Heart Healthy Spaghetti with Marinara Sauce

(5.0)
By Judy Capodanno
Published 2/7/2022
Dietitian Reviewed: Jane Schwartz, RDN, CLT
Approved for These Diets:
Heart Healthy | Vegetarian

You’re going to want to add this heart healthy spaghetti with marinara sauce to your menu this week because it’s delicious, quick and low sodium! Swap out store-bought sauce for our homemade heart healthy pasta sauce flavored with sautéed onions and garlic instead of salt.  Using multigrain spaghetti results in a high fiber pasta dish (10g per serving) that’s also lower in calories than most pasta and sauce recipes.

When you taste this, you will want to try more of our low cholesterol, low sodium heart healthy spaghetti recipes.

Total Time
30 minutes
Servings
4
Calories
348
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Why You'll Love Healthy Spaghetti with our Heart Healthy Spaghetti Sauce

This homemade healthy spaghetti has long been a family favorite recipe from our food editor who learned how to cook healthy Italian food from her Napoletano mother. You can feel good about serving this pasta meal with heart healthy spaghetti sauce any day of the week. 

Start with our healthy marinara sauce that uses only six ingredients and is ready in under 30 minutes. This low sodium spaghetti sauce has less salt than most jarred sauces and contains no added sugar. It’s also full of flavor with no preservatives and can easily be made ahead of time. This heart healthy spaghetti sauce is a great dinner meal prep recipe and can be stored in the freezer. 

This healthy spaghetti recipe is lower in fat, sodium and sugar than traditional pasta recipes. It’s made from heart healthy vegetables, like tomatoes that contain lycopene, and contains only a small amount of salt and no added sugar. Instead, it uses fresh garlic, onion and herbs to make it taste great. There’s also only a small amount of olive oil in the low fat pasta sauce. Multigrain spaghetti is higher in fiber than spaghetti made from white flour, and more fiber is better for heart health and blood sugar control. The result is a healthier spaghetti recipe you can feel good about serving to your whole family.

Want to round out your heart healthy spaghetti entrée to make it a full meal? Add one of these delicious salads to start the meal off right.

If you are looking for a healthy substitute for pasta, whether you want to lower the carbs or calories in a dish, there are several swaps you can use that won’t sacrifice taste. Use zucchini noodles (zoodles) in place of spaghetti, like we did in this Zucchini Noodles with Creamy Avocado Pesto recipe. Spaghetti squash is also a delicious and nutritious pasta substitute. You can see for yourself by trying this delectable Shrimp Spaghetti Squash dish. Using these vegetable pasta substitutes is also a good option if you need a gluten free pasta recipe, or you can simply use gluten free pasta instead of traditional pasta.

Photo Credit: Baldwin Publishing Staff Photographer
Health eCooks Cookbook on Amazon

Ingredients

Recipe yields 4 servings

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How to Make Spaghetti with Marinara Sauce

  1. Step 1

    In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat until hot. Add onion, garlic, salt and pepper and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes, or until onion is softened. Add tomatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until sauce thickens, about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add parsley and simmer for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

  2. Step 2

    Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions until just tender. In a colander, drain pasta and return pasta to pot. Add 1/4 cup tomato sauce to pasta and toss to coat.

  3. Step 3

    Transfer pasta to bowls and top with remaining sauce, cheese and additional parsley, if desired.

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Nutrition Facts

Serving Size:
1 cup

348
Calories
4
g
Fat
2
mg
Cholesterol
381
mg
Sodium
69
g
Carbs
0
g
Sat. Fat
10
g
Fiber
19
g
Protein
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