We’ve been conditioned to think of pasta dishes as inherently unhealthy, often associating them with empty carbs and a lack of nutritional value. However, this perception is not entirely accurate, especially when considering plant-based variations. While it's true that wheat and most grains might not be the most nutrient-dense foods per calorie, and those with gluten sensitivities need alternatives, pasta can be a valuable component of a balanced, plant-based diet.
Dispelling the Myths About Pasta
One common misconception is that pasta lacks protein. Many elite vegan athletes obtain a significant portion of their calories from protein, around 12 to 15 percent. Therefore, if you ate nothing but whole wheat pasta - while you’d have a lot of problems - protein wouldn’t be an issue!.
Making Pasta Plant-Based and Healthy
Choosing the Right Pasta
Not all pasta is created equal. While durum wheat, the base of most pasta, starts as a whole grain, it's often refined into fine durum flour or semolina, stripping away protein, fiber, and nutrients. The carbohydrates in refined pasta are digested quickly, causing rapid blood sugar fluctuations.
The good news is that minimally refined pastas are widely available. Familiar brands offer whole-grain options; just check the label to ensure it's 100% whole grain. Other brands make pasta from brown rice, quinoa, and other grains. These options add nutrients and health benefits to your meals, most notably increasing the fiber content.
Always choose 100% whole grain pasta over refined versions. Be cautious of gluten-free pasta; they can be packed with additives and unhealthy ingredients. Again, look for minimal ingredients like brown rice and water or 100% buckwheat.
Read also: Why Pasta Fagioli is good for weight loss.
Cooking Pasta Properly
Cooking dried pasta is easy, but it’s not as simple as just dumping it in pot and waiting 10 minutes. Here are some tips for cooking pasta properly:
- Wait for a rolling boil. If you drop the pasta in before the water gets to a rolling boil, you may find yourself with mushy noodles that stick together.
- Don’t go easy on the salt. Adding salt to the water is an important step to make sure the pasta itself has flavor. For 4 quarts of water, I recommend 2 tablespoons of Diamond Kosher Salt (my favorite brand). If using sea salt, use half the amount.
- Check the pasta early. I like to taste the pasta a minute or two before the stated cook time on the package has elapsed. If your noodles will be cooked again after boiling (e.g., in a lasagna or stir-fried with the other ingredients), you’ll want to take them out of the water just before they turn al dente.
- Save some pasta water for later. For most recipes, it’s a good idea to save a cup of pasta water before you drain it.
Tips for Healthier Plant-Based Pasta Dishes
- Use alternative grain pasta: Opt for whole wheat or gluten-free varieties.
- Use less oil: Cut the oil in most recipes in half, especially if they call for a quarter cup or more.
- Add plant-based protein: If you’re worried your pasta dish isn’t substantial enough, blend some chickpeas into the sauce.
- Load up on vegetables: Add more and more whole food ingredients like: chopped chickpeas or nuts, spinach or kale, zucchini, squash peppers, eggplant-whatever I have in the fridge gets diced up and thrown in the sauce while the pasta's cooking.
Plant-Based Pasta Recipes
There are countless ways to create delicious and satisfying plant-based pasta dishes. Here are a few ideas:
Red Sauces + Meaty Pastas
- Vegan Sausage and Greens Pasta: This 15-minute recipe combines vegan sausage, marinara sauce, and greens for a hearty and satisfying meal. Heat a large nonstick saute pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add a touch of olive oil (if needed) and add the vegan sausage (if you have a good nonstick pan, you likely won't need oil). Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sausage is nicely browned. While the sausage is cooking, mix the marinara sauce with the tomato paste, oregano, red pepper flakes, and nutritional yeast and stir to combine. Once the sausage is mostly browned, add the spinach or kale and cook for 30-60 seconds until almost wilted but still bright green. Pour in the marinara sauce mixture and toss to combine. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the hot cooked pasta from the pot into the saute pan.
- Vegan Bolognese: A mix of lentils, mushrooms, and walnuts subs in for the meat in this vegan version of a classic bolognese.
- "Meaty" Vegan Pasta Recipes: Love your noodles with hearty veggie balls or a satisfying ragù? I have two vegan meatball options for you! Make them with your favorite plant-based ground meat, or use a mix of brown rice, black beans, and mushrooms instead.
Creamy Pastas
- Creamy Vegan Pantry Pasta: Made with everyday pantry staples, this recipe is perfect for a quick weeknight dinner.
- Vegan Pumpkin Ricotta Stuffed Shells: These shells are filled with a homemade vegan ricotta spread, pumpkin, and a garlic béchamel sauce.
- Hummus Pasta: An incredibly easy vegan pasta perfect for a weeknight dinner!
- Vegan Mac and Cheese: A healthy twist on a comfort food classic, this vegan lasagna proves that nutritional yeast and vegan pasta dishes go hand in hand. Organic brown rice elbows are smothered with our signature Mac Sauce to make the best vegan Mac and “Cheese” you’ve ever had. Seriously, it’s guaranteed to please even your pickiest eater.
- Creamy Lemon Asparagus Pasta: A vegan spin on Spaghetti al Limone bursting with zippy and bright spring flavors. It’s features crisp-tender asparagus, fresh herbs, and a citrusy olive oil sauce that’s naturally creamy (no cream or flour). Easy but gourmet!
- Tahini Pasta: This pasta is rich, comforting, and ultra-creamy! Pasta and broccoli are dressed in a lemon tahini sauce before being mixed with garlic, shallots, basil, and lemon zest.
- Vegan Pasta Recipes: Creamy Pasta Pomodoro: This creamy pasta pomodoro is one of our favorite vegan pasta recipes! To make it, add the marinara to a blender with the cashews, tomato paste, salt, and ¼ cup of water. Blend until smooth. Set aside until ready to use. Before serving, stir in ¼ cup hot pasta cooking water to loosen it up so that it’ll nicely coat the pasta.
Vegetable-Forward Pastas
- Roasted Eggplant Pasta: A simple, 10-ingredient recipe that makes a great weeknight vegan dinner. Just like classic pasta salad but much better for you! Instead of mayo, the creaminess comes from tahini, and for freshness, lots of lemon, basil, dil, and parsley.
- Vegan Street Corn Pasta Salad: Enjoy this simple and delicious salad in less than 15 minutes!
- Creamy Vegan Zucchini Pesto Pasta: A spin on the classic pesto, this pasta is made with caramelized zucchini and garlic, pine nuts, basil, and lemon zest and finished with chickpeas and extra caramelized zucchini.
- Pasta with Potatoes: Potatoes and pasta may seem like an odd pairing, but this is a traditional (and delicious) Italian dish.
Herb-Based Pastas
- Penne with Pesto, Potatoes, and Green Beans: This dish has great flavor from Chipotle in Adobo Sauce.
- Pasta Salad: My vegan pasta salad is guaranteed to impress at all your summer BBQs and picnics! As mentioned above, here’s a bonus weeknight recipe I turn to when I don’t have a lot of time or I’m feeling lazy.
The Impact of Pasta on Blood Sugar
Using pasta made from whole grains or beans instead of refined wheat adds nutrients and health benefits to some of your favorite comfort foods. From a nutrition perspective, the difference in fiber content is the most notable.
You may get additional benefits from cooling and reheating pasta before eating it. This appears to reduce starch digestibility, leading to a lower and slower blood sugar response. Eating cold pasta produces a similar, although less pronounced, effect. Blood sugar also returns to normal more quickly after eating reheated pasta compared with a hot, freshly prepared dish.
One reason for pasta’s effects on blood sugar may be the structure that’s created from the high-pressure compression used in pasta making.
Read also: Delicious Pasta Salad
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