Need to boost the protein content of your pasta dish? Here are 9 original methods for doing it, along with scrumptious meals to try.
Many of us consider pasta to be a favorite comfort food. It’s quick, simple to make, and delectable. However, pasta might not be your first thought if you’re trying to up your protein intake. Thankfully, there are several methods to include protein in pasta meals without compromising flavor. This essay will explore nine original approaches to doing just that and offer some delectable dishes to get you going. Enter the fray!
1. Use pasta with a high protein content.
Using high-protein pasta is one of the simplest methods to increase the protein content of a pasta dish. Usually, a mixture of wheat and legume flours, like chickpea or lentil flour, is used to make this kind of pasta. Since both flours have more protein than regular wheat flour, the resulting pasta also contains more protein.
High-protein pasta is available under the Banza, Explore Cuisine, and Tolerant Foods brand names. You may purchase pasta in a variety of shapes and flavors from these manufacturers, so you’re likely to find one you like. Furthermore, high-protein pasta cooks the same as regular pasta, so there’s no need to change your cooking technique.
High-Protein Spaghetti with Meat Sauce is a dish to try.
Ingredients:
High-protein spaghetti, 8 ounces
1 pound of ground beef
Pasta sauce, one jar
Garlic powder, 1 teaspoon
pepper and salt as desired
Instructions:
The spaghetti should be prepared as directed on the packaging.
Brown the ground beef in a big skillet over medium heat while the pasta is cooking.
To the skillet containing the steak, add the spaghetti sauce, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. To blend, stir.
Heat up the sauce by simmering it for 5 to 10 minutes.
Over the cooked pasta, spoon the sauce.
2. Include seafood or meat
Including meat or seafood in your pasta recipe is another simple method to increase the protein content. There are several ways to accomplish this, such as by adding ground beef to bolognese sauce or combining shrimp with linguine. Meat and fish enhance the dish’s flavor and texture in addition to providing protein.
Aim for leaner cuts of meat and fish that are low in mercury when selecting them for your pasta recipe. Salmon, shrimp, chicken breast, turkey, and other delectable alternatives are available.
Try the lemon-shrimp linguine recipe.
Ingredients:
16 g of linguine
1 pound of uncooked, deveined, and peeled shrimp
Olive oil, 1/4 cup
2 minced garlic cloves
0.5 teaspoon of red pepper flakes
1/8 cup lemon juice, fresh
pepper and salt as desired
14 cup finely minced fresh parsley
Instructions:
Follow the instructions on the linguine package for cooking.
Olive oil should be heated in a sizable skillet over medium heat while the linguine is cooking.
For 1-2 minutes, until aromatic, add the garlic and red pepper flakes to the skillet.
Cook the shrimp in the skillet for two to three minutes, or until pink and fully cooked.
To the skillet containing the shrimp, add the lemon juice, salt, and pepper. To blend, stir.
Linguine that has been drained is added to the skillet with the shrimp. Combine by tossing.
Add some parsley to the linguine before serving.
3. Top dishes with legumes
Chickpeas and black beans are two excellent sources of plant-based protein that you can use into your pasta recipe. Using them as a topping is one simple method to achieve this. The legumes only need to be cooked, then you can top your spaghetti dish with them.
Additionally, you can purée legumes to make a sauce or pesto to serve with pasta. Your meal will gain a rich, creamy texture from this.
Recipe to try: Pasta with Chickpea Pesto
Ingredients:
8 ounces pasta
1 can of washed and drained chickpeas
Olive oil, 1/4 cup
grated Parmesan cheese, 1/4 cup
Garlic cloves, two
14 cup finely minced fresh basil
pepper and salt as desired
Instructions:
The pasta should be prepared as directed on the packaging.
The chickpeas, basil, garlic, Parmesan cheese, olive oil, and pasta should be cooking when you combine the ingredients in a food processor. till smooth, pulse.
Add salt and pepper to taste when preparing the chickpea pesto.
Pasta should be drained before adding chickpea pesto.
Serve warm.
4. Include cheese
A fantastic method to boost the protein in your pasta meal is to use cheese. For instance, one ounce of parmesan cheese contains 10 grams of protein. Feta, ricotta, and cottage cheese are further cheese options that are high in protein.
To prevent adding too many calories and fat to your pasta dish, use cheese sparingly. All you need to give your pasta a boost of protein and taste is a sprinkle of grated Parmesan cheese.
Try this recipe for stuffed shells with ricotta and spinach.
Ingredients:
Twelve large pasta shells
Ricotta cheese, 1 cup
1/2 cup of thawed and drained frozen spinach
grated Parmesan cheese, 1/4 cup
1 beaten egg
pepper and salt as desired
Pasta sauce, one jar
Instructions:
The pasta shells should be prepared as directed on the packaging.
Combine the ricotta cheese, spinach, Parmesan cheese, egg, salt, and pepper in a bowl while the pasta shells are cooking.
the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Pasta sauce should be evenly distributed in the bottom of a baking dish.
Put the ricotta mixture inside the cooked pasta shells before placing them in the baking dish.
Over the loaded shells, add the leftover pasta sauce.
Bake the dish for 30 minutes with the foil covering.
After removing the foil, bake the cheese for an additional 10 minutes, or until it is bubbling and brown.
Serve warm.
5. Use veggies high in protein.
There are several vegetables that go well with pasta and can be a fantastic source of protein. Vegetables high in protein
Ingredients:
Broccoli: 4 grams of protein are included in 1 cup of cooked broccoli.
Peas: 8 grams of protein are present in 1 cup of cooked peas.
Spinach: 5 grams of protein are present in 1 cup of cooked spinach.
Mushrooms: 3 grams of protein are found in 1 cup of sliced mushrooms.
To add more protein and nutrition to your pasta meals, use these vegetables.
Try this dish: Alfredo with broccoli and chicken
Ingredients:
8 ounces pasta
Chicken breast, chopped into bite-sized chunks, weighing 1 lb.
1-tablespoon olive oil
6. Replace ordinary spaghetti with a high-protein substitute.
Consider switching up your ordinary pasta with a high-protein substitute if you’re searching for a pasta dish that is high in protein. Several possibilities are:
Lentil pasta: 14 grams of protein are contained in 1 cup of cooked lentil pasta.
Chickpea pasta: 11 grams of protein are contained in 1 cup of cooked chickpea pasta.
Black bean pasta: 15 grams of protein are contained in 1 cup of cooked black bean pasta.
Quinoa pasta: 8 grams of protein are contained in 1 cup of cooked quinoa pasta.
These pasta substitutes are an excellent option for people with dietary restrictions because they are also gluten-free and contain fewer carbs than conventional spaghetti.
Try this dish: Black bean pasta salad
Ingredients:
Black bean spaghetti, 8 ounces
Chopped red onion, half a cup
Chopped red bell pepper, half a cup
Chopped yellow bell pepper, half a cup
14 cup finely minced fresh cilantro
Olive oil, 1/4 cup
Apple cider vinegar, two tablespoons
2 minced garlic cloves
pepper and salt as desired
Instructions:
Follow the instructions on the package to prepare the black bean spaghetti.
Combine the red onion, red pepper, yellow pepper, and cilantro in a bowl while the pasta is boiling.
Combine the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, garlic, salt, and pepper in a separate bowl.
Pasta should be drained and washed in cold water.
Combine the veggie combination and dressing with the pasta.
Offer cold.
7. Construct a protein-rich sauce.
Making a protein-rich sauce is another option to include protein in your pasta dish. This can be accomplished by incorporating protein-rich items into your sauce, such as Greek yogurt, tofu, or nut butter.
Try making these noodles with peanut butter and tofu.
Ingredients:
8 ounces pasta
1-tablespoon olive oil
1 block of crumbled, drained firm tofu
1/four cup of peanut butter
Soy sauce, 1/4 cup
rice vinegar, 1/4 cup
2 minced garlic cloves
1 tablespoon of honey
Sesame oil, 1 teaspoon
0.4 teaspoons of red pepper flakes
2 chopped green onions
Instructions:
The pasta should be prepared as directed on the packaging.
Olive oil should be heated in a sizable skillet over medium heat while the pasta is cooking.
Stirring occasionally, add the crushed tofu to the skillet and heat until just faintly browned.
Mix the peanut butter, soy sauce, rice vinegar, garlic, honey, sesame oil, and red pepper flakes in a small bowl.
Add the pasta, along with the tofu, to the skillet after draining.
Toss the spaghetti and tofu in the peanut butter sauce to coat.
Add chopped green onions on top and serve immediately.
8. Include seeds or nuts
To your pasta recipe, nuts and seeds are a fantastic way to add protein, good fats, and texture. Several possibilities are:
Pine nuts: 5 grams of protein are included in 1/4 cup of pine nuts.
Almonds: 5 grams of protein are contained in 1/4 cup of sliced almonds.
1/4 cup of pumpkin seeds has 9 grams of protein.
Sunflower seeds: 7 grams of protein are included in 1/4 cup of sunflower seeds.
Just scatter a few nuts or seeds on top.
before serving, or stir them into the sauce for a nice crunch.
Attempt this recipe for pesto pasta with pine nuts.
Ingredients:
8 ounces pasta
12 cup pesto with basil
Pine nuts, 14 cup
pepper and salt as desired
Instructions:
The pasta should be prepared as directed on the packaging.
Pine nuts should be lightly toasted while the pasta is cooking in a dry skillet over medium heat.
After draining the pasta, save 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid.
Combine the pesto and the saved cooking water in a large bowl.
Pasta should be added to the bowl and coated.
Salt and pepper the pine nuts before adding them on top.
9. Use cheese that’s high in protein.
Pasta meals frequently contain cheese, but not all cheeses are made equal in terms of their protein level. Cheese choices with a high protein content include:
One ounce of parmesan cheese has 10 grams of protein.
Swiss cheese offers 8 grams of protein per one ounce.
Cheddar cheese: 7 grams of protein are contained in 1 oz. of cheddar cheese.
1/2 cup of ricotta cheese contains 14 grams of protein.
Your pasta meal can gain taste and nutrition by using a cheese that is high in protein.
Try this recipe for stuffed shells with ricotta and spinach.
Ingredients:
Twelve large pasta shells
Ricotta cheese, 1 cup
1 cup of spinach, chopped
1 egg
grated Parmesan cheese, 1/4 cup
pepper and salt as desired
2 cups of sauce marinara
Shredded mozzarella cheese in a cup
Instructions:
The pasta shells should be prepared as directed on the packaging.
Ricotta cheese, chopped spinach, an egg, Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper should all be combined in a basin while the pasta is cooking.
the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Pasta shells should be drained and washed in cold water.
Each pasta shell should be filled with the ricotta mixture.
A layer of marinara sauce should be spread out on the bottom of a baking dish.
In the baking dish, arrange the stuffed pasta shells, then cover with the leftover marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese.
Until the cheese is melted and bubbling, bake for 20 to 25 minutes.
FAQs
Q: Can I add protein to my pasta dish without using meat?
A: Yes! There are many plant-based sources of protein that can be added to pasta dishes, such as beans, lentils, tofu, nuts, and seeds.
Q: How much protein should I aim for in a pasta dish?
A: The amount of protein you should aim for in a pasta dish depends on your individual needs and goals. However, a general rule of thumb is to aim for at least 20 grams of protein per meal.
Q: Is pasta a good source of protein?
A: While pasta is not a particularly high-protein food, it can be a good source of carbohydrates and fiber. To make a pasta dish more protein-rich, consider adding protein-rich ingredients like meat, beans, or cheese, or using a high-protein pasta alternative.
Conclusion
Although pasta meals can be a tasty and filling supper, they frequently lack the protein you need to stay full and active. You can make a satisfying and delectable supper that will leave you feeling nourished and content by following these 9 methods to add additional protein to your favorite pasta recipe. There are several ways to increase the protein level of your pasta dish, whether you decide to use cheese, nuts, beans, tofu, nuts, seeds, or any combination of these. To get started, try out a few of the recipes we’ve provided or play around with some of your personal favorites. Aim for at least 20 grams of protein per serving, and for an additional boost of vitamins and fiber, serve your pasta dish with a side salad or roasted veggies.
Your favorite pasta dishes can be turned into wholesome, delicious dinners that you’ll like with a little imagination and an emphasis on components that are high in protein. See how tasty and wholesome your favorite pasta dish can be by experimenting with these 9 ways to increase the protein content.
