looking for low calorie sauces for pasta. any ideas?

kaylerrz

I haven't had pasta in a while partly because i can't find any low calorie pasta sauce recipes. Do you know any recipes for sauces that are low in calories? please share if you do

hananah89

laughing cow alfredo. I use real garlic in place of the powder and use the garlic flavor wedges.
http://www.weightwatchers.com/food/rcp/RecipePage.aspx?recipeid=224683840&sort=1

knra_grl

http://www.gimmesomeoven.com/skinny-fettuccine-alfredo-recipe/ <<< I used this one and it was delicious

also tomato sauces don't tend to be that high calorie so I would make whatever one you usually do

the pasta is the thing that packs the calories so thats where you have to watch your portions but I usually use a whole wheat or multi grain pasta and have spaghetti squash with it to increase my portion size (I love my pasta so I don't totally replace it with the squash)

Manders618

1 tsp. vegetable oil
6oz Prosciutto chopped
5 cloves garlic minced
1 small white onion
1 8oz pkg portabella mushrooms, sliced
2 medium zucchini, diced
1 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup white wine
1 tsp dried thyme
1 Tbls Fat Free Plain Greek yogurt
2 Tbls Healthy Cream of Mushroom Soup
1/2 pkg whole wheat Penne (about 6.5 oz uncooked) cooked
Salt & Pepper to taste

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add prosciutto & cook until it begins to brown, stirring occasionally to break up pieces. Add the following, alerting each addition to brown/cook before adding the next ingredient: mushrooms, garlic, onion, zucchini. Stir in thyme, salt & pepper and deglaze pan with wine. Reduce heat to low & stir in peas, yogurt & mushroom soup. Add pasta and mix to combine. Serve with parmesan cheese.

Serves 4
349 Calories, 6g Fat, 18g Protien

AbsolutelyAnnie

I use store brand and a current favorite is Safeway Select Artichoke and Pesto. For a 2 oz serving of spaghetti, I only use a quarter cup (1/4 cup) of sauce, just enough to coat all the noodles. That quarter cup of sauce is only 30 calories. Even if I used a half cup (which is a serving size) the sauce would only be 60 calories per serving. No problem.

DaivaSimone

Any marinara or arrabiatta sauce, or juste sauté your pasta with some veggies and add shrimps of grilled chicken.

Or maybe made some linguine vongole.All you need is clams and the clam cooking juice, so it's really low fat and flavorful.

This recipe is fantastic: http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/pasta-recipes/spaghetti-vongole

amberrenee813

For Broccoli Pesto:

Ingredients:
2 cups (about 7 ounces) steamed broccoli florets, cooled to at least room temperature
1-1/2 cups “16 large basil leaves (about 1/3 cup packed)
4 medium cloves garlic, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons all-natural, freshly grated parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons all-natural low-sodium vegetable broth
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
3/4 teaspoon sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions:

Add the broccoli, basil, garlic, and parmesan to the bowl of a food processor fitted with a chopping blade. Pulse several times until the ingredients are finely chopped. Pause the food processor to scrape down the bowl and add the broth and oil. Process until the mixture is finely chopped and somewhat smooth (it should resemble a traditional basil pesto). Spoon the broccoli mixture into a medium glass or plastic bowl. Add the yogurt and salt and stir until well combined. Season with pepper. Use immediately or store in an airtight plastic container for up to 2 days.

*Make sure your steamed broccoli is well drained before you process it, otherwise it will water down the pesto.

Makes 8 servings. Each (about 1/4 cup) serving has: 46 calories, 5 g protein, 4 g carbohydrates (less than 1 g sugar), 2 g fat, trace saturated fat, 1 mg cholesterol, 1 g fiber, 184 mg sodium

AbsolutelyAnnie

The recipes you gals have shared look delicious! Thanks for passing them along.

zoe2434

Bump! Awesome ideas everyone, thanks for sharing!

TavistockToad

I haven't had pasta in a while partly because i can't find any low calorie pasta sauce recipes. Do you know any recipes for sauces that are low in calories? please share if you do

My favourite way to have pasta these days is chicken, prawns, onion and red pepper all cooked together then mix in 2 tablespoons of tomato puree and around 60g of light philadelphia (those are the amounts i use to serve 2 people)... throw in the pasta, stir well and serve, delicious and really good macros.

bethanytapp

cauliflower alfredo. I know it sounds weird, but it's yummy. I've been dairy free for about 5 years now and didn't think I'd ever find anything to replace cheese sauce.
Google 'cauliflower alfredo' and you'll find lots of recipes. I boil cauliflower florets in a little bit of veggie stock. When they are very tender I puree with a blender and add salt, pepper, garlic, chili flakes and sometimes nutmeg. The spices give it an alfredo taste.

jellybeanhed313

I make my own marinara.

Fresh or canned tomoates, chopped to your liking
Tomato paste
Fresh or dried basil, oregano(or italian seasoning)
Garlic
Chopped onion
Olive oil
Red wine(optional)

Sautee onion in a bit of oil until soft and translusant(5-7 min)
Add tomato paste. Cook while stirring about 5 min.
Add a splash of red wine if using.
Add tomatoes and seasonings. Simmer about 15 min. The longer it sits, the better it tastes.

Great to make in big batches and freeze some for later. Add meat or other veggies or leave it plain. Puree it smooth or leave it chunky. Very simple sauce.

CuAlMc

500gram mince
2-3 tins diced tomatoes
1 table spoon tomato paste
1-2 grated zucchini
.5-1 diced eggplant
2-3 grated carrots
garlic to taste
chili to taste
mixed herbs to taste

jellybeanhed313

cauliflower alfredo. I know it sounds weird, but it's yummy. I've been dairy free for about 5 years now and didn't think I'd ever find anything to replace cheese sauce.
Google 'cauliflower alfredo' and you'll find lots of recipes. I boil cauliflower florets in a little bit of veggie stock. When they are very tender I puree with a blender and add salt, pepper, garlic, chili flakes and sometimes nutmeg. The spices give it an alfredo taste.

I have been curious about this. I did a cauliflower base broccoli soup and it came out great! Adding nutritional yeast will give a nice cheesy flavor. You can find it at health food stores.

Kakibot

I just stick to tomato sauces and make them really vegetable heavy! Onion, garlic, courgette, tomatoes, mushrooms, sometimes even baby broccoli or eggplant cut into tiny pieces, some meat for protein (chicken would be the healthy choice I guess, but I am anemic so from my perspective beef is healthy too .P) et voila! Fresh basil on top, so fragrant, nom.

kbmnurse

I use Classico Light Alfredo or 4 Cheese. Taste great over some wheat pasta add some shrimp or chicken for some protein.

bethcox16

low fat garlic and herb cream cheese, onions, garlic, sweetcorn, peas and green beans, combined then put some boiled water in it to thin it to a sauce consistency and add salt and pepper to taste, its quick and easy so its nice for a quick dinner

nudglet

I make my pasta sauce a gallon at a time in the slow cooker and freeze it ( 63 calories 1/2 cup) I use 1/4 cup for 1 serving of pasta)

1 gallon crushed tomatoes
8 cloves garlic crushed and chopped fine
1 tlbs Italian seasoning
1tlbs basil
1tps coriander (optional)
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tbs fennel seed
pinch of red pepper flakes


Use of the fennel seed gives it a almost sausage taste with out adding calories. (for even more of the sausage type flavor try toasting the fennel seeds quickly)

with slow cooker on high
put olive oil and spices in and cover for a few mins stirring occasionally then add the crushed tomatoes 2 cups at a time and stir after each addition.(this step is to keep the sauce from splashing and making a mess) when all tomatoes added stir and cover. after sauce gets hot lower the temp on slow cooker to med and cook until it tastes done.

I gave no times on this because each slow cooker I have ever had takes a different amount.

I have also done this sauce on my stove but I like being able to walk off and do other things

freebutterfly02

Bump and loving all these recipes!

Elsie_Brownraisin

I got this one off the internet ages ago and make it often:

Tomato spaghetti (serves 2)

2 cloves of garlic
200g dried spaghetti
1 fresh red chiilli
Tin of chopped tomatoes (Use better quality ones for this recipe. I do use cheaper ones for casseroles and stuff, but they're barely cooked here)
olive oil
bunch of fresh basil
salt and pepper
50g grated parmesan

1. Peel and finely slice garlic. Finely slice chilli (decide if you want the seeds in or not. I usually keep 'em). Pick the basil leaves off the stalk and put to one side. Finely chop the stalks

2. Add a little olive oil got a pan, add the garlic, chilli and basil stalks. Cook slightly (garlic starting to brown, be careful not to burn) and then add most of the basil leaves and the tomatoes. Turn the heat up and stir for a minute or so. Add salt and pepper. Stir through cooked spaghetti and add the reserved basil leaves and grate over the parm.

The following are from 'The Top 100 Pasta Sauces' by Diane Seed, I use this book a lot.

Spaghetti Puttanesca - for 500g dry pasta, so scale down as necessary

1.5 tbs olive oil
3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
3 anchovy fillets
1 tin tomatoes
120g pitted black olives
2 tbs capers

Heat oil, gently fry the garlic and add the achovies, cook until the anchovies are starting to break up and melt. Add the tomatoes, olives and capers. Cook for 5 mins

Spaghetti with tuna and lemon (my husband prefers linguine, which also works well) - for 500g of pasta

2tbs olive oil
1 clove garlic
2 tbs chopped parlsey
200 canned tuna
juice of a lemon
60g grated parm
30g butter (I sometimes omit this, depending if I've the cals)
salt and pepper

Finely chop garlic and parsley, heat the oil, add them to the pan. Cook gently. gradually adding the tuna. Keep the heat low, so that none of the ingredients change colour. When warmed through properly, stir into cooked spaghetti. Add the lemon juice, parm, salt & pepper and the butter (in little pieces) and serve. You can also add a bit of anchovy and chilli to the tuna at the beginning too if you want a stronger tasting sauce (tasty too).

Though my very favourite pasta sauce (and favourite meal) is spaghetti carbonara...but not low fat!

frannieshack

I just saute whatever veggies I have, usually zucchini, mushrooms, tomatoes, garlic, onion, spinach is great to throw in there with some fresh herbs like basil. I love it when the veggies crowd out the pasta!!! No sauce is really needed, sprinkle with some low fat feta for some protein.

lecompte91

bump

CynthiaT60

I normally make my own with fresh or canned tomatoes, onions, mushrooms and garlic sautéed in a small amount of olive oil. Season as desired. Lots of veg and few calories.

cwolfman13

marinara....

happysquidmuffin

I make my alfredo sauce with 1% milk instead of heavy cream. I still use butter and flour for the roux, and it turns out nice and thick and creamy for less calories. (Gotta add the garlic, oregano, basil, salt, pepper etc. as well for flavor.)

kika_mckee

save for broc pesto

gringuitica

Puttanesca is delicious and relatively low calorie.

_lyndseybrooke_

laughing cow alfredo. I use real garlic in place of the powder and use the garlic flavor wedges.
http://www.weightwatchers.com/food/rcp/RecipePage.aspx?recipeid=224683840&sort=1

You just blew my mind.

kristen5059

Prego Light Smart is only 45 calories per half cup which is half of the others. Tastes good too.

JustinAnimal

Marinara, the traditional red sauce, is usually pretty stinking low in calories, if you make it yourself. The things that add up are: sugar, wine, olive oil. The rest of it it tomatoes, herbs, spices, veggies, etc.

We start with a ton of onion and garlic, try to be moderate with olive oil.

When they're pretty well soft and browned, we add a butt-ton of mushrooms and cook them.

Then, add your tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato puree, whatever.

After a few more minutes, I'll throw in a splash of red wine, a decent scoop of sugar, my herbs and spices, and let it reduce for about 2-3 hours.

Voila! Homemade deliciousness that you can make in bulk and is low-cal.

BTW: We seriously got the recipe by listening to Clemenza in The Godfather (although he would swap mushrooms for meatballs and sausages).

ashdawg8790

Bump for deliciousness!