Who doesn’t love pasta? Bolognese, lasagna, a little carbonara... there’s something that’s just so comforting about a steaming bowl of carbs tossed with a rich, unctuous sauce and layered with plenty of cheese. The problem? Pasta recipes can be more than a little unhealthy, especially when it comes to your delicate gut.

So just how do you cook up a pasta dish that’s as kind to your gut as it is to your taste buds? Read on for three of our favourite gut-friendly pasta recipes, each designed to sate that carb craving while helping you to feel great at the same time.

Spinach, Artichoke and Chickpea Tagliatelle: A Fresh, Fibre-Packed Pasta Recipe

The NHS recommends a daily intake of 30g of fibre a day^[i]. This light, summery pasta dish gets you well on the way, offering around 15g of fibre per person thanks to three fibre-heavy heroes; artichokes, chickpeas and healthy wholewheat pasta.

Why this high fibre pasta recipe is so healthy

Fibre is a must for great gut health, helping to prevent constipation^[ii] and feed the microbiome^[iii] while even potentially improving insulin sensitivity^[iv].

Wholewheat pasta has around 50% more fibre than white pasta^[v], making it a must for better gut health. Meanwhile, artichokes and chickpeas are some of the most densely fibre-laden foods out there^[vi]. Pine nuts, spinach and garlic add even more fibre to the mix, while parmesan provides a surprisingly high dose of protein^[vii].

High fibre spinach, artichoke and chickpea pasta recipe

Serves 4

400g wholewheat tagliatelle
Tinned artichoke hearts, drained and roughly chopped
Tinned chickpeas, drained, rinsed and dried
2 large handfuls of spinach
3 crushed/minced garlic cloves
25g pine nuts
1tsp dried red pepper flakes
1tsp paprika
1tsp cumin
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
50g grated parmesan
Olive oil
Basil to garnish

Toss the chickpeas in a good glug of olive oil and the paprika, cumin and salt and pepper before baking in an oven (preheated to 200C) for around 20 minutes, or until crisp.

Following packet instructions, cook tagliatelle to al dente in salted water. Reserve a good cupful of pasta water before draining.

Meanwhile, drop a generous amount of olive oil into a pan and cook off the garlic, artichokes, pine nuts and pepper flakes until fragrant and beginning to brown. Add spinach and allow it to wilt.

Throw the lemon zest and juice into the pan along with the drained pasta and a little pasta water until combined. Finally, add in parmesan and allow everything to come together in a glossy sauce, adding more pasta water if needed.

Serve with crispy chickpeas, a generous grind of black pepper and a sprinkling of bright green basil.

FODMAP-Free Spaghetti Bolognese: An IBS-Friendly Family Favourite Pasta Recipe

FODMAPs are strongly linked to irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)^[viii] as well as other gut symptoms and sensitivities^[ix]. This recipe can be made using low-FODMAP spelt or rice pasta (where available) and does away with those all-too-common pasta dish standards, garlic and onions.

What makes this pasta recipe great for the gut?

We’ve removed high FODMAP onions and garlic^[x] from the traditional Italian ragu to make a worldwide favourite good for your gut. Minimising celery (considered low FODMAP in small amounts^[xi]) and replacing chicken stock with extra FODMAP-okay tinned tomatoes helps to reduce the risk of symptoms while maintaining flavour.

Dry white wine, lactose-free milk and a last dash of butter provide richness without causing intestinal havoc.

FODMAP-free spaghetti bolognese recipe

Serves 4

500g of spelt or rice spaghetti (buckwheat and quinoa versions are also suitable)
250g pork mince
250g beef mince
75g diced pancetta
1 celery stick, finely chopped
1 carrot, finely chopped
250ml lactose-free milk (rice or protein-based soy are ideal)
250ml dry white wine
30g unsalted butter
2tbsp tomato puree
3 tins of plum tomatoes
1 bay leaf
Pinch of nutmeg
Olive oil
Basil or parsley

Heat the olive oil and butter in a heavy pan before adding in the pancetta, celery and carrot to sauté until golden (10-15 mins).

Add the beef and pork to the pot, breaking it apart as it loses its pink colour (no need to brown). Season with salt and pepper before dropping in the nutmeg, bay leaf and the milk and simmering gently for 20 mins, until the liquid evaporates.

Glug in wine and allow it to cook off before squeezing in the tomato puree. Once the mixture darkens, add two cans of plum tomatoes, breaking them up well with the side of your spoon. Reduce the heat and allow to very gently cook for up to two hours for a soft, rich texture. If the ragu becomes too dry feel free to add more tinned tomato, a little at a time.

At the end of the ragu’s cooking time prepare pasta according to packet instructions. Throw pasta into the sauce with a little extra butter, mix and serve sprinkled with torn basil or parsley.

Butternut Squash Pasta: A Nutrient-Packed Non-Pasta Pasta Recipe

If you can’t eat wheat or need a break from processed carbs, this pasta-less pasta is perfect for you. A healthy alternative to wheat-based pasta, spiralised butternut squash is vibrant, delicious and gut-good, pairing well with a variety of classic pasta sauces, including our FODMAP-free ragu, above.

Why this recipe is such a good alternative to ‘real’ pasta

Butternut squash is as nutritious as it is delicious. This heart-healthy^[xii] veggie is low in calories while also providing a decent helping of fibre (around 2g per 100g of squash<^{a href="https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/2685570/nutrients" target="_blank" rel="noopener" name="_ednref13">[xiii]}), vitamins A and C and B vitamins. Butternut squash is also an excellent source of anti-inflammatory^[xiv] pro-vitamin A carotenoids^[xv].

A hearty alternative to popular courgetti, butternut squash spaghetti is a belly-filling choice for those going gluten-free or dodging processed foods.

Butternut squash spaghetti healthy gluten-free pasta recipe

Serves 3-4, depending on the size of the squash

1 butternut squash (opt for the longest you can find, with the smallest possible ‘bulbous’ end)
Olive oil

Peel squash and remove the bulbous, seed-containing end and the hard stalk. Cut the remaining squash in half if unwieldy and pass it through a spiraliser, using the larger setting.

If you don’t have a spiraliser you may create a similar effect by carefully julienning with a peeler (this will create something closer to pappardelle).

Preheat the oven to 200C before tossing the ‘pasta’ in a little olive oil and seasoning. Bake for around 9-10 minutes or until a spaghetti-like softness is achieved. Alternatively, boil in salted water for 3-5 minutes.

This goes especially well with Italian sausage and sage or prepared simply with high quality olive oil, sauteed garlic, roasted pine nuts, a good dusting of parmesan and a sprinkling of finely chopped parsley. The delicious seeds of the squash can also be roasted and eaten as a good source of zinc, iron and other nutrients^[xvi].

Summary

Pasta has a reputation for being unhealthy but that doesn’t have to be the case. In fact, it’s possible to enjoy a variety of pasta dishes and care for your gut at the same time, even if you have allergies and intolerances.

Omitting high FODMAP ingredients like garlic and onion can make traditional pasta dishes suitable for those with IBS while the addition of fibre-rich ingredients like pulses and vegetables supports your gut’s delicate microbiome.

But what if you can’t eat wheat or gluten? No worries, the trusty spiraliser can turn nutrient-dense vegetables like butternut squash into a surprisingly delish pasta stand-in.

Sources:

[i] https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/digestive-health/how-to-get-more-fibre-into-your-diet/#:~:text=Government%20guidelines%20say%20our%20dietary%20fibre%20intake,to%20find%20ways%20of%20increasing%20our%20intake.

[ii] https://gutscharity.org.uk/advice-and-information/health-and-lifestyle/fibre-information/

[iii] https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9787832/

[iv] https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8542533/

[v] https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/health/nutrition/pasta-healthy

[vi] https://www.breastcanceruk.org.uk/healthy-living/11-amazing-sources-of-fibre/

[vii] https://www.vogue.co.uk/article/parmesan-cheese-high-protein

[viii] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24920528/

[ix] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18456565/

[x] https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/foods-high-in-fodmaps

[xi] https://theibsdietitian.com/blog/is-celery-low-fodmap