Healthy Penne Recipes

Pastitsio is a classic Greek baked pasta dish made with ground beef and bechamel. Our version has all the flavors and the comforting feel of the classic, but is made in one skillet (less cleanup!) and is healthier for you, using whole-grain pasta, lean meat and low-fat dairy.

Penne and asparagus are bathed in a rich sauce with a slight bite of mustard, lemon and Parmesan. This dish is lovely in early spring, when asparagus is at its peak and nights are still cool enough to inspire a craving for something rich and warm.

Here's the meaty, saucy pasta that we all crave. If you have any slow-cooker bolognese leftovers, freeze them and reheat on a cold night when you're in need of a hot, comforting dish. Serve with a simple, crisp salad and crusty bread. For the prettiest appearance, sprinkle with whole fresh basil leaves instead of chopped oregano.

Remaking this classic high-calorie, high-fat pasta sauce was a great success. By adding fresh breadcrumbs to the pesto, we were able to use much less oil. The pesto still coats the pasta nicely and its herbal flavor remains intense and vibrant. Parsley is more than just a garnish--it's a rich source of carotenoids and vitamin C.

Get dinner on the table even faster by using precubed butternut squash in this creamy pasta recipe. Found in the produce section of large grocery stores, the cut butternut is a little bigger than you need here, so you will have to do some chopping--but the peeling and gutting has been done for you. That means this easy healthy dinner takes just 35 minutes to prep. Score!

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.

Crispy, seared scallops combine with whole-grain pasta and greens to make this flavorful complete meal.

Smother pasta with this slow cooker vegetable and turkey sauce for an easy and satisfying meal.

Radicchio is a brawlingly bitter green that becomes impossibly meek and mild when simmered. Paired with some cheese and the meat from a rotisserie chicken, it cooks up quickly into a memorable pasta dish.

In the mood for Italian? Try this low-fat sausage-and-eggplant one-dish meal recipe.

Penne tossed with spring vegetables, such as carrots, morel mushrooms, asparagus, peas and fava beans, along with loads of fresh herbs is a perfect example of Mario Batali's rustic approach to great-tasting Italian food. When both fava beans and morel mushrooms are in season, by all means use them in this recipe. But if you can't find either of those, substitute what looks best. Basic cremini mushrooms will work and frozen lima beans are a good option. Recipe adapted from Molto Gusto by Mario Batali and Mark Ladner (Ecco/HarperCollins Publishers, 2010).

With bold ingredients like garlic, anchovies and cayenne pepper--not to mention the sweet ones like raisins--the only subtle aspect to this lusty dish is the flavor of the broccoli. It's excellent as a side dish, but between the pasta and a hearty, vegetable-flecked tomato sauce, this pasta dish is a meal all by itself.

Our velvety tomato sauce is spiked with cubes of salty capicola and a few shots of vodka. Make it a Meal: Caesar salad and a glass of Pinot Noir will shine with this dish.

Here artichokes are combined with smoky ham and fresh peas to create a pasta dish that tastes richer than it actually is. Serve with a green salad with a simple dressing of lemon juice and extra-virgin olive oil.

The heat level of this spicy tomato sauce can be adjusted to your taste. This quick pasta dish comes together in 30 minutes.

This chunky sauce is laced with chard and accented with smoked tofu. Convenient packages of peeled and diced butternut squash are available in most supermarkets in the fall and winter.

Artichokes, ricotta cheese and lemon juice and zest form the sauce for this quick pasta dish.

Tender chunks of eggplant take the place of ground beef or sausage in this vegetarian pasta sauce recipe, which is made in your slow cooker.

Fresh artichokes, some white wine, a touch of garlic and pasta make a straightforward, delicious combination.

Just a sprinkling of walnuts lends crunch and flavor to this vegetarian pasta dish, without adding a lot of fat or calories.

This classic Roman pasta dish gets a jolt from crushed red pepper and garlic-infused oil.

Toss Italian sausage, bell peppers and onion with jarred marinara for a quick and easy supper. Make it a meal: Serve with sautéed broccoli seasoned with a touch of anchovy and garlic.

This pasta dish is a perfect choice for weeknight cooking. In just 35 minutes, you'll be serving up penne pasta and broccoli rabe with fresh tomatoes and bacon. It's a meal your whole family will enjoy.

Earthy eggplant teams up with jarred marinara sauce and bell peppers for a simple pasta sauce. Make it a meal: To round out the meal, just add a green salad and some good crusty bread.