Clean Eating Skillet Spaghetti Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is healthy spaghetti? ›

Whole-grain pasta is typically high in fiber, manganese, selenium, copper and phosphorus, while refined, enriched pasta tends to be higher in iron and B vitamins. Whole-grain pasta is also lower in calories and higher in fiber and certain micronutrients than refined pasta.

Try this today: You can easily give almost any pasta dish an easy upgrade by piling on the nutrient-dense ingredients, like veggies. I like making macaroni and cheese and mixing in chickpeas, broccoli, zucchini, and Brussels sprouts to make it a healthy, high fiber meal!

In a 12-inch cast-iron skillet, combine spaghetti, 8 cups water, onion, garlic, and 2 teaspoons salt. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until pasta is al dente, approximately 14 minutes. Drain all but 1 cup of water from skillet.

First, get the water boiling well. Second, add your pasta (especially if doing a lot, add just a bit, stir it in, then add more.) Stir very actively using the "tangle" technique until the water is back to a good rolling boil. Then you can reduce the head, and let your pasta cook.

The healthiest pasta sauces get most of their fat from olive oil (marinara) or olive oil and nuts (pesto), not cream or cheese (alfredo). And the good guys don't pile too much salt or sugar on top of your spaghetti. Here's how to find them. Check the photos for some great-tasting Best Bites and Honorable Mentions.

Eat pasta in small portions.

Half a cup of pasta should be the main course, with the rest consisting of toppings like sauce, lean meats, fish, vegetables, nuts, seafood, and olive oil.

All types of pasta can be worked into a weight-loss diet, but some types may offer more of an advantage. While you may think of veggie noodles as being the best pasta for weight loss, edamame pasta is my top pick if you're trying to shed a few pounds.

What's the healthiest way to cook pasta? It is recommended to cook pasta al dente (slightly firm and chewy). As well as stopping the pasta from becoming overcooked and mushy, al dente pasta is healthier because it has a lower GI.

First, in authentic Italian cuisine, the sauce is always tossed with the pasta before it ever hits the plate. Just before the sauce is done cooking, the hot pasta is added to the saucepan. Generally speaking, we recommend cooking the pasta in the sauce together for about 1-2 minutes.

Cover your pan with a lid to help bring the water up to the boil more quickly, then remove the lid once the water is boiling or reduce the temperature slightly to stop it bubbling over. Add the pasta to the water once it's boiling, never before, and cook without the lid.

What does olive oil do to spaghetti? ›

Benefits of adding olive oil in pasta water

The best choice is to add 1 teaspoon of Italica Olive Oil. This will keep the pasta from sticking while cooking and will also improve the flavor and texture. Pasta and oil are the perfect combination to help regulate intestinal transit.

It couldn't be easier to substitute butter for oil using a 1:1 ratio. This should work with olive, canola, vegetable, and coconut oils. Simply melt and cool the butter to room temperature, then continue with your recipe. (If the recipe calls for ½ cup oil, use ½ cup melted and cooled butter.)

Pasta can be an excellent addition to a healthful diet. A recent study reinforced this, finding that people on a low-GI diet still lost weight when they ate pasta. The study concluded that pasta did not cause any weight gain or increases in body fat.

Substituting veggie pasta for traditional varieties can indeed provide a health benefit. It may not be as pronounced as swapping out your pasta entirely for a spaghetti squash, but the added benefit of not needing to take the time to prepare vegetables ahead of time is a definite win for pasta.

Whole wheat pasta is healthier than white pasta, because it's packed with nutrients such as complex carbs, protein, fiber, iron, magnesium, and zinc. On the other hand, white pasta is made of refined carbs, meaning it has been stripped of many nutrients during its processing.

Carrot and Beet Sauce

Similar to marinara but with a different flavor, carrots, and beets offer a ton of nutrition and can be supplemented in many dishes that use tomato sauce. Try sauteeing the vegetables with onion, garlic, and olive oil, then blend to desired texture. Add seasonings to taste.