When it comes to healthy eating, losing weight or building muscle, delicious and quick pasta dishes usually do not come to mind. For decades, they were considered just as fattening as ordinary white bread due to their high carbohydrate content. They were therefore avoided like the plague in almost all diets aimed at weight loss or muscle building. But modern science is now turning the old assumption about the classic of Italian cuisine on its head.
In fact, a new study by Italian nutritionists shows that healthy and quick pasta dishes not only don’t make you fat, they can actually have the opposite effect. Researchers discovered that people who regularly ate pasta as part of their Mediterranean diet had lower body mass index (BMI) and better waist-to-hip ratios. This is believed to be largely due to pasta’s low glycemic index (GI), which is only around 42.
Healthy, tasty and quick pasta dishes – we want to dedicate today’s article to them. Here we show you a few recipe ideas that are not only ready in a few minutes, but also taste great and do not make you fat at all.
Fast pasta dishes using the trendy one-pot cooking technique
Pasta doesn’t make you fat if you eat it in moderation and with good sauces
Quick pasta dishes with Bolognese sauce from one pot
Are you familiar with the English term “One Pot”? It literally means “stew”. Although nothing new or innovative, this minimalist cooking technique is currently enjoying great popularity among home cooks.
The idea behind it – to prepare a simple, quick and nutritious meal from different ingredients in a single cooking pot. This cooking technique not only reduces cooking time, but also the electricity required to heat multiple burners and the water needed to clean up and wash dishes afterwards.
There are many different quick pasta dishes that can be easily prepared in a single saucepan. It’s a common misconception that macaroni, spaghetti, and other types of pasta need to be pre-cooked in large amounts of water. In fact, they taste way better if you just cook them with some vegetable or meat broth. The following recipe uses exactly that. We have chosen the greatest classic of Italian pasta cuisine – spaghetti bolognese.
Italian classic very easily and quickly from one pot
Here are all the ingredients you will need:
- 1 onion, finely diced
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 600 g minced meat of your choice, preferably minced beef
- 750 g of tomato passata
- 1 liter meat or vegetable broth
- 400 g spaghetti, preferably whole grain
- 200g grated parmesan and diced mozzarella
- dash of cooking oil of your choice, preferably olive oil
- 2 tsp Italian herbs
- salt and pepper to taste
For garnish:
- Fresh basil or parsley
- Pickled dried tomatoes
Step by step recipe instructions:
First, heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Sauté onion and garlic for about 2 minutes. Add minced meat and fry. Stir in tomatoes and broth and season.
Bring to a boil, add spaghetti and cook al dente, stirring occasionally. Take the pot off the heat. Stir in the grated cheese and allow to melt under the lid for 5-8 minutes. Garnish with fresh herbs and sundried tomatoes cut into thin strips. Enjoy your meal!
You can easily replace the meat with vegan mince of your choice
The one pot cooking technique is controversial and untraditional, but quick and easy
Quick pasta dishes with pesto and mushrooms
Are you looking for healthy, delicious and at the same time fast pasta dishes without meat, but without meat alternatives? Then the following recipe idea is absolutely perfect for you! Here, pesto and mushrooms play the leading roles.
But you are by no means limited to classic basil pesto and mushrooms. You can choose from a variety of different pestos and mushrooms.
For example, what do you think of an irresistible combination of fresh, homemade wild garlic pesto and oyster mushrooms? Alternatively, how about spinach pesto and chanterelles?
There are practically endless possibilities and good combinations! We therefore encourage you to experiment and try different flavors.
Which combo is your favourite? Do you prefer classics or rather atypical ingredients?
Pesto is not just pesto and does not always have to contain basil
You will need the following ingredients for this:
- 1 onion, finely diced
- 5-6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 300 g mushrooms of your choice
- 60-100g pesto of your choice
- 400g farfalle or fettuccine
- 200g mascarpone
- 1 liter vegetable broth
- dash of cooking oil of your choice, preferably olive oil
- 2 tsp Italian herbs
- salt and pepper to taste
For garnish:
- Fresh basil or parsley
- Pickled dried tomatoes
Step by step recipe instructions:
First, heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Clean the mushrooms, cut into slices and fry vigorously while turning. Add onion and garlic and sauté. Deglaze with broth, season and bring to a boil.
Stir in the pasta and cook al dente, stirring occasionally. Take the pot off the heat. Stir in the pesto and mascarpone. Garnish with fresh herbs and sundried tomatoes cut into thin strips. Enjoy your meal!
This recipe has a wonderful creamy texture and light green color
Quick pasta dishes are the perfect last minute idea for lunch or dinner. They are on the table in less than 30 minutes and are delicious for the whole family. Will you try our recipe ideas yourself? We hope that you succeed and that they taste good!
The Mediterranean diet is probably the most balanced and varied of all
Not a diet, but rather a way of life
The more colorful your dishes, the more nutritious and healthier they are
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