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20 Pasta Dishes Under 300-Calories Each

July 27, 2016
Photo: Karry Hosford
Pasta doesn't have to pack in the calories. These healthier recipes let you eat what you love while still losing weight. And if you love the combination of pasta and weight loss, subscribe to the Cooking Light Diet meal-planning service today!
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10 Pasta Dishes Under 300-Calories Each

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Spring Vegetable Pasta Alfredo

Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Spring Vegetable Pasta Alfredo

Our seasonal pasta toss is made luscious and rich with a lighter take on Alfredo sauce. Instead of using heavy cream, we employ flour-thickened 2% milk enriched with cream cheese. We also switch from traditional Parmesan to more robust pecorino Romano, which allows us to use less cheese while still achieving the same flavor impact. We love the flavor of Bionaturae brand whole-wheat pasta, which is milder than most other brands we’ve tried and doesn’t overpower the vegetables.

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Basil-Ricotta Ravioli with Spinach

Photo: Caitlin Bensel
View Recipe: Basil-Ricotta Ravioli with Spinach

Wonton wrappers are the secret to these seemingly from-scratch pasta pillows. Skip the fancy folds; just make sure to seal the ravioli well. The ravioli fare better with a delicate sauce—here, just a drizzle of olive oil and lemon.

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Roasted Tomato Mac and Cheese

Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Roasted Tomato Mac and Cheese

Make this dish gluten-free by using the brown rice elbow pasta and brown rice flour options listed in the ingredients.

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Chicken, Spinach, and Mushroom Lasagna

Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Chicken, Spinach, and Mushroom Lasagna

Chicken thighs poach until tender in stock, which becomes the base for a creamy béchamel sauce. No-boil noodles absorb more liquid during baking for a sturdy slice after freezing and reheating.

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Individual White Lasagnas

Photo: Randy Mayor
View Recipe: Individual White Lasagnas

Ramekins help keep these cheesy, decadent layers in portion-perfect shape.

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Grape Tomato, Olive, and Spinach Pasta

Photo: Jason Wallis
View Recipe: Grape Tomato, Olive, and Spinach Pasta

We love small, sweet grape tomatoes in this quick meatless pasta dish, but you can sub cherry tomatoes or larger tomatoes that have been seeded and diced. This tasty meal is filling enough to enjoy alone or could be served alongside one of our superfast side-dishes.

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Sweet and Spicy Shrimp With Rice Noodles

Photo: Francesco Tonelli
View Recipe: Sweet and Spicy Shrimp With Rice Noodles

This dish has the starch built in, and because the recipe includes lots of fresh veggies, it qualifies as a one-dish meal.

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Lemony Orzo-Veggie Salad With Chicken

Photo: John Autry
View Recipe: Lemony Orzo-Veggie Salad With Chicken

This colorful orzo and chicken main-dish salad is packed with an assortment of chopped fresh vegetables and tossed with a tangy lemon dressing.

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Vegetable Lasagna

Photo: José Picayo
View Recipe: Vegetable Lasagna

Our Vegetable Lasagna has half the fat and calories of traditional lasagna—but loaded with satisfying flavor. Lots of colorful, delicious baby veggies are layered between pasta to reduce the typical mounds of cheese.

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Rich Chicken Soup with Fresh Noodles

Photo: Iain Bagwell
View Recipe: Rich Chicken Soup with Fresh Noodles

This soup tastes like it was on Grandma’s stove for hours. Test Kitchen staffer Adam Hickman’s secret weapon: “Salty miso enriches the broth.”

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BLT Pasta

Photo: Justin Walker
View Recipe: BLT Pasta

We love the look of mezze penne, a smaller version of regular penne, but you can use any short pasta you like. The “lettuce” in this BLT is actually tender baby spinach. You could also substitute peppery arugula or even baby kale.

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Black Pepper Pasta Salad with Prosciutto, Asparagus, and Romano

Photo: Romulo Yanes
View Recipe: Black Pepper Pasta Salad with Prosciutto, Asparagus, and Romano

This mayonnaise-based pasta salad veers from the traditional with salty Italian ham, nutty asparagus, and a generous grinding of pepper.

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Creamy Artichoke and Asparagus Lasagna

Photo: Rob Culpepper
View Recipe: Creamy Artichoke and Asparagus Lasagna

Lemon rind brightens the sauce, making for a more delicate lasagna. To save on salt, use frozen artichokes, which contain a quarter of the sodium of the canned variety that are usually packed in brine.

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Pasta with Prosciutto and Spinach

Photo: Beau Gustafson
View Recipe: Pasta with Prosciutto and Spinach

Dress up pasta night with a hearty bowl of fresh cheese tortellini tossed in a homemade sauce. Serve with toasted bread for a complete meal that’s ready in no time.

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Steamed Clams and Tomatoes with Angel Hair Pasta

Photo: Randy Mayor; Styling: Jan Gautro
View Recipe: Steamed Clams and Tomatoes with Angel Hair Pasta

Store-bought clam juice adds great flavor to a quick pasta dish. Serve with crusty bread and a simple green salad to round out dinner.

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Zucchini Eggplant Lasagna

Photo: Randy Mayor
View Recipe: Zucchini Eggplant Lasagna

This zucchini eggplant lasagna makes use of fresh summer produce in a filling meatless entrée.

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Rotini and Cheese with Broccoli and Ham

Photography: Randy Mayor; Styling: Melanie J. Clarke
View Recipe: Rotini and Cheese with Broccoli and Ham

Serve this creamy dish with a tossed green salad or a fruit salad.

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Linguine with Easy Meat Sauce

Photo: John Autry
View Recipe: Linguine with Easy Meat Sauce

For picky eaters, try serving this easy meat sauce over whimsically shaped pasta, like bow ties, rotini, or wagon wheels.

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Lemon-Splashed Shrimp Salad

Photo: John Autry
View Recipe: Lemon-Splashed Shrimp Salad

To ensure efficiency, you can purchase peeled and deveined shrimp to reduce prep time. Chop, measure, and prepare the remaining ingredients while the pasta water comes to a boil.

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Peppery Chicken Pasta Salad

Photo: Karry Hosford
View Recipe: Peppery Chicken Pasta Salad

Serve this soon after you dress the salad so the pasta stays moist.

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