Healthy Fettuccini Recipes

Any variety of mushroom will work in this creamy vegetarian pasta sauce, but we particularly like a combination of shiitake, oyster and cremini. Adding a few wild varieties, such as chanterelle or lobster mushrooms, will make the sauce extra-special.

Traditional Bolognese usually incorporates veal, pork and beef into the sauce. Here we use convenient Italian turkey sausage in their place--vary the heat by choosing a hot or sweet version.

Here, we blend garlic-infused low-fat milk, reduced-fat cream cheese and Parmesan cheese for a low-fat Alfredo sauce to replace traditional versions made with copious amounts of butter and heavy cream. With plenty of fiber from whole-wheat pasta and only 6 grams of fat per serving, you can put Alfredo back into your pasta repertoire.

Sliced Brussels sprouts and mushrooms cook quickly and cling to the pasta in our fall version of pasta primavera. Look for presliced mushrooms to cut prep time. Serve with a tossed salad.

This rich pasta dish is full of sweet seared scallops and plump peas. Low-fat milk and flour thicken the sauce, giving it creamy texture without the extra calories and fat found in traditional cream sauces. Serve with a small Caesar salad on the side.

Serve with a salad of bitter greens dressed with balsamic vinegar and olive oil.

The spring flavors of asparagus and pesto combine beautifully with fettuccine and shrimp in a light and simple pasta dish that works for family or casual entertaining. Make it a meal: Serve with a tomato-and-arugula salad tossed with mustard-balsamic vinaigrette and fruit sorbet for dessert.

Alfredo di Lello, the Roman restaurateur who created his signature sauce in the 1920s, might be startled to find this streamlined version that still tastes rich enough to satisfy those deep creamy-pasta cravings. The addition of zucchini boosts the nutritional profile. And when cut into thin strands, it can be twirled gracefully on a fork

This retro dish will please kids and adults alike.

Baked pasta dishes are tasty, but notoriously high in fat--here we bake fettuccine in a light and cheesy sauce. Baking it in a springform pan lets you unmold it for a stunning presentation.

The brightness of basil pesto is a nice match for the buttery flavor of salmon in this quick and healthy dinner recipe. Refrigerated pesto, found near fresh sauces and salsas at most stores, is prettier and has a better taste than jarred varieties.

The brightness of basil pesto is a nice match for the buttery flavor of salmon in this quick and healthy dinner recipe. Refrigerated pesto, found near fresh sauces and salsas at most stores, is prettier and has a better taste than jarred.

In this healthy fettuccine Alfredo recipe, the sauce for this classic pasta dish gets a makeover, using yogurt. Although we like to toss this creamy pasta sauce with fettuccine, any whole-wheat pasta can be used.

The naturally sweet taste of scallops partners beautifully with summer corn at its peak in this corn and scallop pasta recipe. To get the most corn flavor into the creamy pasta sauce for this summer pasta recipe, we use the dull side of a knife to remove the extra bit of the corn kernels and the sweet corn “milk” from the ear after cutting off the fresh kernels. Try this technique anytime you are adding fresh corn to sauces or soups.

Lidia Bastianich's rustic pasta recipe from Umbria would typically be made with foraged greens, but certainly chard, spinach and common chicory are delicious in this dish. Collard, dandelion or mustard greens would be good too. (Adapted from Lidia Cooks From the Heart of Italy, Knopf, 2009.)

Even sardine skeptics will enjoy this lemony pasta with crispy breadcrumbs. Substitute a 5- to 6-ounce can chunk light tuna for the sardines if you prefer. If you are using tuna or can't find sardines packed in tomato sauce, add 1 tablespoon tomato paste with the lemon juice in Step 4. Serve with a salad of bitter greens tossed with a lemon vinaigrette and a glass of pinot grigio.

Even sardine skeptics will enjoy this lemony pasta with crispy breadcrumbs. Substitute two 5- to 6-ounce cans chunk light tuna for the sardines if you prefer. If you are using tuna or can't find sardines packed in tomato sauce, add 2 tablespoons tomato paste in Step 4 with the lemon juice. Serve with a salad of bitter greens tossed with a lemon vinaigrette and a glass of Pinot Grigio.

In northern Italy, the influences of neighboring Austria and Switzerland are apparent in dishes like this pasta featuring Savoy cabbage and mushrooms in a light wine sauce. Serve with Caesar salad and bread sticks.

Sweet aromatic spices, cilantro, mint and lemon marry well with bison in this delicious pasta sauce.

Fiber-rich beans stand in for the beef and pork in this surprisingly rich-tasting vegetarian take on pasta Bolognese. Without the meat, the dish has only a third of the fat and 80 percent less saturated fat. To make the perfect meal, serve with a peppery arugula salad and warm, crusty Italian bread.