Who doesn't love a plate of spaghetti? For vegetarians, it can be exasperating to be excluded from a meat-infused pasta meal. Thankfully, pasta does not have to be all meatballs and ham slices, what with the growing array of vegetarian-friendly pasta dishes available.
Here are some vegetarian pasta recipes provided by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, a public agency in the U.S. dedicated in providing heart-healthy choices and resources just for you.
Vegetarian Spaghetti Sauce
Ingredients
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 small onions, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1¼ cups zucchini, sliced
1 Tbsp oregano, dried
1 Tbsp basil, dried
1 can (8-oz) tomato sauce
1 can (6-oz) tomato paste*
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 cup water
Instructions
1. In a medium skillet, heat oil. Sauté onions, garlic, and zucchini in oil for 5 minutes on medium heat.
2. Add remaining ingredients and simmer covered for 45 minutes. Serve over spaghetti.
*To reduce sodium, use a 6 oz can of no-salt-added tomato paste. New sodium content for each serving is 260 mg
Yield: 6 servings
Serving size: ¾ cup
Each serving provides:
Calories: 105
Total fat: 5 g
Saturated fat: 1 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium: 479 mg
Fiber: 4 g
Protein: 3 g
Carbohydrate: 15 g
Potassium: 686 mg
Zucchini Lasagna
Ingredients
½ lb lasagna noodles, cooked in unsalted water
¾ cup part-skim mozzarella cheese, grated
1½ cups cottage cheese,* fat-free
¼ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1½ cups raw zucchini, sliced
2½ cups no-salt-added tomato sauce
2 tsp basil, dried
2 tsp oregano, dried
¼ cup onion, chopped
1 clove garlic
1/8 tsp black pepper
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350º F. Lightly spray 9- by 13-inch baking dish with vegetable oil spray.
2. In small bowl, combine 1/8 cup of mozzarella and 1 tablespoon of Parmesan cheese. Set aside.
3. In medium bowl, combine remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese with all the cottage cheese. Mix well and set aside.
4. Combine tomato sauce with remaining ingredients. Spread thin layer of tomato sauce in bottom of baking dish. Add a third of the noodles in a single layer. Spread half of cottage cheese mixture on top. Add layer of zucchini.
5. Repeat layering. Add thin coating of sauce. Top with noodles, sauce, and reserved cheese mixture. Cover with aluminum foil.
6. Bake for 30-40 minutes. Cool for 10-15 minutes. Cut into six portions.
*Use unsalted cottage cheese to reduce the sodium content. New sodium content for each serving is 196 mg.
Yield: 6 servings
Serving size: 1 piece
Each serving provides:
Calories: 200
Total fat: 5 g
Saturated fat: 3 g
Cholesterol: 12 g
Sodium: 368 mg
Fiber: 3 g
Protein: 15 g
Carbohydrate: 24 g
Potassium: 593 mg
