Whole Wheat Pasta Bowl (Print version)

Nutty whole wheat pasta paired with caramelized roasted vegetables and a silky white bean sauce for a wholesome, protein-rich bowl.

# 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 - Preheat oven to 425°F.
02 - Arrange zucchini, bell peppers, red onion, and cherry tomatoes on a large baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with Italian herbs, salt, and pepper. Toss to coat evenly.
03 - Roast vegetables for 20 to 25 minutes until tender and slightly caramelized, stirring halfway through cooking.
04 - Cook whole wheat pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water according to package directions. Drain, reserving ¼ cup of pasta water.
05 - Blend cannellini beans, Greek yogurt, lemon juice, garlic, parsley, Parmesan if using, salt, and pepper in a food processor until smooth and creamy. Add a splash of reserved pasta water if needed for silky consistency.
06 - Return drained pasta to the pot. Add roasted vegetables and protein sauce. Toss gently to combine, adding reserved pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce.
07 - Divide between bowls. Top with toasted pine nuts, extra parsley, and additional Parmesan if desired. Serve warm.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's secretly protein-packed: that creamy cannellini bean sauce delivers muscle-building power without any meat or complicated cooking.
  • One bowl, zero guilt: whole grains, roasted vegetables, and actual nutrition that tastes like comfort food.
  • The timing works: vegetables roast while pasta cooks, so everything comes together in under 45 minutes.
  • Flexible and forgiving: swap vegetables, beans, or even the yogurt base depending on what you have or what mood you're in.
02 -
  • Don't overcook the vegetables: they keep cooking slightly after they leave the oven, and if they're already soft they'll turn to mush when you toss them with the hot pasta.
  • Reserve that pasta water: I learned this the hard way by making a sauce that was too thick and impossible to adjust, that starchy water is your secret weapon for getting the texture exactly right.
  • Blend the sauce smooth: lumpy bean sauce is tragic, a food processor takes about 90 seconds and completely changes the experience of eating this.
03 -
  • Toast your pine nuts yourself if you buy them raw: it takes two minutes in a dry skillet and makes them taste ten times more buttery and complex.
  • Make the sauce while the vegetables and pasta cook: it takes five minutes to blend and you'll have less to do when everything finishes at once.
  • Don't warm the Greek yogurt: add it to the hot pasta off heat or just as everything comes together so it doesn't break or get grainy.
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