15 Veggie Noodle Dishes That Will Make You Forget About Pasta

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If you've been jumping on the low-carb train in an effort to keep your waistline trim and healthy, pasta is often one of the first things that gets cut from the diet. And if you're anything like me, those pasta cravings are fierce. Fortunately, there are some really creative ways to enjoy veggie pasta — pasta that is made from vegetables — and some of these veggie pasta dishes are so satisfying, you won't even miss the real thing! (See also: 15 Grilled Veggie Dishes That Hold Their Own With Meat)

A spiralizer is probably the easiest way to make your own veggie noodles, as they'll turn out the longest and most pasta-like. But you can also use a mandoline slicer with a shredding attachment, the grating attachment on your food processor, or buy already-shredded vegetables from the grocery store. You can also use a vegetable peeler to shred vegetables into long thin strips.

1. Raw carrot noodles with peanut sauce

With this simple vegetarian recipe for carrot noodles with peanut sauce, you don't even need to fire up the stove. Use raw spiralized carrots, or even a bag of shredded carrots, to make this simple but delicious meal. The tangy peanut sauce is surprisingly filling and satisfying. Allergic to peanuts? Just sub in almond, cashew, or sunflower butter.

2. Zucchini noodles (zoodles) and meatballs

Spaghetti and meatballs is such a comfort dish — and you can have this zucchini version without grain-based pasta but with all the comfort! Homemade or store-bought zucchini noodles cook up in a couple of minutes, and make for a hearty meal when topped with meatballs and marinara sauce.

3. Garlicky spaghetti squash with chicken, mushrooms, and kale

Spaghetti squash, a more nutritious, lower-carb alternative to pasta, is served with an antioxidant-rich topping of kale, chicken, and mushrooms. This veggie-packed version is a nice change from the rich Bolognese usually served with spaghetti squash.

4. Vegan mushroom Bolognese

Speaking of Bolognese, this hearty meat-free mushroom Bolognese is bursting with vegetables and flavor. And unlike most vegan Bolognese recipes, it doesn't call for tofu or soy. The meatiness comes from the mushrooms, eggplant, and veggies in the dish. Instead of pouring this over wheat pasta, use spaghetti squash or zoodles instead.

5. Parsnip shrimp lo-mein noodle

You don't have to long for Chinese noodles anymore — this parsnip shrimp lo-mein noodle dish captures all the flavor and adds more nutrients than your favorite noodle dish. It comes together quickly in one pan — almost as simple as ordering in.

6. Vegan garlicky sweet potato pasta

Ready for Alfredo sauce? This healthy dairy-free garlicky Alfredo has all the umami of the original, but uses cashews, garlic, and nutritional yeast instead of milk. Add the rich sauce to hearty sweet potato noodles, and this dish will leave you satisfied without the traditional heaviness. (See also: 12 Delicious Ways to Go Meatless for the Newly Vegetarian)

7. Chicken pad thai with daikon noodles

The lightness of daikon noodles pairs perfectly with the tangy and spicy flavors of a pad thai sauce. Cooking the daikon noodles in the juices left over after cooking the chicken gives them a robust and meaty flavor.

8. Roasted beet noodles with pesto and baby kale

One of my favorite pasta dishes is just noodles tossed with pesto. This roasted beet version has even more flavor and is almost as easy to make, once you've made the beet noodles. Feel free to substitute jarred pesto to make this dish faster and easier.

9. Greek cucumber noodles

Another vegetarian-friendly, no-cook meal, this cucumber noodle dish draws from Greek flavors with olives, tomatoes, and hummus. Simply omit the feta to make this dish vegan.

10. Coconut curry with zucchini noodles

Enjoy a comforting hot bowl of curry noodles, but keep it light by making the noodles zoodles instead. This simple recipe for coconut curry with zucchini noodles is packed with veggies and will warm you from the inside out.

11. Broccoli slaw spaghetti

For nights when you need a quick meal and spiralizing your own veggie noodles seems like a chore, that inexpensive bag of broccoli slaw you picked up at the grocery store can work like a charm as a noodle stand-in. A simple spaghetti sauce with ground beef and pasta sauce is delicious served over a bed of cooked broccoli slaw.

12. Miso soup with vegetable noodles

One of my favorite ways to enjoy noodles is in a hot and comforting noodle soup. This recipe for miso soup with vegetable noodles is easy and quick to whip up, and can be turned into a heartier meal with the addition of an egg or some tofu for protein.

13. Sweet potato or butternut squash mac and cheese

There are few things my kids like better than mac and cheese. This sweet potato or butternut squash noodle version gives them the cheesiness they desire but sneaks in a few extra vitamins and nutrients, too. Just cut the sweet potato noodles into sections to make them look more like macaroni.

14. Vietnamese jicama noodle salad

I love cold Vietnamese noodle salad with veggies stirred in with a tangy sauce. This jicama noodle salad makes for an even more refreshing meal with crunchy jicama noodles subbed in for traditional rice noodles.

15. Salmon with rutabaga noodles

You don't often see recipes for rutabagas, but this sweet, hearty root vegetable is delicious and satisfying, especially when used as the noodle portion of this salmon and rutabaga noodle meal. Quick-cooking and nutritious salmon as the main protein means that this meal comes together quickly.

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