20 Healthy Pasta Dinners to Satisfy Your Craving

When you’re looking for a healthy weeknight dinner it goes without saying that you need something satisfying—that’s ready fast. Pasta fits the bill, except that it can sometimes be loaded up with fat-ladened sauces or excessive amounts of cheese, making it a no-go for certain diets and wellness plans. That’s where these delicious recipes come in. They’re full of smart swaps to cut back on the things you don’t want—and every bit as filling as traditional versions. Just take this spaghetti and meatballs, for example. Some of the ground beef is replaced with Portobello mushrooms and egg whites to help cut fat, without sacrificing flavor. Serve with whole-wheat spaghetti for a hearty, wholesome meal that everyone will enjoy.

Sweet roasted cherry tomatoes, tender orzo and a sprinkle of cheese come together in this cozy, veggie-packed pasta bake that’s both comforting and light.

Orecchiette pasta meets pantry-friendly canned salmon and fresh veggies in this easy, wholesome dinner that delivers big flavor with a light touch.

Adding crushed multi-grain croutons brings an unexpected crunch to this lemony shrimp scampi.

This simple, hearty dish is pure Italian comfort food. Made with double carbs (chickpeas -- the “ceci” -- and ditalini!), it’s somewhere between a soup and a pasta, bringing the best qualities of both to one bowl. While it’s optional, the Parmesan rind adds a depth of flavor here as well as to other soups and stews, especially vegetarian ones. Whenever you finish a wedge of Parmesan, just wrap the leftover rind well in plastic and keep it in the fridge. The lemon zest and juice add a bright note to the broth that’s thickened by mashing some of the chickpeas. If you don’t have a potato masher, you can mash the chickpeas against the sides of the pot with a wooden spoon.