looking for low calorie sauces for pasta. any ideas?

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Replies

  • lecompte91
    lecompte91 Posts: 8
    bump
  • CynthiaT60
    CynthiaT60 Posts: 1,280 Member
    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
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,876 Member
    marinara....
  • happysquidmuffin
    happysquidmuffin Posts: 651 Member
    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
    kika_mckee Posts: 126 Member
    save for broc pesto
  • gringuitica
    gringuitica Posts: 168 Member
    Puttanesca is delicious and relatively low calorie.
  • _lyndseybrooke_
    _lyndseybrooke_ Posts: 2,561 Member
    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
    kristen5059 Posts: 2 Member
    Prego Light Smart is only 45 calories per half cup which is half of the others. Tastes good too.
  • JustinAnimal
    JustinAnimal Posts: 1,335 Member
    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
    ashdawg8790 Posts: 819 Member
    Bump for deliciousness! :)
  • SoDamnHungry
    SoDamnHungry Posts: 6,998 Member
    This thread is making me hungry...and I just finished lunch ten minutes ago.
  • amykr93
    amykr93 Posts: 65
    I tend to cook some garlic and then add chopped veg like tomatoes, red onion, pepper and mushrooms and then blend it up. I then add chopped tomatoes and tomato puree and herbs to season. Works fine for myself and the kids!
  • Izanami66
    Izanami66 Posts: 181 Member
    As others are saying, make your own with crushed tomatoes, garlic, herbs, a bit of sugar, etc. Super easy and lowcal. I also like to make pasta bakes, where I cook some whole wheat penne, and toss it with sauce and a ricotta/mozz/parm mixture and whatever veggies I have (sautéed), spread it in a casserole dish and top with mozzarella. Bake until cheese is bubbly and browned. Really good, and pretty lowcal for such a decadent tasting dish!!

    The creamy veggie pasta recipe, and the broccoli pesto sound amazing!!! Thanks for those!!
  • sgupstate
    sgupstate Posts: 15 Member
    Since the pasta is usually the worst part of a healthy pasta recipe, I have been using quinoa instead. Quinoa is healthier in general than rice or pasta I think and it goes well with a lot of toppings that are good on pasta. To me it also seems like quinoa is more filling.
    My favorite quick meal is to cook some chopped onions in healthy broth for about 5 minutes instead of sauteing in fatty oil, then add frozen veggies that you like, let them cook in the broth, I also add minced garlic, salt, and pepper, I am sure you could customize the spices a lot. Then I add a couple tablespoons of light sour cream and it makes a nice creamy sauce that is lower in calories than an alfredo. I put it over quinoa and it is really good, gives you the carb satisfaction of pasta.
  • halfpintpeggy
    halfpintpeggy Posts: 64 Member
    Bump
  • PennyVonDread
    PennyVonDread Posts: 432 Member
    Cilantro chutney on rice or noodles. It's pretty great.

    http://www.vegrecipesofindia.com/coriander-chutney/
  • RunnerStephe
    RunnerStephe Posts: 2,195
    I just use diced canned tomato with spices.
  • tracydr
    tracydr Posts: 528 Member
    Zuchinni noodles with Skinny Taste basil pesto. I think we'll have this tonight!,
    I also make a simple marinara or meat sauce. Tomatoes ( fresh or canned), garlic, basil, oregano and maybe,onions. Add browned hamburger if desired.
  • tracydr
    tracydr Posts: 528 Member
    Cilantro chutney on rice or noodles. It's pretty great.

    http://www.vegrecipesofindia.com/coriander-chutney/
    yum. I make mint-cilantro chutney a lot.
  • RaspberryKeytoneBoondoggle
    RaspberryKeytoneBoondoggle Posts: 1,349 Member
    I just made a pizza sauce from scratch. It would be lovely on pasta:

    Fry onions and garlic. Optional: green pepper,small chunks of carrot, chopped squash, mushrooms, etc. too!
    Add crushed tomatoes, red pepper flakes, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper, and simmer.
    Blend it all with an Emerson blender but you could leave it chunky too.
    If it's too spiced add a bit of sugar.
    I think this could taste good with a can if clams, diced cooked chicken broth, and / or fried ground beef added to the simmer.
    My husband always puts clams in his spaghetti sauce (with ground beef) . It is soil yummy!

    Or mix a can of cream of chicken (or any other kind) soup with a little milk and pour over pasta.

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