# What are some healthy & light pasta sauces?



## AstraeaLunaAvani (May 30, 2011)

As far as pasta sauce goes, I really only know of 2; tomato sauce and alfredo sauce. I'm bored with tomato sauce and lost interest in alfredo sauce because it's too fattening and the flavor got overwhelming to me. So i'm trying to find some kind of sauce for pasta that is light and healthy. My favorite things to put on pasta are garlic, red pepper flakes, and parmesan cheese. Sometimes I put basil in there, or onions. Is there a sauce that goes well with these ingredients that I could use? Thanks in advance!


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## Mary Microwave (May 30, 2011)

I don't know the answer, but I'm sure interested.  Great question!


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## justplainbill (May 30, 2011)

All the ingredients you mention above go well with aglio e olio.  You can also add some rehydrated dried mushrooms.


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## Bigjim68 (May 30, 2011)

With those ingredients, all you need is a good quality EVOO.


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## dcSaute (May 30, 2011)

>>tomato sauce

ah, but not all tomato sauce is "equal" !

the season is coming - fresh real tomatoes - so here's my madness:

big heavy pot, quarter (or more) the tomatoes - remove any greenish/whitish stem areas.  fill the pot to the brim, cook them down slowly with diced green pepper and onion, smidgen of salt & fresh ground black pepper.  this takes 3-4 hours.

I leave the skins on - you can blanch&peel if you wish.

the madness?  there's no sugar, emulsifiers, flavor enhancers, etc.  this sauce tastes fresh out of the garden comma which it actually is....

I garden, all my "extra" tomatoes get turned into sauce.  I even buy 'seconds' or 'culls' from the local produce stands.  at $2-3 per half bushel, it's a bargain.   when drowning in fresh vine ripe tomatoes, I simply let it cool, put into quart freezer bags, freeze and stash it for the off season.  even resurrected from frozen it beats commercial sauces to death with a wooden spoon. 

the minimal seasoning approach is so when you want it for a specific recipe, you can tweak the flavor - all of the usual and customary suspects work - garlic, bay leaf, oregano, thyme, etc.

obviously, it produces a somewhat 'chunky' sauce - if you need/want a smooth sauce, couple passed with a stick blender makes that happen - even coming back from frozen.

it is not an attempt as a "fake" recipe for the famous name brands.  it is entirely different and fresher tasting.  we don't eat a lot of pizza, but it's all 'home made' and it doesn't get made unless we have homemade sauce.

the other "must have" dishes in our house are shrimp in tomato sauce over rice.

it sounds like a bit of work, it is, need freezer for the surplus, but compared to stuff out of a jar, it's in a class of its own.  I try to go into the off season with 5-8 gallons in the freezer.  oh, one tip - put the quart bags flat on a cookie sheet and let them freeze "flat" - then they stack nicely...


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## merstar (May 30, 2011)

After sauteeing the garlic and red pepper flakes in extra virgin olive oil, add low sodium chicken broth and dry white wine, and simmer until desired consistency. The longer you simmer, the more concentrated the flavor. Toss in the pasta. Serve with Parmigiano Reggiano.

Some additions to the saute: Mushrooms, fresh tomatoes, black olives, roasted red peppers, shallots,  herbs, spices, etc., etc.


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## AstraeaLunaAvani (May 30, 2011)

Bigjim68 said:


> With those ingredients, all you need is a good quality EVOO.


 
I do use EVOO, I just didn't mention it because I thought it was a given!  I've never sauted my garlic in it though, I just put it all in there together after my pasta is done. Next time I will saute it, that's probably the right way to do it anyway, I just like to experiment without following rules too much!


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## AstraeaLunaAvani (May 30, 2011)

DcSaute...I would like to make my own tomato sauce eventually, I did plant tomatoes last year but they never grew (I'm a beginner!), this year maybe I'll have better luck. I will buy some vine ripened tomatoes fresh sometime and try it. I always prefer things fresh anyway, the stuff in a jar always leaves me unsatisfied! Thanks for the reply!!


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## AstraeaLunaAvani (May 30, 2011)

merstar said:


> After sauteeing the garlic and red pepper flakes in extra virgin olive oil, add low sodium chicken broth and dry white wine, and simmer until desired consistency. The longer you simmer, the more concentrated the flavor. Toss in the pasta. Serve with Parmigiano Reggiano.
> 
> Some additions to the saute: Mushrooms, fresh tomatoes, black olives, roasted red peppers, shallots, herbs, spices, etc., etc.


 
Thanks for the suggestions! This is making my mouth water already! I don't have any dry white wine but will pick some up soon! I don't know why I never thought to saute anything, I just threw it all together once the pasta was done, raw. Thanks again, i'm excited to try this next time!


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## merstar (May 30, 2011)

AstraeaLunaAvani said:


> Thanks for the suggestions! This is making my mouth water already! I don't have any dry white wine but will pick some up soon! I don't know why I never thought to saute anything, I just threw it all together once the pasta was done, raw. Thanks again, i'm excited to try this next time!



You're very welcome!

There's nothing wrong with adding raw ingredients, and you can mix and match with the sauteed stuff. For example, you can saute most of the garlic, but leave a small amount raw if you'd like, and add them together - you'll have 2 distinct tastes of garlic, with the raw being more intense. Just be careful when you saute the garlic, because it can burn very easily. The advantage to sauteeing the vegetables in garlic-infused oil is they will take on the delicious flavor of the garlic, plus their own juices will be added to the sauce.

Tomatoes will break down faster than some of the other ingredients, so you can cook them less or more, depending on the consistency you want. 

The chicken broth/white wine is a good base for a sauce, and you can use it in lots of different types of dishes. Make sure you use white wine, not cooking wine!

Have fun experimenting!


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## ranleemil (May 30, 2011)

*alla checca*



AstraeaLunaAvani said:


> As far as pasta sauce goes, I really only know of 2; tomato sauce and alfredo sauce. I'm bored with tomato sauce and lost interest in alfredo sauce because it's too fattening and the flavor got overwhelming to me. So i'm trying to find some kind of sauce for pasta that is light and healthy. My favorite things to put on pasta are garlic, red pepper flakes, and parmesan cheese. Sometimes I put basil in there, or onions. Is there a sauce that goes well with these ingredients that I could use? Thanks in advance!


 While I know it contains tomatoes, have you ever tried pasta alla checca? It's a no cook "steeped" sauce using EVOO and garden tomatoes, garlic,fresh basil, etc. Just google it as there are many recipes for it online.


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## dcSaute (May 30, 2011)

>>they never grew . . . 

I've been gardening for decades.  there are years when "it just doesn't go right" - so sweat not the little stuff - find a good local source and freeze away (g)

"tastes great" trumps "my garden" - every time.


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## PrincessFiona60 (May 30, 2011)

Lemon and dill sauce, made with EVOO, on angel hair pasta.

Soy sauce, oil, ginger, garlic, sesame oil, sliced green onions, quartered grape tomatoes and sesame seeds on spaghetti or ramen/soba noodles.


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## Selkie (May 30, 2011)

Beef broth, Worcestershire sauce and yogurt to make a modified stroganoff sauce.


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## DaveSoMD (May 30, 2011)

PrincessFiona60 said:


> Lemon and dill sauce, made with EVOO, on angel hair pasta.




What's the recipe?  I have 20 dill plants growing and more that self seeded and as just coming up....


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## PrincessFiona60 (May 30, 2011)

DaveSoMD said:


> What's the recipe?  I have 20 dill plants growing and more that self seeded and as just coming up....



Posted here:

http://www.discusscooking.com/forums/f76/lemon-dill-sauce-72651.html#post1006309

If you glom onto some pretty bottles and corks and buy white wine vinegar...you can add nice sprigs of seeded dill into each bottle and fill with vinegar and hand them out as dinner party favors...


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## Bolas De Fraile (May 31, 2011)

My favorite pasta dish is jus t ribbon pasta dressed with butter, grated Parm/reg and ripped fresh basil.


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## DaveSoMD (May 31, 2011)

PrincessFiona60 said:


> Posted here:
> 
> http://www.discusscooking.com/forums/f76/lemon-dill-sauce-72651.html#post1006309
> 
> If you glom onto some pretty bottles and corks and buy white wine vinegar...you can add nice sprigs of seeded dill into each bottle and fill with vinegar and hand them out as dinner party favors...



Thanks! Copied, pasted, and saved!


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## CraigC (May 31, 2011)

Start your pasta cooking. Take a couple of garlic cloves and a couple anchovy fillets and make a paste with the flat of your chefs knife. Add this to olive oil and wisk. Seed and dice some fresh tomatoes or use grape tomatoes cut in half. Tear some fresh basil leaves. Stir tomatoes and basil into olive oil mixture. Add red pepper flakes to taste. The anchovys took care of the salt. When pasta is done, drain well, add to serving bowl, add sauce, toss and serve! Provide red pepper flakes so everyone can adjust heat to their liking and some grated romano or parm.

No cook sauce.

BTW, if you don't tell them, they will probably not know there are anchovys in it.

Craig


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## Claire (May 31, 2011)

I love fresh vegetables, lightly sauteed and tossed with angel hair (choose your own pasta).  When the fresh tomatoes come in, it will be just chopped tomatoes, olive oil, and pasta with a favorite seasoning and/or whatever herbs are in season.  A touch of any grating cheese or the cheese crumbles you can buy these days (feta, blue, goat).  Fresh, frozen or even canned green beans are great for this, summer squash (with or without the tomatoes).  The thing is that this is also good leftover and cold for lunch the next day.  

If you cook out, grill slices of squash, eggplant, onion, lightly brushed or tossed with olive oil and your favorite seasonings.  Then keep them to use during the week.  Chopped and tossed with pasta they are a wonderful dinner.

Oh, I see you're from Minnesota!  Right now asparagus is in, and it is perfect for this.  Steam, grill, or roast.  If you wish you can make it a heartier thing by adding something creamy, but if you're getting away from that, once again, the basic olive oil and garlic go very well with it!


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## CWS4322 (May 31, 2011)

I'm with Claire--I do very similar things with pasta and veggies.

And, not only is aspargus (the wild aspargus) in season, so are the Morel mushrooms (according to my dad).


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## Claire (May 31, 2011)

Oh, morels!  Perfect.  I didn't have a foraging friend to help me the past couple of years, but thinly sliced and well rinsed (they can hold a lot of dirt & bugs) .... well, just yumm.  Easy-peasy is sauteed, but they are great in a stroganof.  I always thought they'd be great stuffed, but never tried.  But yes, morels and asparagus come into season at the same time right now and make great food companions.  How about a morel and asparagus quiche?


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## CWS4322 (May 31, 2011)

And don't forget that the walleye fishing season opens in MN about the same time aspargus and morels come in...best summer/early spring dinner is fresh walleye and aspargus...followed by rhubarb pie...


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## CWS4322 (May 31, 2011)

My dad air dries the morels (on sewing thread)...I sneak in the pantry and stuff a couple of jars of dried morels in my luggage every time I visit in July/August. He's 80, not always all there, so I figure he won't miss a couple of jars...I soak them and add them to wild rice...yum-yum, or homemade mushroom soup, or a whole lot of other things. My dad adds them to omelettes on Sunday morning.

I'm running low on morels, so I'm being very careful about using the ones I have left until I can get back to MN in August.


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## kadesma (May 31, 2011)

AstraeaLunaAvani said:


> As far as pasta sauce goes, I really only know of 2; tomato sauce and alfredo sauce. I'm bored with tomato sauce and lost interest in alfredo sauce because it's too fattening and the flavor got overwhelming to me. So i'm trying to find some kind of sauce for pasta that is light and healthy. My favorite things to put on pasta are garlic, red pepper flakes, and parmesan cheese. Sometimes I put basil in there, or onions. Is there a sauce that goes well with these ingredients that I could use? Thanks in advance!


I'm a little late but my family loves angel hair pasta with browned butter and myzthra cheese grated over it. I serve with a green salad with ripe tomatoes, thin sliced sweet onion and avocado, the DH licks his chops as do the kids and my daughters and thier DH's.
kadesma


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## dcSaute (May 31, 2011)

>>and myzthra cheese grated over it.

I did a Mario B asparagus in linguine with a "cheese sauce" - used grated Gouda (I think...)

taste was good, good dish overall, but the cheese didn't "melt into a sauce" - stayed rather a bit on the thick / clumpy side.

anyone have a good recommendation / experience on a (better choice) cheese (to be grated...) for these kind of 'in the pan sauces'?

looked up the myzthra - sounds neat but we're in a culinary cheese challenged area.  (say that three times real fast!)


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## SadieBaby. (Jun 1, 2011)

Chicken and pesto pasta?


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## CWS4322 (Jun 2, 2011)

You can make pesto using other herbs than basil--cilantro, parsley, swiss chard (okay, a veggie), spinach, go wild.

If you are concerned about the fat in pesto, you can substitute mineral water or ricotta cheese (but I think ricotta would up the sodium content) for some or all of the olive oil. I always have pesto "cubes" in the freezer. Love pesto.


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## Dawgluver (Jun 2, 2011)

CWS4322 said:
			
		

> And don't forget that the walleye fishing season opens in MN about the same time aspargus and morels come in...best summer/early spring dinner is fresh walleye and aspargus...followed by rhubarb pie...



Stop it!  Jealous...walleye and rhubarb=heaven.


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## CWS4322 (Jun 2, 2011)

No--that is purgetory--walleyes and wild aspargus = heaven...rhubarb is a bonus <g>. I'm jealous, too. I only get walleye when I get to MN and I'm waiting to hear back from my cousin if there is wireless access at the cabin so I can take off for part of August and "go fishing." At least I have access to wild aspargus and rhubarb here--but man, do I miss fresh-off-the-hook walleye (and walleye cheeks),


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## Paulie485 (Jul 10, 2011)

LEMON PASTA

Start water boiling
Cook 1 lb. Linguine or fettucini

Zest 2 lemons and then juice them.
In a large skillet or casserole Melt 1/2 stick butter
Add 1 1/2 pints of heavy cream, bring to a boil
Add lemon juice

Toss in cooked pasta, sprinkle on lemon zest.  Sometimes I sprinkle a good sharp Romano but sometimes that seems like guilding the lily.

Plain it's a great light primi or side.  For a full meal, add some prawns, scallops, smoked salmon, smoked black cod, asparagus, or fresh peas.   For a bit more complexity start the sauce by braising a couple of thinly sliced leeks in sherry, then continue with butter and cream.


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## Snip 13 (Jul 10, 2011)

I make a quick light pasta with Sour cream, chopped chives, cubed ham, halved grape tomatoes, dash of tabasco and salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot or cold.


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## Snip 13 (Jul 10, 2011)

Here's another standby of mine. Hope one of the 2 will help you.

Stirfry some carrot, zucchini, sprouts, red bell peppers, yellow bell peppers and a chopped tomato and onion in some olive oil. Season with fresh herbs of choice, salt and pepper and a dash of lemon juice. Stir through hot pasta and serve with shavings of fresh parmesan.

You can add strips of chicken, beef or pork if you prefer.


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## CWS4322 (Jul 10, 2011)

Straw and Hay is another way to make pasta. It is not what I would call "light" though...

Straw and Hay Pasta Recipe : : Food Network

My version uses 1/2 and 1/2 instead of heavy cream.


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## Kathleen (Jul 10, 2011)

We recently had a sauce made of avocados, Greek yogurt, fresh lime juice and sea salt.  It was mushed and coated the spaghetti, then topped with super lean strips of beef sauteed with a bit of garlic, and topped with fresh chopped tomatoes and minced cilantro.  It was really different but absolutely delicious!  

For the actual recipe, it is on page 75 of July 2011's Clean Eating magazine.


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## Snip 13 (Jul 10, 2011)

Broccoli pasta sauce:

Fry one chopped onion and 2 cloves of crushed garlic in olive oil till soft, add 1 cup of chicken broth, add 1 packet of stemmed broccoli chopped. Cooked till really soft. Season with salt, pepper and juice of 1 or 2 lemons. Add 1/4 cup of grated parmesan. Whizz in blender till smooth and stir into hot pasta. If the sauce is too thick add a bit more broth.
This is pretty healthy since you are looking for a light sauce


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## Claire (Jul 10, 2011)

Thin/small pasta are great for warm weather cooking.  Angel hair, couscous.  Do it early in the day if you want it cold.  If hot, then almost any vegetable tossed into it (I do it right at the end of boiling the pasta), strain and toss with olive oil or butter, then some herbs.  Your favorite seasonings.


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