23 Budget-Friendly Pasta Dinners

April 20, 2020

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These budget-friendly pasta recipes are the perfect meal for weeknight dinners. We pair pasta with affordable ingredients like ground beef, vegetables and cheese to create a well-rounded meal. Feel free to swap proteins and vegetables depending on the ingredients you have on hand. Any combination you make with pasta will be delicious. Recipes like Classic Mac & Cheese and Ground Beef Stroganoff are healthy, filling and tasty.

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Pesto Ravioli with Spinach & Tomatoes

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Looking for a new way to turn a bag of frozen cheese ravioli into a satisfying and healthy dinner? This easy pasta recipe calls for just five ingredients but is loaded with fresh flavors. By using grape tomatoes, prewashed spinach and prepared pesto, we eliminate all prep work, making this 15-minute Caprese-inspired ravioli the ideal weeknight meal. Source: EatingWell.com, June 2019

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Spinach & Artichoke Dip Pasta

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If you've ever wanted to make a meal out of warm spinach and artichoke dip, this creamy pasta is for you. And here's what's almost as good as the flavor of this comforting dish: the fact that this healthy dinner takes just 20 minutes to prepare. Source: EatingWell.com, September 2019

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American Goulash

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American goulash, also known as old-fashioned goulash, is the perfect economical family meal. The pasta cooks right in the sauce, so this satisfying dish can cook in just one pot. Source: EatingWell.com, March 2018

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Classic Sesame Noodles with Chicken

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Classic sesame noodles become a healthy meal with lean chicken and tons of veggies in this quick recipe for Asian noodles. Be sure to rinse the spaghetti until it's cold, then give it a good shake in the colander until it's well drained. Are you a spiralizing pro? Swap 5 cups of raw zucchini, carrot or other veggie “noodles” for the cooked pasta. Source: EatingWell Magazine, July/August 2016

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Classic Mac & Cheese

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No sneaky ingredients here, just delicious comfort food. You can enjoy this super-cheesy mac and cheese in the same time it takes to cook the boxed version. Whole-wheat noodles add fiber, while sharp Cheddar adds richness. A hefty twist of black pepper balances the cheese's salty tang. Source: EatingWell.com, August 2018

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Ground Beef Stroganoff

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How do you get classic beef stroganoff on the dinner table in under an hour? Use ground beef instead of cubed steak. Ground beef cooks in a fraction of the time but is just as delicious in a creamy sauce with mushrooms and served over whole-wheat noodles. Source: EatingWell.com, June 2018

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Baked Penne Florentine

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This comforting and flavorful vegetarian dish is packed with protein. Source: Diabetic Living Magazine

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Chicken Sausage & Onion Pasta

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Convenient fully cooked chicken sausage is a great flavor starter for this easy pasta recipe with just three ingredients you can keep stocked in your freezer or pantry for fast dinners. Just add some sautéed onions and pasta and you have a super-simple meal that the entire family will love. Source: EatingWell.com, April 2018

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Turkey, Pesto & Broccoli Pasta

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This easy pasta recipe is a weeknight dinner lifesaver. While shelf-stable pesto will work here, we prefer the fresh flavor and more vibrant color of refrigerated pesto. Look for it in the refrigerated section of your supermarket, near the fresh pasta and marinara sauce. Source: Diabetic Living Magazine, Winter 2020

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Spaghetti with Quick Meat Sauce

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Instead of opening a jar of sauce, try this easy spaghetti with meat sauce on a weeknight. Serve with steamed broccoli and garlic bread. The recipe makes enough for 8 servings. If you're serving only four for dinner, cook 8 ounces of spaghetti and freeze the leftover sauce. Source: EatingWell Magazine, November/December 2010

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Spinach & Mushroom Tortellini Bake

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This cheesy tortellini bake is a dish the whole family will love--it's filled with sweet-tasting marinara, mushrooms and spinach and topped with melted cheese. Complete the meal, plus get in another vegetable serving, by adding a side of broccoli or a small green salad. Source: EatingWell.com, September 2019

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One-Pot Chicken Alfredo

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This better-for-you creamy, cheesy chicken fettuccine Alfredo isn't all that fancy, but it's incredibly comforting. You'll taste a nice pop of pepper and nutty notes from the whole-wheat pasta. Best part about this recipe? It's a one-pot meal, which means fewer dishes for you! Source: EatingWell.com, October 2019

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Easy Pea & Spinach Carbonara

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Fresh pasta cooks up faster than dried, making it a must-have for fast weeknight dinners like this luscious yet healthy meal. Eggs are the base of the creamy sauce. They don't get fully cooked, so use pasteurized-in-the-shell eggs if you prefer. Source: EatingWell Magazine, January/February 2019

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Stovetop Chicken & Broccoli Casserole

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We trimmed 9 grams of fat and almost 100 calories in this makeover of cheesy chicken-and-broccoli casserole. All the raw ingredients are layered in a skillet, then simmered for a quick weeknight dinner. Source: EatingWell Magazine, March/April 2012

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Spinach & Sausage Gnocchi

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Some like it hot--but if you don't, sweet Italian turkey sausage is also delicious in this healthy gnocchi recipe. Serve with a mixed green salad with sherry vinaigrette. Source: EatingWell Magazine, January/February 2015

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Braised Cauliflower & Squash Penne Pasta

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In this braised cauliflower and squash penne pasta recipe, we cook the pasta and vegetables in broth rather than water to make this warming vegetarian pasta extra flavorful. The starch from the pasta and vegetables combines with the broth as it simmers and creates a silky sauce. And you can make the whole dish in just one pot, so cleanup is a breeze. Source: EatingWell Magazine, September/October 2013

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Sausage & Peppers Baked Ziti

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This healthy baked ziti recipe doesn't require any chopping and is made on the stovetop, so it is perfect for a busy weeknight dinner. Using whole-wheat pasta adds fiber; opt for penne if whole-wheat ziti is hard to find. Source: EatingWell Magazine, March/April 2013

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Cincinnati Chili

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Cincinnati has a unique spin on chili--they serve it over spaghetti. Typically the chili is just made with meat, no beans, but we couldn't resist adding beans to add fiber and nutrients. Serve with sliced cucumber and red onion with lemon juice and olive oil. Source: EatingWell Magazine, March/April 2012

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Spinach-Tomato Macaroni & Cheese

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An old-school classic gets a boost of nutrition and flavor from garlicky spinach and tomatoes in this healthy mac and cheese recipe. Source: Diabetic Living Magazine, Fall 2019

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Chicken-Noodle Casserole

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Flavorful Chicken-Noodle Casserole comes to life with this diabetic-friendly recipe. Select light sour cream to lower fat and calorie content. Source: Diabetic Living Magazine

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Skillet Chili Mac

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Poblanos add a kick of heat to this chili mac recipe. If that's not your thing, swap in green bell peppers to tone down the heat in this easy pasta dish, which mashes up mac and cheese and chili into a seriously satisfying skillet dinner. Source: EatingWell Magazine, September 2019

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Tuna-Zucchini Pasta

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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. Source: Diabetic Living Magazine

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One-Pot Tomato Basil Pasta

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This one-pot pasta with tangy tomato-basil sauce is a simple, fast and easy weeknight dinner. All of your ingredients go into one pot, and with a bit of stirring and about 25 minutes of cook time, you'll have a healthy dinner the whole family will enjoy. Source: EatingWell.com, March 2019

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