Healthy Parmesan Cheese Recipes

Slices of butternut squash stand in for noodles in this veggie-packed lasagna with spinach, mushrooms and a creamy Parmesan cheese sauce. You can make the Parmesan cheese sauce with regular flour or swap in gluten-free flour to make this dish gluten-free. Look for a squash with a long, straight neck for the best results. Serve with a green salad for a vegetarian meal that you'd be happy to serve to company.

This whole roasted cauliflower recipe is incredibly easy--and requires just 5 minutes of active time--but delivers a healthy side dish that's impressive enough for entertaining. A mixture of Parmesan cheese and balsamic glaze adds tons of flavor. Serve with roast chicken, turkey or pork or as part of a vegetarian meal.

If Mexican street corn took a trip to Genoa, it might come back slathered in pesto butter like this grilled corn on the cob recipe. This Italian flair works because the flavors of basil and Parmesan have a natural affinity with corn.

These fun baked sweet potato fries are made with spiralized sweet potatoes and topped with garlic powder and Parmesan cheese for a crunchy, savory snack that's healthy too. You can spiralize the sweet potatoes yourself or pick up a package of sweet potato "noodles" in the produce department of your supermarket to speed up the process even more. Since they're baked instead of fried, they're easier to make and lower in calories than deep-fried sweet potato fries. Serve them along with your favorite beef, turkey or veggie burgers or as a party appetizer that kids and adults will love.

Roasting intensifies the sweetness of the sweet potatoes and gives the cauliflower a wonderful nutty flavor in this simple, healthy side dish. A sprinkling of garlic powder and Parmesan cheese makes the dish really special. Serve this easy side along with pork or chicken or add to a grain bowl for a vegetarian dinner.

Unlike the classic Southern version of tomato pie, which relies on mayonnaise and Cheddar cheese, this colorful pie gets its creamy texture and savory flavor from herb-speckled ricotta and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. A simple stir-together olive oil dough is patted into the tart pan--no rolling pin required. Look for heirloom tomatoes in a variety of colors and sizes for the prettiest and tastiest pie. Serve this tart with a simple green salad for brunch, lunch or light dinner.

This healthy side dish recipe couldn't be simpler--or more delicious. Broccoli is roasted until brown and crispy, then topped with Parmesan cheese and balsamic vinegar for a savory and sweet flavor combination that can't be beaten. Try this quick vegetable dish along with chicken, fish or really any main course. It's also great in salads or warm grain bowls. Tip: Preheating the pan helps the broccoli to brown and develop nutty flavors.

Grilled zucchini is one of the great food joys of summer. In this easy recipe, the crunchy, bright breadcrumbs offset the sweet, soft zucchini in the most delightful way. Serve this healthy side with grilled chicken, fish or shrimp or as part of a vegetarian summer meal. This recipe is easily doubled or tripled if you have a bumper crop of zucchini.

This cheesy baked eggplant Parmesan has no breading, which means it's easier to make than the traditional version. There's no dredging or frying--instead, the eggplant is roasted until tender before being layered in the casserole dish with a tangy homemade tomato sauce, mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. And without breading, this satisfying eggplant Parmesan is also gluten-free!

This healthy zucchini noodle salad has all the flavors you love in a classic Mediterranean pasta salad but we've swapped in zoodles for wheat pasta, which makes the salad lighter, lower in carbs and gluten-free. Serve it with grilled chicken or fish for a light and healthy summer dinner.

This healthy recipe combines two bar food favorites--fried zucchini and curly fries--into one tempting package. Serve these baked zucchini fries with a simple dipping sauce made with ranch dressing and marinara sauce for a crowd-pleasing appetizer or a side dish for burgers, chicken or pizza. No matter what you serve them with, they're a fun way to eat more vegetables for kids and adults alike.

This healthy riff on lasagna rolls uses strips of zucchini instead of lasagna noodles for a vegetable-packed dinner that's fun for the whole family. This is a great recipe for kids to help make--let them get their hands dirty rolling the zucchini ribbons with the cheesy filling. Use a vegetable peeler or mandoline to quickly slice the zucchini into uniform thin strips--this will ensure easy rolling and even cooking.

The nutty saltiness of Parmesan cheese is an excellent match for the sweet, delicate licorice flavor of fennel in this quick and easy side dish recipe.

Stop into just about any diner down South or in the Midwest and you're sure to find chicken-fried steak on the menu. This baked version allows you to enjoy the great flavor of the traditional favorite without all the fat and calories.

This 25-minute pasta side dish goes well with chicken or fish and can be served either warm or at room temperature. Kale and basil create a fresh-tasting pesto that is packed with protein and taste, thanks to the addition of chickpeas. We like shaved Parmesan sprinkled on the top, but feel free to add toasted pine nuts or walnuts for some crunch.

There's nothing more delicious than tomatoes roasted with tart balsamic vinegar and fragrant herbs. Before serving, remove the tomatoes from the slow cooker and be sure to allow a full ten minutes for the cheesy breadcrumb topping to soak into each savory tomato half.

This cheeseburger and eggpant Parm fusion recipe is a winning combination. Breaded eggplant slices are topped with marinara sauce, mozzarella cheese, and a delicious grilled lean beef burger--it's American classic meets Italian restaurant favorite! To make it a complete meal, serve with spaghetti with a side of steamed vegetables.

The sauce for this pasta recipe comes together quickly in one skillet while your spaghetti noodles cook on the next burner. Zucchini, fragrant basil, fresh tomato, and canned tuna combine to make a sensational topping for the whole-grain spaghetti in this 30-minute meal.

Annoyed by cooking lasagna noodles, only to end up fighting with them while they stick together and tear before you can layer them properly in the pan? Try this no-boil method and you'll never boil lasagna noodles again. Don't drain the canned tomatoes--the extra moisture helps cook the noodles to perfection.

Swap out store-bought for this tangy homemade buttermilk and poppy seed dressing to take this healthy salad recipe to the next level. For an even more impressive meal, make your own crunchy cheese crisps in a snap, using phyllo dough, for a delicious accompaniment to this dinner salad. Make extra dressing to keep on hand for other salads throughout the week.