Healthy Pasta Recipe
This healthy pasta is one of the most popular recipes on iFOODreal. And there is a good reason for that – it’s flavorful, veggie packed, cheese-sprinkled for balance and comes together in less than 30 minutes including the prep and clean up.
It is an older recipe with brand new video (hence, different pots), so you can see how easy it is to put together. This vegetarian pesto pasta was delicious!
MY LATEST RECIPES
Is Pasta Healthy?
Before anyone says anything, yes I know it’s white pasta and it might seem like an oxymoron to show up in “a healthy pasta recipe”. I get you, my friends. Good news is that you can use any pasta you want, ANY. Whole wheat, brown rice, quinoa, kamut, white etc.
Pictured is my kids’ favorite organic Garofalo brand from Costco. It’s one of the best quality pasta I ever tried. So be it, once in a while. Healthy living is about balance and moderation, rather than stress. That’s in my books.:)
How to Make Healthy Pasta
1. Prepare your ingredients. Tomato pesto pasta dish cooks fast, like a stir fry, so timing is everything for the most flavour and an al dente pasta.
Is Pesto Healthy?
Try to find pesto with as less additives as possible. All there is to pesto – olive oil, basil, garlic, Parmesan cheese, pine nuts and salt. Sun dried tomatoes can be dry or packed in oil.
2. While pasta is cooking, give your veggies a quick blast on medium-high heat with pesto.
3. Then combine everything. Just watch the video. Easy-peasy.
Parmesan Cheese Hunk Vs. Shaker
And a word on Parmesan cheese. Forego the shaker-faker, it’s full of additives like cellulose (ground wood chips, by the way) and other crap. Buy a hunk of fresh Parmigiano Reggiano at Costco (best price ever => my healthy Costco shopping list) and grate a good amount at a time. Then refrigerate in an airtight container for a few weeks. Freeze the rest of the hunk.
Be healthy!
More Healthy Pasta Dishes to Try:
- Penne with broccoli – it’s cheesy, creamy, quick and healthy!
- Vegetable florentine pasta – loaded with vegetables to the brim one pot pasta!
- Pasta with cauliflower and pumpkin seeds – so differently mind blowing vegan!
- Spaghetti with tomato sauce – 10 minute pasta with a can of tomato sauce.
And may I suggest you look through these 45 dinner ideas?! Wink-wink.
Watch Olena Make Vegetarian Pesto Pasta
And don’t forget to subscribe to my YouTube Channel for weekly cooking videos!
PrintHealthy Pasta
Follow simple video instructions and make tasty vegetarian pasta dish. Even if you “are not a cook”.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stove
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
- 2 cups any shape pasta, uncooked
- 1 cup pasta water, reserved
- 2 large garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp pesto, divided
- 2 cups grape tomatoes, cut in halves
- 4 cups broccoli florets, coarsely chopped
- 1/3 cup sun dried tomatoes, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup (2 oz) Parmesan cheese, grated
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/8 tsp red pepper flakes
- Ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Cook pasta as per package instructions. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water, draining the rest. Set aside.
- While pasta is cooking, get all ingredients ready. Preheat large deep skillet or a dutch oven on medium heat, add olive oil and garlic. Sauté for 30 seconds, stirring frequently. Add 1 tbsp pesto, tomatoes and stir. Cook for 1 – 2 minutes and stir again. Cook another 1 – 2 minutes. Move to one side of the skillet and make sure the empty side of is positioned directly over heat. Add 1 tbsp pesto and broccoli, stir and cook for 4 minutes, stirring once.
- Remove skillet from heat and add remaining 1/4 cup pesto, sun dried tomatoes, salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes, pasta and pasta water. Stir gently and let flavours marinate for a few minutes. Do not cover because broccoli will become a mushy mess. I also like to add half Parmesan cheese in this step and the other half right before serving. Serve hot.
Store: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 – 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Did you make this recipe? Please give it a star rating in the comments.
Made it today with Whole wheat noodles and it was great. The burst of flavors when you’re eating it is amazing. My 3 year old gave it two thumbs up.
★★★★★
Yay for a kid eating veggies. Simple flavours are the best!!!
Been searching around for new recipes to try out to start eating healthier, this was the first that caught my eye. Finally got around to making it tonight with a whole grain Rotini and it was amazing!! Thanks for sharing 🙂
★★★★★
You are very welcome, Bryce!
Very good! Not heavy, fresh and filling. Quick and easy was a bonus. Looks just like the picture. My kids (1 and 2) even liked it! I would chop sun dried tomatoes to give a more even mixture. I just wrote the recipe down and am adding to my box.
★★★★★
Happy to hear, Jamie!:) Keep on feeding those little munchkins healthy food and they will grow up into good eaters.
This was AMAZING! I wanted to make it even healthier by getting veggie pasta. Also added caprese flavored chicken sausage for some extra protein. Was the best thing I’ve ever put in my mouth and I cannot believe I made it myself! Thanks to this recipe ofcourse! So thankful for the extra detail in the recipe steps because I need it!
★★★★★
You are welcome, Lexi. Please know you can become a great cook in a matter of months.:)
5 star. Soo good.
★★★★★
Delicious! Made it into a salad, there was nothing left.
★★★★★
I’ve just decided what we’re having for dinner! Thanks for sharing this beautiful dish.
I made this tonight and not does it only taste good, it looks good too!
Hi, I’m looking at your recipe for my parenting and child development class this week. We’re doing healthy foods for pregnant women, I was wondering is this a good meal and can you add chicken breast, if so how much?
Hi Alicia. It is a good meal. Use whole wheat or brown rice pasta, add about 1 lb of cooked chicken breast.
Looking forward to making this!! Are the 4 cups broccoli frozen or fresh? Does not specify in the recipe.
Doesn’t matter, 4-5 cups of any.:)
It was very easy to make and tasted very good, I used all organic vegetables and brown rice pasta. I added in some chopped walnuts in for some crunch which tasted amazing.
Glad to hear!:)
Love this recipe!! I added avacado as well and it was delicious!
Avocado is always a great idea!!! GlAd you are enjoying.:)
I made this for dinner last night and, oh my goodness, so yummy!! I used bow tie pasta, frozen broccoli, and a few pieces of chicken for added protein. This was seriously one of the best meals I’ve had in a while. And the best part is it is healthy and loaded with veggies! Thank you Olena. Your recipes are awesome. ?
You are welcome, Amanda! Cab’t believe how popular this simple recipe is…
Hi…i cooked this dish today and followed the recipe to a tee. Im eating it now…very delicious…i was concerned about the broccoli but it was cooked perfect. Thank you!
Hi Peter. Yay! You shouldn’t be concerned about broccoli because you can eat it raw. I would only be concerned to overcook it which isn’t possible with the little cooking time I recommend.
Hi Olena,
I enjoy your blog and your recipes so much, and I share them on (the dreaded) Facebook on my Fitness page often. I have always loved pasta and it is the one thing I have refused to convert completely to whole grain as I have improved my nutrition. It just isn’t the same! It was fate that brought this recipe to my email inbox as I sat down at my desk to eat my own dish of radiatore pasta with cherub tomatoes, spinach, fresh basil, and mushrooms. It’s so nice to see a healthfood blogger who doesn’t condemn white pasta. I eat mostly whole grains, and I keep my carb servings small – usually 1/2 cup (unlike when I was younger and inhaled piles and piles of it). But I don’t see anything wrong with having white pasta as a treat. Oh – and I also have had a similar journey to yours with pesto. I recently bought it to serve over pasta with shrimp that I found on sale (typically very expensive in Pittsburgh) as a treat for my husband. I stopped buying it years ago, even though I LOVE it, because it is so heavy on calories. I’ve decided to allow it back into my life once more. As a fitness coach and mom, I am also working up to blogging regularly, and yours serves as inspiration and guidance. I set up my blog page months ago, and it has collected dust ever since. Would love to change that! Thanks for your free thinking, your authenticity, and your love of flavor!
Margie Young,
Pittsburgh, PA
Hi Margie. You have brightened my Canada Day even more! As I mature and become a more seasoned parent, wife and human being in general, I find inner piece and balance quite important. I find myself less and less involved in drama and black and white stuff. So, yes white pasta is OK as a treat. Organic preferable when I buy it. At a restaurant I won’t forbid my kids to order white pasta once a month. I am honestly over with extremes because that life is not real.
I will try to stay true to myself as much as possible because that is what makes blogging fun. If blogging inspires you then do it. If reading other blogs inspires you then do it. If you don’t feel like working out for a week don’t do it. Whatever makes you happy. Have a great weekend! xoxo
Hi there, first timer here, saw this on Pinterest thought looked so tasty so making it tonight for dinner, thank you for sharing. Also have you thought of making your own pesto, look at anoregoncottage.com I freeze mine and it’s not too fiddly to make. It tastes unbelievably good and Jami uses sunflower seeds which makes it cheaper to make. Only has in it what you put in. I top mine with olive oil as she suggests and it stays a beautiful bright green. After you’ve made it once, there’s no going back!
Thank you! I started to think about that because my basil plant is going crazy which is a good thing. I will definitely do that this summer! I miss quality pesto in winter.
We love this!! I want to make and freeze it for a family with a new baby – how do you suggest it be re-heated? (Baked, thawed and microwaved???). Thanks for the yumminess!!
Hi Barbara. Yes, fully cooked, thawed and microwaved. They would really appreciate it. I remember being so hungry while breastfeeding and having no time to cook. First time I had time and energy though to stock my freezer with cooked meals. It was a blessing.
What a Great Recipe – I Made it for lunch today with wholemeal spaghetti, was Fantastic!! Thanks Olena!
You are welcome, Mealia!
When I entered this recipe fir calculation of smart points, it came out to 10 smart points per serving. Not as low fat as I wanted. I’m going to to eliminate the olive oil as unnecessary and reduce the amount of sundried tomatoes to 3 tbsp and the parmesan cheese to a fat free variety to see if that makes a difference.
You know, you could do that but fats are not our enemy. Healthy plant-based fats like olive oil and even grass fed organic butter in moderation. Fat doesn’t make us fat. But it is up to you. Look it up.
I did the changes and it came down to 9 points for 11/3 cup. Not terrible.
This is a fantastic recipe. I will be adding this to my regular meal planning. Thanks.
You are welcome, Christina.
Substituted pasta for spaghetti squash and it was amazing! Definitely a keeper 🙂
Awesome. Any veggie “pasta” would work. I split pasta dishes in half a lot, to make with pasta for boys and lighter for me.
First off – this looks awesome! Can’t wait to make it.
Only thing that seems strange is your idea of healthy. Seems oils and fats are bad (which is not true), and if it were whole wheat pasta it would be good. The reality is that any flour or grain is a heavy carb that spikes insulin. So don’t hold back on the pesto, hold back on the pasta if you want it be healthy! 🙂
Hi John. I do not think fats are bad. I don’t say it anywhere other the contrary. Especially plant based fats. Secondly, I cook 95% with whole wheat pasta. I explained in the post I used plain white organic pasta for this recipe because my kids like this shape and I can’t find it whole wheat. I do allow them it as a treat. So I think my idea of healthy is similar to yours. Glad to hear some people understand what healthy is! Because as I learnt many have their own understanding of healthy. Enjoy the recipe.
Thank you! It turned out great. I added some spinach in while the broccoli was cooking and added more pesto. This is a great recipe. Thank you!
I’m wondering if I could serve this cold. I have been pre-cooking dinners in the a.m since it has been very warm.
Totally! 99% of my dinners are made early in the day, especially in summer. If food tastes good for you cold – go for it, no rules.
any suggestions for a substitute for broccoli? I think it makes my son (breast feeding) too gassy
Yes, that could be the case. Spinach or asparagus?!
This recipe is so quick, easy, and delicious! I made it twice in the past week. I leave out the sundried tomatoes because I don’t like them. Next time I may take the commenter’s suggestion of putting broccoli in first, but the cooked tomatoes and pasta water mix nicely together to make a sauce. Thanks for a great recipe!
Welcome, Lia!
Eating it right now. Very tasty, and easy. My husband hates sun-dried tomatos, but sometimes I just gotta.
Those picky husbands and kids…Why us women can handle anything?!:)
nade this recipe just this evening and both my wife and I absolutely loved it. My one suggestion would be to sauté the broccoli first and add all the remaining ingredients prior to adding the tomatoes. Adding tomatoes to cooked food is all it takes to blister them and it keeps them from overcooking and becoming mushy. Otherwise I think the recipe is brilliant.
Great suggestion, makes sense. Glad you liked it.:)
I’m confused about the 1/4 cup of pesto. I see where the 2 tbsp are added but do not see in the directions where the additional 1/4 cup is added. Thank you!
Sorry and thanks for catching that. It goes in step 3.
I am wondering where you found the preservative free pesto? Would love to buy that!!
At my local farm market/small grocery store. I just went through many labels at each store until I found one. I live in Vancouver, BC and it’s our local company so unless you live where I live my store location won’t be helpful to you. Also check out health and organic stores and local farm markets. There are often Italian brands without preservatives. Italian deli and markets are a good place too.
I can imagine how flavorful this must be with all these ingredients inside!Yum.
I love pesto pasta! Cannot remember the last time that I made some.. totally craving a bowl right now. Thanks for reminding me how delicious it is!