10 Skinny Pasta Recipes under 500 Calories

By Carl Hanson
Updated October 15, 2020

Keeping pasta dishes low-cal isn't always easy. Calorie counts can quickly mount when you factor in creamy sauces and cheeses. Even heart-healthy olive oil can up the calories significantly. With this in mind, we gathered together top-rated pasta recipes that marry great taste with low-cal preparations. Each of these top-rated recipes gets it done deliciously for under 500 calories.

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Greek Chicken Pasta

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Loads of good healthy stuff in this recipe, including lean chicken breast meat, marinated artichoke hearts, tomato, garlic, red onions, and olive oil. BONUS: It's ready in 30 minutes.

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Spinach and Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta

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This meatless pasta dish stars fresh spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Fewer than 350 calories, it's ready in 40 minutes.

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Penne with Chicken and Asparagus

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A light chicken, veggie, and pasta dish that weighs in under 350 calories. "A light but super-tasty pasta dish with fresh asparagus," says LAUREL B. "Cooked in broth with sauteed garlic and seasoned chicken."

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Ditalini with Roasted Tomato Sauce and Goat Cheese

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"This tastes awesome. What the hot oven does to the deep red San Marzano tomatoes is a wonder to behold," says Chef John. "It produces a pasta sauce with some serious depth of flavor. And ditalini are a perfect medium for the rich sauce, smoky oregano, and creamy goat cheese."

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Light Lemon Pesto Pasta

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"Light, yet full of flavor, this pesto is perfect tossed with hot spaghetti for a quick dinner," says Baking Nana. "It is also excellent as a pizza sauce or smeared on hot French bread."

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Spaghetti Diablo with Shrimp

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Shrimp  in a spicy tomato, garlic, and pepper sauce served over spaghetti -- all under 400 calories.

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Zucchini Linguine

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Shredded zucchini and minced garlic are sauteed in olive oil and tossed in a yogurt and Cheddar sauce. It's ready in 30 minutes and weighs in under 300 calories.

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Roasted Cherry Tomatoes with Angel Hair

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Another simple, low-calorie pasta dish -- it's less than 300 calories! Cherry tomatoes are roasted with garlic and olive oil, and then combined with angel hair pasta, fresh basil, red pepper flakes, and freshly grated Parmesan.

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Blackened Shrimp Stroganoff

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You'll season shrimp with Cajun seasoning and saute them with shallots, mushrooms, and jarred roasted red peppers, finishing the dish with a simple sauce made with sour cream and chicken broth.

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Greek Pasta with Tomatoes and White Beans

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Ready in less than 30 minutes, this is the perfect healthy meal for busy weeknights. Simply simmer canned Italian-style diced tomatoes and cannellini beans, adding spinach at the very end before tossing with cooked pasta.

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By Carl Hanson