feta cheese.

Recipe: Creamy fettuccine pasta

BLT in a frying pan

This dish combines the best features of a BLT salad without the extra calories. Whole wheat pasta adds a pleasant flavor while providing protein and fiber.

Recipe: BLT in a frying pan

Pasta with broccoli sauce

Broccoli is low in cholesterol but rich in vitamins, making this pesto sauce especially healthy. Use walnuts instead of traditional pine nuts—they're cheaper, lower in calories, and contain fiber. Serve the sauce with whole-wheat or brown rice pasta for a gluten-free dish.

Recipe: Pasta with broccoli sauce

Whole wheat penne pasta with cauliflower, raisins and pine nuts, Sicilian style

This flavorful pasta with raisins, pine nuts and capers makes the perfect vegetarian main course.

Recipe: Whole wheat penne pasta with cauliflower, raisins and pine nuts, Sicilian style

Baked capellini with mushrooms

Macaroni casserole is quite a filling dish, but thanks to some substitutions, this version contains less than 400 calories per serving. Instead of regular sausage, use chicken sausage and just a touch of cheese.

Recipe: Baked capellini with mushrooms

Whole wheat linguine pasta in lemon sauce with turkey meatballs

Meatballs are the base of this hearty, fiber-rich dish. Serve as an appetizer or with your favorite pasta. For juicy and flavorful meatballs, use ground turkey instead of shredded turkey breast.

Recipe: Whole wheat linguine pasta in lemon sauce with turkey meatballs

Penne pasta in a light tomato-vodka sauce

Reduce the fat content of a traditional vodka sauce by replacing some of the cream with 2%-fat Greek yogurt. It will provide a creamy, rich texture.

Recipe: Penne pasta in a light tomato-vodka sauce

Lemon Pasta with Chicken, Peas, and Spinach

Chef, coach, and former NFL player Eddie Jackson shares his easy lemon chicken pasta recipe, which is loaded with fresh vegetables and herbs.

Recipe: Lemon Pasta with Chicken, Peas, and Spinach

Lentil and orzo pasta salad with roasted cauliflower, chard, and greens

Eddie Jackson's orzo pasta salad is a celebration of color and texture: roasted cauliflower is paired with red chard, sweet cherry tomatoes, briny olives, bright citrus, and a trio of fresh herbs.

Recipe: Lentil and orzo pasta salad with roasted cauliflower, chard, and greens