These Veggie and Nutrition Packed Pasta Recipes Offer Guilt-Free Comfort Food (2024)

Made with whole ingredients (powder free), this kid-friendly classic gets a little veggie boost from some green peas. And since you make it all in one bowl, it's actually easier than the boxed stuff!

Get the recipe for Easy-Peasy Stovetop Mac 'n Cheesy.

When fresh tomatoes are on hand, there's no reason to boil them down into a heavy sauce. This delicately dressed pasta salad makes a great lunch or light dinner.

Get the recipe for Caprese Pasta Salad.

We love orzo's rice-like noodles, as they make pasta salad extra scoopable. And we love the combo of kale, peppers, red onions, and cheese in this cold salad.

Get the recipe for Orzo Pasta Salad.

Though the homemade sauce is decadent, we dress the pasta lightly. A little goes a long way, flavor-wise.

Get the recipe for Easiest-Ever Chicken Alfredo.

We couldn't leave this classic egg noodle based casserole out of the roundup! Though it's pure comfort food, the lean tuna and big veggie boost keep it relatively healthy.

Get the recipe for Tuna Noodle Casserole.

Here it is: The classic pasta salad, with all the stuff folks love, and none of the stuff they tend to pick out, and a dressing that balances perfectly between tangy, sweet, and just the right amount of herby.

Get the recipe for Italian Pasta Salad.

Warm and comforting without being weighty, packaged tortellini helps fill out a soup of rotisserie chicken, tomatoes, and fresh veggies. Make enough for leftovers—you'll want 'em!

Get the recipe for Chicken-and-Spinach Tortellini Soup.

It might surprise you to find that shrimp is a great high-protein, low-fat way to fill out a lightly dressed dish like fettucinni. And while the sauce is made with butter, it works out to a reasonable 1 tablespoon per serving.

Get the recipe for Shrimp Scampi Pasta.

This big pasta dish gets the bulk of its flavor from a variety of well-grilled veggies, making it good and good for you!

Get the recipe for Grilled Ratatouille Pasta Salad.

Who would have guessed that a can of pumpkin was the trick to making pasta sauce taste extra creamy?

Get the recipe for Pumpkin Pasta with Pine Nut Gremolata.

Mac and cheese is already comfort food, but this cauliflower-boosted variety not only gets a boost of fiber and vitamins, the veggie purée actually makes it creamier. You're welcome.

Get the recipe for Cauliflower Mac 'n' Cheese.

The snappy English peas and lightly roasted salmon add quite a lot to this simple, hearty dish, but it's the fresh dill that really ties the whole thing together.

Get the recipe for Spring Pasta with Salmon, Peas, and Dill.

Snow peas, mushrooms, and a broth base keep this homemade ramen light.

Get the recipe for Ginger Garlic Chicken Ramen.

Get your winter veggie fix with this tasty recipe.

Get the recipe for Bucatini with Winter Pesto and Sweet Potatoes.

Loaded with zucchini and peppers, this recipe will help you reach your vegetable quota for the day.

Get the recipe for Pasta with Sautéed Peppers, Zucchini, and Smoked Mozzarella.

Lighten up spaghetti night with lean turkey meat and fresh "zoodles." If pint-size picky eaters call you on your bluff ("that's not pasta!"), you can substitute half of the zucchini with 8 ounces of cooked spaghetti.

Get the recipe for Turkey Meatballs over Zucchini Noodles.

Baby arugula and lean chicken breast add some much-needed nutrition to this simple, cheesy, peppery dish.

Get the recipe for Chicken and Arugula Cacio e Pepe.

Here, fresh leeks and radishes give this dish a bevy of flavor. It's good as a side or a main, and tasty hot or cold.

Get the recipe for Pearl Couscous with Leeks and Peas.