High Protein Pasta Recipe
High-Protein Pasta Recipe is a quick, nutritious meal made with chickpea pasta, lean protein, and fresh vegetables. With 35-40g of protein per serving, it’s perfect for muscle recovery and a balanced diet.
Ingredients
Base Ingredients
- - 100g 3.5 oz high-protein pasta (chickpea, lentil, quinoa, or whole wheat)
- - 150g 5 oz lean protein (chicken breast, tofu, shrimp, or ground turkey)
- - 1 tablespoon olive oil for sautéing
Vegetables & Seasoning
- - ½ cup cherry tomatoes halved
- - ½ cup fresh spinach or kale chopped
- - ¼ cup onions finely diced
- - 2 garlic cloves minced
- - ½ teaspoon sea salt
- - ½ teaspoon black pepper
- - ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- - ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes optional, for heat
Sauce & Garnish
- - ¼ cup low-fat Parmesan cheese or nutritional yeast for a vegan option
- - ½ tablespoon lemon juice for a fresh flavor
- - ¼ cup reserved pasta water to help blend the sauce
Instructions
Preparation Steps
- Chop onions, mince garlic, and slice cherry tomatoes.
- Boil a pot of salted water and cook high-protein pasta for 1-2 minutes less than the package instructions (to keep it al dente).
- Reserve ¼ cup of pasta water before draining the pasta.
- Season the protein with olive oil, sea salt, black pepper, and oregano.
Cooking the Sauce & Combining Ingredients
- Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a pan over medium heat.
- Sauté onions and garlic for 2 minutes until fragrant.
- Add cherry tomatoes and spinach ; cook for 3 minutes until softened.
- Return the cooked protein to the pan.
- Stir in the cooked pasta and reserved pasta water to mix the flavors evenly.
- Drizzle with lemon juice and top with Parmesan cheese or nutritional yeast.
- Mix well and serve immediately.
Notes
-For a vegan version, use tofu or tempeh instead of chicken and replace Parmesan with nutritional yeast.
- For extra flavor , add fresh basil or a dash of balsamic vinegar before serving.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat with a splash of water to maintain moisture.