20 Vegetarian Pasta Dinners With Protein-Rich Ingredients

These vegetarian pasta dinners pair noodles with beans, lentils, peas, dairy, nuts, and vegetables for satisfying meals. Each recipe serves about four unless noted. Cook pasta just until al dente and reserve some cooking water to help sauces cling.

1. Lentil Bolognese

Green lentils give this tomato sauce a hearty texture for pasta night.

Ingredients

• 12 oz pasta
• 1 cup cooked green lentils
• 1 can crushed tomatoes (28 oz)
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 carrot, grated
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1 tbsp olive oil.

Instructions

1. Cook pasta in salted water. Sauté onion and carrot in oil for 5 minutes. Add lentils, tomatoes, and seasoning; simmer 20 minutes. Spoon over pasta and add Parmesan.

2. White Bean and Spinach Marinara

Creamy cannellini beans make a simple marinara more substantial.

Ingredients

• 12 oz pasta
• 1 can cannellini beans, rinsed
• 3 cups spinach
• 2 cups marinara
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/4 cup Parmesan.

Instructions

1. Cook pasta. Warm oil and garlic for 30 seconds; add marinara and beans and simmer 8 minutes. Fold in spinach until wilted, toss with pasta, and finish with Parmesan.

3. Chickpea Pesto Rotini

Chickpeas, spinach, and pesto turn this pasta into an easy weeknight meal.

Ingredients

• 12 oz rotini
• 1 can chickpeas, rinsed
• 1/3 cup basil pesto
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes
• 2 cups baby spinach
• 1/4 cup pasta water.

Instructions

1. Boil pasta until al dente. Reserve pasta water, then drain. Toss pasta with pesto, chickpeas, tomatoes, spinach, and enough pasta water to coat. Serve warm with grated Parmesan.

4. Pea and Ricotta Lemon Pasta

Sweet peas and creamy ricotta make a quick sauce with fresh lemon.

Ingredients

• 12 oz pasta
• 1 cup peas
• 3/4 cup ricotta
• zest and juice of 1 lemon
• 1/3 cup Parmesan
• 1/2 cup pasta water
• black pepper.

Instructions

1. Cook pasta, adding peas for the last 2 minutes. Reserve water and drain. Stir ricotta, lemon zest, juice, Parmesan, and pasta water into a sauce. Toss with pasta and pepper.

5. Mushroom and Cannellini Pasta

Golden mushrooms and white beans make a savory, herb-filled pasta sauce.

Ingredients

• 12 oz tagliatelle
• 8 oz mushrooms, sliced
• 1 can cannellini beans
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 cup broth
• 1 tsp thyme
• 1 tbsp olive oil.

Instructions

1. Cook pasta. Brown mushrooms in oil for 6–8 minutes; add garlic and thyme for 30 seconds. Stir in beans and broth and simmer 5 minutes. Toss with pasta and parsley.

6. Cottage Cheese Tomato Shells

Blended cottage cheese makes a creamy tomato sauce without a long simmer.

Ingredients

• 12 oz pasta shells
• 1 cup cottage cheese
• 1 1/2 cups marinara
• 2 cups chopped spinach
• 1/4 cup Parmesan
• 1/2 tsp dried basil.

Instructions

1. Cook shells and drain. Blend cottage cheese with marinara until smooth, warm gently in a saucepan, and stir in spinach until wilted. Fold in shells and Parmesan.

7. Black Bean Taco Pasta

Black beans, corn, and salsa bring taco-night flavors to a pasta skillet.

Ingredients

• 12 oz short pasta
• 1 can black beans, rinsed
• 1 cup corn
• 1 cup salsa
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar
• 1/4 cup Greek yogurt.

Instructions

1. Cook pasta. Warm beans, corn, salsa, and cumin in a skillet for 5 minutes. Add drained pasta and toss; top with cheddar and cover until melted. Serve with yogurt.

8. Broccoli Cheddar Chickpea Pasta

Chickpea pasta and broccoli are folded into a simple cheddar sauce.

Ingredients

• 8 oz chickpea pasta
• 3 cups broccoli florets
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup shredded cheddar
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp gluten-free flour or cornstarch slurry.

Instructions

1. Cook pasta and broccoli together, following pasta timing; drain. Melt butter, whisk in flour and milk, and cook until thick. Stir in cheddar until smooth, then toss with pasta and broccoli.

9. Lentil Pasta with Roasted Vegetables

Roasted vegetables and feta balance the earthy flavor of lentil pasta.

Ingredients

• 8 oz lentil pasta
• 1 zucchini, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 red onion, wedged
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1/3 cup feta
• lemon.

Instructions

1. Roast vegetables at 425°F with oil, salt, and pepper for 20–25 minutes. Cook lentil pasta and drain. Toss pasta with vegetables, feta, and lemon juice.

10. Walnut Lentil Mushroom Ragu

Walnuts, lentils, and mushrooms make a rich meatless sauce.

Ingredients

• 12 oz pasta
• 1 cup cooked lentils
• 8 oz mushrooms, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• 1 can crushed tomatoes
• 1 small onion
• 1 tbsp olive oil.

Instructions

1. Cook pasta. Sauté onion and mushrooms in oil until browned. Stir in walnuts, lentils, tomatoes, and oregano; simmer 15 minutes. Serve sauce over pasta.

11. Tuscan Butter Bean Pasta

Butter beans simmer with tomatoes, rosemary, and kale for a rustic sauce.

Ingredients

• 12 oz pasta
• 1 can butter beans, rinsed
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 2 cups chopped kale
• 1 tsp rosemary
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1/2 cup broth.

Instructions

1. Cook pasta. Sauté garlic and rosemary briefly, add tomatoes, broth, and beans, and simmer 10 minutes. Stir in kale until tender and toss with pasta.

12. Baked Feta, Tomato, and Chickpea Pasta

Roasting feta and tomatoes creates a creamy sauce with chickpeas for extra substance.

Ingredients

• 12 oz pasta
• 1 block feta (7 oz)
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes
• 1 can chickpeas
• 2 garlic cloves
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1/4 cup basil.

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 400°F. Put feta, tomatoes, chickpeas, and garlic in a baking dish; drizzle with oil and bake 25 minutes. Cook pasta; mash the roasted mixture into a sauce and toss with pasta and basil.

13. Spinach Artichoke White Bean Pasta

Artichokes and white beans bring a familiar dip flavor to pasta dinner.

Ingredients

• 12 oz pasta
• 1 can white beans
• 1 cup chopped artichoke hearts
• 3 cups spinach
• 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 1/4 cup Parmesan
• garlic.

Instructions

1. Cook pasta and reserve 1/2 cup water. Warm beans, artichokes, and garlic in a skillet. Stir yogurt with pasta water off heat, fold in spinach and Parmesan, then toss with pasta.

14. Green Pea and Pistachio Pasta

A bright pea sauce gets crunch and richness from pistachios.

Ingredients

• 12 oz pasta
• 1 1/2 cups peas
• 1/3 cup shelled pistachios
• 1/2 cup basil
• 1 lemon
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1/3 cup Parmesan.

Instructions

1. Cook pasta. Blend 1 cup peas, pistachios, basil, lemon juice, oil, Parmesan, and 1/3 cup pasta water until thick. Toss sauce with pasta and remaining peas.

15. Roasted Red Pepper and Almond Pasta

Sweet roasted peppers and almonds blend into a smooth, savory sauce.

Ingredients

• 12 oz pasta
• 2 roasted red peppers
• 1/3 cup almonds
• 1 garlic clove
• 1/4 cup Parmesan
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 can chickpeas.

Instructions

1. Cook pasta. Blend peppers, almonds, garlic, Parmesan, oil, and 1/2 cup pasta water. Warm sauce with chickpeas in a skillet, add pasta, and toss until coated.

16. Three-Bean Minestrone Pasta

Three kinds of beans make this tomato broth a filling pasta soup.

Ingredients

• 8 oz small pasta
• 1/2 cup each kidney, cannellini, and garbanzo beans
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 5 cups broth
• 1 carrot
• 1 zucchini
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning.

Instructions

1. Sauté diced carrot and zucchini 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, broth, beans, and seasoning; simmer 12 minutes. Add pasta and cook until tender, adding broth as needed. Top with Parmesan.

17. Lemony Orzo with Chickpeas and Feta

Orzo, chickpeas, spinach, dill, and lemon make a quick one-pot dinner.

Ingredients

• 1 cup orzo
• 1 can chickpeas
• 2 1/2 cups broth
• 2 cups spinach
• 1 lemon
• 1/3 cup feta
• 1 tbsp dill.

Instructions

1. Simmer orzo and broth in a covered skillet 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add chickpeas and spinach for the last 2 minutes. Finish with lemon zest and juice, dill, and feta.

18. Pumpkin Sage Pasta with White Beans

Pumpkin makes a silky sauce, while beans and sage keep the dish savory.

Ingredients

• 12 oz pasta
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 can white beans
• 1 cup milk
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp chopped sage
• 1/3 cup Parmesan.

Instructions

1. Cook pasta. Melt butter and fry sage 1 minute. Whisk in pumpkin and milk; simmer 5 minutes. Stir in beans and Parmesan, then toss with pasta and a splash of pasta water.

19. Peanut-Free Sunflower Butter Noodles

Sunflower seed butter, lime, and ginger make a creamy noodle sauce without peanuts or soy.

Ingredients

• 12 oz rice noodles
• 1/3 cup sunflower seed butter
• 1 lime
• 1 tsp grated ginger
• 1 tbsp coconut aminos
• 1 cup shredded carrots
• 1/2 cup chopped scallions.

Instructions

1. Cook noodles as directed and drain. Whisk seed butter, lime juice, ginger, coconut aminos, and 1/4 cup warm water. Toss noodles with sauce and carrots; top with scallions.

20. Ricotta Spinach Stuffed Shells

Large pasta shells hold a herbed ricotta and spinach filling beneath marinara.

Ingredients

• 20 jumbo shells
• 1 1/2 cups ricotta
• 2 cups chopped spinach
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup Parmesan
• 2 cups marinara
• 1 cup mozzarella.

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 375°F. Cook shells until just tender. Mix ricotta, spinach, egg, and Parmesan; fill shells. Spread marinara in a baking dish, add shells, cover with mozzarella, and bake 25 minutes.

Storage

Refrigerate pasta leftovers in a sealed container within two hours and use within 3–4 days. Add a splash of water or broth when reheating. For meal prep, keep sauce and pasta separate when practical.