Whole Wheat Pasta Bowl (Printable Version)

Hearty whole wheat pasta with roasted vegetables and protein-rich creamy sauce for a satisfying, balanced meal.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 10.5 oz whole wheat penne or fusilli

→ Roasted Vegetables

02 - 1 small zucchini, diced
03 - 1 red bell pepper, chopped
04 - 1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
05 - 1 red onion, sliced
06 - 7 oz cherry tomatoes, halved
07 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
08 - 1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs
09 - Salt and pepper to taste

→ Protein Sauce

10 - 1 can (14 oz) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
11 - ½ cup low-fat Greek yogurt
12 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
13 - 1 garlic clove, minced
14 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
15 - 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, optional
16 - Salt and pepper to taste

→ Garnish

17 - 2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
18 - Fresh parsley, chopped
19 - Additional Parmesan cheese, optional

# Directions:

01 - Set oven to 425°F and allow to fully preheat.
02 - Arrange diced zucchini, chopped bell peppers, sliced red onion, and halved cherry tomatoes on a large baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with Italian herbs, salt, and pepper. Toss thoroughly to coat all vegetables evenly.
03 - Transfer baking sheet to preheated oven and roast for 20 to 25 minutes until vegetables are tender and lightly caramelized, stirring halfway through cooking time.
04 - In a large pot, bring salted water to a rolling boil. Add whole wheat pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Reserve ¼ cup of pasta cooking water before draining.
05 - In a food processor, combine drained cannellini beans, Greek yogurt, lemon juice, minced garlic, fresh parsley, Parmesan cheese if using, and salt and pepper. Blend until smooth and creamy, adding reserved pasta water as needed to achieve silky consistency.
06 - Return drained pasta to the pot. Add roasted vegetables and protein sauce. Gently toss all components together, adding additional reserved pasta water as needed to reach desired sauce consistency.
07 - Divide pasta mixture evenly among serving bowls. Top each portion with toasted pine nuts, fresh parsley, and additional Parmesan cheese if desired. Serve immediately while warm.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • The sauce is deceptively creamy without any cream, thanks to a trick with Greek yogurt and beans that my nutritionist friend wouldn't stop raving about.
  • Everything comes together in 45 minutes, which means weeknight dinner that doesn't feel rushed or boring.
  • You can roast the vegetables while the pasta cooks, so there's almost no actual active time standing at the stove.
02 -
  • Don't skip rinsing the canned beans thoroughly—the starchy liquid is what makes canned beans taste tinny, and rinsing removes that completely.
  • Reserve your pasta water before draining because it's the difference between a thick clumpy sauce and something that actually coats the noodles smoothly.
03 -
  • Toast your own pine nuts instead of buying them pre-toasted—they're cheaper and you get to control exactly how golden they get, which changes everything about the final taste.
  • If your sauce breaks or gets grainy, blend in an extra tablespoon of yogurt and it'll usually come back together.
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