Healthy Penne Recipes

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!

Here we toss grilled tuna with pasta, artichoke hearts, green olives and tomatoes. Grilling the tuna gives this ultra-fresh pasta dish a subtle smokiness. But if you're pressed for time, try canned tuna in place of the grilled fish.

Lemon zest ties all the flavors together in this light and creamy pasta. Make it a meal: Serve with a salad of sliced fresh mozzarella and cherry tomatoes tossed with a little fresh basil, balsamic vinegar and olive oil.

This ooey-gooey pasta dish is a crowd-pleaser for adults and kids alike--think rich and creamy macaroni-and-cheese tossed with cauliflower and chicken. Serve with a spinach salad.

Turn humble pasta and beans gourmet by adding roasted vegetables, fresh mint and tangy, salty aged goat cheese. When making a pasta dish with beans, you can use some of the bean-cooking liquid to give the sauce silky body and help it cling to the pasta. If you're using canned beans, use some of the pasta-cooking liquid or just water.

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.

Getting in your daily servings of vegetables is easy when you feature this veggie-loaded pasta recipe. It's full of broccoli, asparagus, and tomatoes and a creamy ricotta-tomato sauce--you'll be amazed that it takes just 25 minutes to prepare.

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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).

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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