Are you on a renal or low potassium diet and missing pasta sauce or tomato sauce? Or are you tired of eating dry, bland pasta - or no pasta at all? This article provides kidney-friendly pasta recipes that are both delicious and suitable for your dietary needs.
Understanding Kidney-Friendly Pasta Sauce
This kidney-friendly pasta sauce recipe is designed to be low in potassium while still delivering great flavor.
Low Potassium Perspective
The largest component of the sauce is the vegetables, namely red peppers, onions, carrots, and celery. If you need to watch your potassium, a common guideline is to choose vegetables that have less than 200 mg/serving. With only 189 mg/serving, this sauce fits the bill!
Low Carb and Sugar-Free
This recipe is a good source of fiber, with one serving containing almost 3 grams.
Simplicity and Taste
In keeping true to The Everyday Kidney Cook’s mission, this recipe is straightforward and no-fuss, all without sacrificing taste! It is made with only a handful of simple ingredients and is versatile.
Read also: Why Pasta Fagioli is good for weight loss.
Key Ingredients and Their Benefits
Red Bell Peppers
The base of this recipe is 4 whole red bell peppers, sliced. The red bell peppers give the sauce a robust (but not overpowering) flavor.
Mirepoix Mix
Mirepoix is a mixture of 2 parts diced onions and 1 part each diced carrots and celery. As a short cut, this recipe calls for the pre-cut mirepoix mix. The pre-packaged mirepoix mix usually comes in a 10-ounce container (~ 2 cups total).
Unsalted Broth
Be sure to use the “unsalted” broth instead of “reduced sodium”, “lower sodium” or “less sodium”. Some brands add potassium chloride to replace some of the sodium chloride.
Cream Cheese
The cream cheese in this recipe adds just a touch of cheesiness and creaminess which perfectly rounds out the flavor!
Spices
The red peppers and other veggies add so much flavor that only 2 spices are necessary.
Read also: Delicious Pasta Salad
Kidney-Friendly Pasta Sauce Recipe
Ingredients:
- 4 Red bell peppers, sliced
- 10 ounces Mirepoix mix (2 cups) - Found in produce section; Or chop your own veggies: 1 c. chopped onion & ½ c. each chopped carrots & celery.
- Unsalted broth
- Cream cheese
- Spices
Instructions:
- Add all ingredients to slow cooker and cook on high for ~ 3 hours or low for 5-6 hours or until all vegetables are soft.
- Use hand-held immersion blender or use pulse button on a table-top blender to blend ingredients to desired consistency (I prefer it a little chunky!).
Variations of Kidney-Friendly Pasta Sauce
Spicy Kidney-Friendly Pasta Sauce
Add a pinch of chilli flakes for a spicy kick.
Extra-Creamy Kidney-Friendly Pasta Sauce
Double the cream cheese for more creaminess while still maintaining a kidney-friendly nutrient profile. (This is my favorite variation!).
Kidney-Friendly Pasta Sauce with Meat
Add some ground beef, pork, chicken or turkey for a tasty meat sauce! Just be sure to use fresh ground meat or poultry that does not have salt added.
Vegan Kidney-Friendly Pasta Sauce
Substitute unsalted vegetable broth for the unsalted chicken broth and eliminate the cream cheese for a vegan pasta sauce! Also, take a look at the ingredient list for potassium and phosphate additives. These additives can significantly increase blood potassium and phosphorus levels for some people with kidney disease.
Kidney-Friendly Chili Base
To make kidney-friendly chili, substitute this sauce for the tomato sauce and tomatoes. Simmer with our Easy Low Sodium Meatballs (Beef or Turkey)!
Read also: Delicious Keto Pasta Salads
Tuna Pasta Recipe
This pasta dish is low in phosphate and potassium but full of flavour. This classic Mediterranean tuna, pasta and tomato dish gets a spicy kick with the addition of chilli flakes.
Ingredients:
- 400g penne pasta, dried
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 400g fresh tomatoes, roughly chopped
- 50g pitted black olives, roughly chopped
- 1 onion, thinly sliced
- 1 courgette (approx. 200g), diced
- 1 x 160g tin tuna in spring water, drained
Instructions:
- Fill a large saucepan with water and bring to the boil. Once boiling, add the pasta and cook for 10-12 minutes, or as per instructions on the packet.
- Add the oil to a frying pan and place over a medium heat.
- Add the onion and courgette and cook for 5 minutes, until starting to soften. Add the garlic and tomatoes and cook for a further 5 minutes, until the tomatoes are soft.
- Open and drain the tin of tuna. Break the tuna up with a fork and stir into the sauce.
- Simmer for two minutes. Season with black pepper.
- When cooked, drain the pasta and carefully toss through the sauce.
Dietary Considerations
The tuna in this dish makes it a high protein meal, therefore it is suitable for those receiving dialysis or who have been advised to increase the amount of protein they eat. Using tuna canned in spring water and not brine keeps the salt content as low as possible. You could replace the fresh tomatoes with a 400g tin of tomatoes.
Storage
Allow to cool, then store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to three days.