Vegetarians, how do you get protein into your pasta sauces?

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1a1a
1a1a Posts: 762 Member
in Recipes
^^

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  • fteale
    fteale Posts: 5,311 Member
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    Using egg pasta helps, for a start. Mushrooms are relatively high in protein, so that is something you could add. Or quorn Bolognese (I don't make it as I hate Bolognase sauce). Or you could use chickpea pasta, which is gluten free and very high in protein.
  • bugbeenz
    bugbeenz Posts: 31
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    we make pasta with chickpea sauce.. basically cook off your chickpeas, then drain off most about half of the remaining juice.. over heat add some fresh rosemary and garlic (chopped finely), salt and pepper to taste, then blizz it all together.. add dry pasta to this and cook it in the sauce
  • SarahMaslen
    SarahMaslen Posts: 1
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    I'm not vegetarian but we frequently include a lot of mushrooms in pasta sauces, whether or not we're using meat as well. mushrooms give it a great taste and have a decent amount of protein!!
  • samf36
    samf36 Posts: 369 Member
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    Not a vegetarian but I have used lentils for years as a meat sub on spag sauce.
  • tiggersstar
    tiggersstar Posts: 193 Member
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    quorn mince?
  • 13Natty
    13Natty Posts: 57
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    What would silken tofu taste like in it? Maybe creamy tomato pasta sauce that sounds ok?
  • bossmodehan
    bossmodehan Posts: 210 Member
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    Definitely red lentils, they pretty much disintegrate if you cook them long enough but they thicken up the sauce and absorb flavour very well. A 50gram portion is about 160 cals and 12grams of protein.

    I have also just got some pea protein powder which i've read is good to add to sauces and soups etc. but i haven't tried it yet so can't guarantee whether or not it tastes good but i will be trying it as soon as i can. I prefer to have whole foods though so lentils will always be my first choice over any powders or meat substitutes (e.g. quorn, tvp etc.)
  • nomena
    nomena Posts: 165
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    Tofu! One of my all-time favorite recipes is spaghetti with tofu bolognese by Attilla Hildmann.
  • bossmodehan
    bossmodehan Posts: 210 Member
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    Tofu! One of my all-time favorite recipes is spaghetti with tofu bolognese by Attilla Hildmann.

    interesting! thanks for this!
  • RedFeffer
    RedFeffer Posts: 25 Member
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    I use Ground Round - it is AMAZING! It is a tofu product that looks like cooked ground beef and ahd the same consistency as well. I use it in pasta, burritos, shepherd's pie... it's scrumptious, and good for you too! :) I live in Canada, and a company called St Yves makes it, along with a number of other tofu products. My kids eat it, my husband eats it, and my guests eat it... and love it!! I highly recommend trying it out. It will give you protein and that beefy texture satisfaction. :) Here is the link to show you what I mean!

    http://www.yvesveggie.com/products/detail.php/meatless-ground-round-original
  • RedFeffer
    RedFeffer Posts: 25 Member
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    I also use spaghetti squash instead of pasta noodles.... talk about delicious!!!! YUM!!!!! Cuts the calories into nothing, and still gives you the long stringy fun of spag noodles. You can eat a ton, and it hardly makes a dent in your day's calories... HUZZAH!
  • Tall_E
    Tall_E Posts: 182 Member
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    All of the above... And you can choose a high protein pasta. My favorite is tasty Barilla Plus which comes in all shapes and sizes and has lots of Omega 3 with an average of 17 grams of protein per serving (as compared to 18 grams of protein in shrimp or 21 grams in ground beef, for example). And, if you serve it with a green salad, you can add more protein from the greens. One serving of fresh spinach will give you 4 grams protein.

    Protein is in all living things so be creative and you'll find that you can get plenty of it from lots of different sources.
  • pdworkman
    pdworkman Posts: 1,342 Member
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    Alfredo sauce using silken tofu.

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