When you’re craving pasta, meatballs, and sauce all at once, it can be hard to know what’s best. Luckily, the answer is simple: the pasta will be good for you and the sauce won’t be loaded with unhealthy additives and preservatives.
If you’re looking to spice up your pasta intake, then these healthy alternatives to pasta with meatballs are for you. These recipes swap traditional pasta for a variety of other foods, so you can still get a tasty pasta dish without all the carbs, sodium, and fat. From broccoli and zucchini noodles to cauliflower rice, these healthy alternatives to pasta with meatballs are the perfect way to satisfy your cravings and still eat smart.
Fettuccine Alfredo
If you love Alfredo, but you’re watching your carb and sodium intake, you might be surprised to learn that the classic pasta sauce does not contain butter. Alfredo is typically made with cream, butter, eggs, Parmesan cheese, and sometimes even flour. But, thanks to the power of healthy alternatives, you can have your fettuccine Alfredo and eat it too!
Instead of heavy cream, use soy, almond, or coconut milk.
Instead of eggs, use egg whites, flaxseeds, chia seeds, or ground unprocessed nuts.
Instead of Parmesan cheese, use spirulina, chlorella, or nutritional yeast.
Spaghetti Squash Boats
One of the best things about spaghetti squash is that it can replace pasta in so many dishes! This versatile vegetable can be used to make both savory and sweet dishes, making it an ideal replacement for pasta.
Spaghetti squash can be used to make “boats,” “stacks,” “ ribs,” or squares, and it can take on the texture of your favorite pasta.
If you’re craving a classic spaghetti dinner, but you don’t want to sacrifice your diet, try swapping out spaghetti for spaghetti squash. You’ll still get the same classic flavor, but with much better nutrition!
Zoodles
Zucchinis are one of the best vegetables for weight loss because they’re low in calories, high in fiber, and have a low glycemic index rating.
Because of these traits, you may have guessed that zucchinis make excellent “zoodles”—vegetable noodles made from zucchinis. Zoodles are a healthy substitute to pasta, and they take only a few minutes to make.
You can replace pasta with zucchinis in any recipe that calls for pasta. Simply replace the “pasta” in the recipe with “zucchinis.” You’ll be able to enjoy all of your favorite dishes, but with much healthier ingredients.
Baked Ziti
If you’re craving a traditional baked ziti dinner, but you don’t want to sacrifice your diet, try swapping out ziti for baked ziti. You’ll still get the same classic flavor, but with much better nutrition!
Baked ziti is essentially just macaroni and cheese, so it’s easy to see why it’s a crowd favorite.
To make baked ziti healthier, use whole-wheat macaroni instead of regular macaroni, and use whole-wheat or low-sodium spaghetti sauce.
Spaghetti Squash with Black Bean Salad
A low-carbohydrate diet can be difficult to follow, but spaghetti squash is a great way to sneak in some veggies.
When it comes to spaghetti squash, the key is to use a low-sodium pasta sauce.
By using a low-sodium sauce, you won’t even taste the difference between spaghetti squash and regular pasta.
You can use this same concept with baked ziti and other similar pasta dishes. Simply swap out the pasta for the spaghetti squash or baked ziti and the sauce for a healthier version.
Beef and Veggie Noodle Bowl
This bowl uses zucchini noodles instead of traditional pasta to make a delicious beef and veggie bowl.
The key to keeping this dish low in carbohydrates is to use cauliflower rice instead of traditional white rice. Cauliflower is a low-carbohydrate vegetable, so it helps to replace the grains in this recipe with it.
Mushroom Stroganoff
Mushroom stroganoff is a classic Russian dish, and it uses spaghetti squash as the “pasta.”
This dish uses low-sodium beef broth, so you can enjoy the rich flavor of beef without worrying about your blood pressure or heart health.
Mushroom stroganoff is extremely filling, so you’ll feel full for a long time after eating it.
Healthy Pizza Sauce
Pizza is one of the favorite foods for kids and adults who want a delicious but unhealthy dish.
One of the best ways to make your pizza healthier is to use low-fat or low-sodium sauce.
You can also use healthy alternatives such as vegetable broth instead of traditional red sauce.
Healthy Vegetable Broth
If you’re craving pasta but you don’t want to sacrifice your diet, try making your own vegetable broth instead.
Vegetable broth is a great way to add a healthy vegetable flavor to your dish, so you don’t even know it’s there.
You can use this same concept with other sauces and soups that use pasta as a base ingredient. Simply swap out the pasta for a healthier option and enjoy the same flavor.
Summary
There are many healthy alternatives to pasta with meatballs, and they don’t all have to taste like vegetables! These recipes are a fun way to get more vegetables into your diet without sacrificing taste, and they’ll all make you feel full and energized after eating them.