If you are on a low carb diet and would like to try out pasta, there are recipes that you can discover to spice up your lunch or dinner. Pasta has a very high carbohydrate content making it unsuitable for anyone trying to lose weight or reduce their calorie intake.
A gram of pasta is made of 30% carbs, 9% fats, 6% protein, and it contains very little micronutrients. Therefore, if you’ve missed enjoying a dish of pasta, here are low-carb substitutes for you to try out.
Low-Carb Pasta Recipes
1. Zucchini noodles mixed with basil-pumpkin seeds
For this delicacy, you are going to need the following ingredients:
- One clove of garlic
- Red pepper flakes
- Olive oil
- Yellow onion
- Green pumpkin seeds
- Basil leaves
- Salt
Mix the onion, garlic, olive oil, basil, and red pepper in a food processor or blender and blend them to create a pesto. Add vinegar to the mixture to improve its taste.
Use a spiralizer to convert zucchini into noodles and then toss it with the pesto you’ve created. Add salt to season. Preparation should take you thirty minutes or less.
2. Sweet potato noodles
To prepare the noodles, you will need:
- Extra virgin oil
- Sweet potatoes
- Ground black pepper
- Toasted and salted almonds
- Kale
- Salt
Shape the sweet potatoes into pasta-like noodles and sauté them in a large frying pan. Let it cook for 5-6 minutes and then add the kale. Toss the contents while adding almond sauce until they are entirely coated.
Before you serve, add the almonds and use salt and pepper to season it.
3. Pesto zoodles
Pesto sauce is one of the best low carb pasta sauces that improves the taste of any dish it is paired with. To prepare your pesto sauce, you will need:
- Basil leaves
- Pine nuts
- Garlic clove
- Black pepper
- Parmesan cheese
- Extra virgin oil
For the zoodles you will require:
- A tablespoon of extra virgin oil
- Zucchini that has been sliced into pasta-like shapes
- Thinly chopped onions
- Parmesan cheese for garnishing
- Red pepper (optional)
To make pesto, mix all the ingredients in a blender except the olive oil and black pepper. Blend them and add olive oil gradually until you get a thick paste. Season the paste with salt and black pepper.
To prepare zoodles, add onions to a pan with heated oil. Sauté them for five minutes and then add in the zucchini. Let it cook until it is soft and tender and then pour the pesto on them. Toss and turn them until they are well coated.
Garnish the zoodles with parmesan curls and red pepper.
4. Almond flour pasta
Regular pasta is made from white flour, which has a high level of carbohydrates. Almond flour, on the other hand, has no gluten, and it makes pasta that is just as good as the original recipe. Moreover, it has high fiber content and is an incredible source of vitamins and minerals.
The advantage of almond flour pasta is that you don’t have to prepare it as it can be bought from your nearest grocery store. From there, you cook it the way you would any pasta.
5. Cheesy zucchini lasagna
Zucchinis are excellent substitutes, and they get even better when you add cheese to them. This recipe is made of three low carb pasta sauces that will be a delightful addition to your food. To create this delicacy, you will require:
- Raw cashew nuts, almond milk, fresh lemon juice, yeast, thyme, salt and pepper for the cheese sauce
- Sun-dried tomatoes stored in olive oil, garlic clove, basil, lemon juice and beefsteak tomato for preparing the tomato sauce
- Basil, ripe avocado, parsley, extra virgin oil, pine nuts, lemon juice, salt and pepper for the herby pesto
- Zucchinis, basil leaves, radishes, beefsteak tomatoes and spinach for the vegetable layers
The first step is soaking the cashew nuts in water for an hour. To make the tomato sauce, mix all the listed ingredients and pulse them in a blender until a slightly textured paste is formed. Pour the sauce in a bowl and let it chill in the fridge.
The next step is making the cheese sauce. Put all the ingredients in a blender and mix them until you get a smooth paste. Ensure the cashew nuts are drained of water first. Store the paste in the fridge.
Repeat the same process for the herby pesto by blending all the ingredients until the final paste is silky smooth. Keep adding water if you feel your paste is not wet enough.
When preparing the vegetable layers, slice the zucchinis into long strips with the help of a mandolin. Slice the radishes and tomatoes into thin strips.
When preparing the lasagna, place a layer of zucchini slices and add the following on top of each other respectively:
- Radishes
- Tomatoes
- Spinach
- Tomato sauce, cheese sauce and finally
- Pesto
- Garnish the stack using basil leaves.
6. Shrimp Scampi Zoodles
This is another great recipe that takes 20 minutes to prepare. You are going to need the following ingredients:
- Garlic cloves
- Unsalted butter
- Dry white wine
- Zest and juice from 1 lemon
- Large peeled shrimps
- Kosher salt
- Spiralized zucchini
- Fresh parsley
- Black pepper
Melt butter over medium heat using a skillet sized as per the meal you want to prepare. Add olive oil and garlic and sauté for at least a minute. Add lemon zest, juice, and wine and simmer them for around four minutes. Add in the shrimp and cook them for four minutes. Season using salt and pepper. Place the final output into a bowl and set it aside.
Add the zucchini to the pan to cook and toss it while you season with salt and pepper. After five minutes, add the shrimp into the mix. Keep stirring until they are thoroughly cooked. Garnish it using lemon and parsley.
7. Cacio e Pepe Cauliflower
The popularity of this dish has been increasing, and more restaurants are beginning to include it on their menus. It’s creamy and cheesy and has low carb levels.
To prepare it, you are going to need:
- Extra virgin oil
- Unsalted butter
- Garlic cloves
- Salt and black pepper
- All-purpose flour (use alternative)
- Whole milk (cream instead)
- Grated Pecorino Romano
- One head cauliflower, chopped bite-size
Heat the olive oil and butter in a skillet and then add the cauliflower and let it cook for around eight minutes. Add garlic and keep cooking for at least a minute. Sprinkle some salt and pepper for seasoning.
In a saucepan, add three tablespoons of butter and then pour in the flour. Let it cook while stirring for around three minutes. Add milk and whisk it until the sauce is thick. Turn off the heat and then add the Pecorino while stirring. Season with black pepper. Finally, add the cauliflower into the sauce and stir.
Serve immediately.
8. Egg pasta recipe
Egg pasta has a great taste combined with low carbs. Here is how you can prepare it. You will first need:
- Low-carb Spaghetti equivalent.
- Olive oil
- Minced garlic
- Red chili flakes
- Eggs
- Parsley
- Salt
Cook the pasta by boiling it in water and add salt to season. Once the pasta is cooked, drain it of any excess water and store it.
As it cooks, heat oil in another pan, add garlic and red chili and let it sauté. Pour the pasta water into the pan, add salt and cook the sauce until it thickens. As the moisture evaporates, a sauce-like mixture will be left behind. Add in the eggs and scramble them until well cooked and soft. Season with salt. Lastly, pour in the drained pasta, toss the mixture, and add the parsley.
Alternatively, you can purchase egg pasta from your local grocery store or online.
9. Spaghetti squash with a touch of mushroom marinara sauce
This is a dish designed for vegans. For the ingredients you will need:
- Spaghetti squash with the seeds removed
- Cremini mushrooms
- Extra virgin oil
- Garlic cloves
- Fresh thyme
- Salt and black pepper
- Marinara sauce
- Nutritional yeast
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Brush the squash with olive oil and add seasoning using salt and black pepper. Roast it inside the oven for around 40 minutes.
As the squash bakes, add olive oil to a skillet and sauté the mushrooms over medium heat until they are soft and tender. Add garlic and then the thyme, and lastly, season it using salt and pepper. Once cooked, place it inside a bowl or on a plate.
Cook the marinara sauce over medium heat in a skillet for around 4 minutes. Take out the squash from the oven after it’s done and top it with the sauce, mushrooms, and yeast.
And that is it! Consider different low-carb sauces.