24 High-Protein Pasta Recipes to Power You Up
Each serving packs in at least 20 grams of protein.
Medically reviewed by Stefani Sassos, M.S., R.D.N., NASM-CPTNutrition Lab Director
Looking to boost your protein intake? These high-protein pasta recipes prove you don't need a giant slab of meat to crush your macro goals. Each dish — all triple-tested by the Good Housekeeping Test Kitchen! — delivers at least 20 grams of protein per serving, drawing from a variety of sources, including chicken breast, anchovies, ground meat, cheeses, canned beans and protein-packed vegetables.
Many of these high-protein meals also feature other nutrient-rich ingredients like tomatoes, zucchini, mushrooms and fresh herbs, so you can prioritize your overall health while hitting your protein targets.You'll also find plenty of variety, from creamy sauces to classic marinara styles, and a mix of pasta shapes to keep things fun. Want to up the protein even more? Swap in a legume-based pasta, like chickpea or red lentil pasta.With so many delicious options, every night could be pasta night — and it would never get boring.
Creamy Chicken and Zoodle Spaghetti
Protein per serving: 34 grams
Combining spiralized zucchini and spaghetti offers an easy, texturally-interesting way to incorporate more produce into your meal. And tossing it all with a citrusy cream sauce takes it to the next level.
Summer Skillet Lasagna
Protein per serving: 23 grams
Boiling pasta in chicken broth (or even better chicken bone broth) rather than water slightly boosts the protein in your overall dish — especially when the noodles absorb all the liquid, as is the case of this one-pot lasagna.
Get the Summer Skillet Lasagna recipe.
RELATED: 50 One-Pot Meal Ideas are Easy to Make and Even Easier to Clean Up
Instant Pot Tuscan Ragu Pasta
Protein per serving: 37 grams
It's probably no surprise that a meat sauce will deliver a good dose of protein. This one features sweet Italian sausage and boneless pork shoulder. Plus, it's ready in a fraction of the time, thanks to your pressure cooker.
Get the Instant Pot Tuscan Ragu Pasta recipe.
Chicken Francese Pasta
Protein per serving: 55 grams
We turned the lemony chicken main into a full-on feast by cutting the protein into pieces, then tossing it with penne and a super-bright Francese-inspired sauce.
Get the Chicken Francese Pasta recipe.
Shrimp Scampi with Linguine
Protein per serving: 46 grams
Shrimp scampi's signature buttery, garlicky white wine sauce pairs perfectly with a pile of pasta.
Get the Shrimp Scampi with Linguine recipe.
Rigatoni alla Norma
Protein per serving: 25 grams
"Alla norma" refers to pasta made with eggplant, tomatoes, basil and ricotta salata cheese. Our version takes a few liberties to save you time, including cooking the rigatoni right in the marinara sauce.
Get the Rigatoni alla Norma recipe.
RELATED: 20 Easy High-Protein, High-Fiber Meals for All Your Health Goals
Lentil Bolognese Spaghetti
Protein per serving: 27 grams
This healthier take on traditional bolognese swaps out some of the ground beef for another protein source: lentils.
Get the Lentil Bolognese Spaghetti recipe.
Rigatoni with Sausage-Style Turkey and Arugula
Protein per serving: 47 grams
Evoke the flavor of turkey sausage by mixing sweet paprika, red pepper flakes, fennel seeds and garlic into lean ground turkey. This recipe subs in chickpea-based pasta, which also boosts the protein.
Get the Rigatoni with Sausage-Style Turkey and Arugula recipe.
RELATED: 10 Best Gluten-Free Pasta Brands, According to Nutritionists and Test Kitchen Pros
Spaghetti and Air Fryer Meatballs
Protein per serving: 34 grams
Frying meatballs on the stove can get messy, but baked meatballs often disappoint. The solve? Use your air fryer, which results in juicy, crispy meatballs without the clean-up and excess oil. Toss 'em with your favorite type of pasta.
Chicken Bolognese
Protein per serving: 36 grams
If you're looking for a meat-based sauce that doesn't have tomatoes, know this simple 20-minute solution exists.
Get the Chicken Bolognese recipe.
Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese
Protein per serving: 32 grams
Canned butternut squash is the key to getting this protein-packed, kid-friendly dinner on the table in just 30 minutes.
Grilled Mushroom and Scallion Pasta
Protein per serving: 21 grams
This vegan medley gets an oomph of "cheesy" flavor — as well as protein and B vitamins — from nutritional yeast.
Get the Grilled Mushroom and Scallion Pasta recipe.
RELATED: 22 Easy High-Protein Vegan Meals You'll Want to Make on Repeat
Skillet Pepper Pasta
Protein per serving: 20 grams
After sautéing peppers and onions, you'll cook the linguine right in the same skillet for ultimate ease (and minimal dishes). The best part? The whole process takes less than 30 minutes.
Get the Skillet Pepper Pasta recipe.
Pasta e Fagioli
Protein per serving: 20 grams
Part soup, part pasta, this classic Italian dish is chockfull of comfort. Plus, it's packed with plenty of nutrients courtesy of carrots, celery, fennel, tomatoes and beans.
Get the Pasta e Fagioli recipe.
Creamy Miso Pasta with Walnuts and Roasted Cabbage
Protein per serving: 23 grams
The key to this craveable cream sauce is red miso, which has a robust, more intense flavor than white miso. Toss it with whole-grain spaghetti and roasted red cabbage for a delightfully decadent, protein-rich vegetarian main.
Get the Creamy Miso Pasta with Walnuts and Roasted Cabbage recipe.
Orecchiette with White Beans and Spinach
Protein per serving: 21 grams
Each cozy bite packs in plenty of protein thanks to plant-based sources, like canned white beans and spinach.
Vegan Bolognese
Protein per serving: 22 grams
Even without the ground beef, this bolognese packs in plenty of protein, with help from red lentils. Chopped cremini mushrooms help to replicate the meaty texture of a traditional bolognese.
Get the Vegan Bolognese recipe.
Linguine with Arugula Pesto
Protein per serving: 20 grams
Each strand is coated with a nut-free pesto featuring everyone's favorite high-protein ingredient, cottage cheese.
Get the Linguine with Arugula Pesto recipe.
RELATED: 32 High-Protein Vegetarian Meals That Show the Power of Plants
Rigatoni with Sausage and Broccoli Rabe
Protein per serving: 30 grams
Sweet Italian sausage is one of our favorite shortcut ingredients. Pre-seasoned, this protein introduces a ton of new flavors to whatever you're cooking up.
Creamy Lemon Pasta with Chicken and Peas
Protein per serving: 41 grams
This one-pan pasta dish will please adults and kids, alike: It features fun-shaped gemelli, plus cooked chicken, peas and plenty of cheese.
Stefani (she/her) is a registered dietitian, a NASM-certified personal trainer and the director of the Good Housekeeping Institute Nutrition Lab, where she handles all nutrition-related content, testing and evaluation. She holds a bachelor’s degree in nutritional sciences from Pennsylvania State University and a master’s degree in clinical nutrition from NYU. She is also Good Housekeeping’s on-staff fitness and exercise expert. Stefani is dedicated to providing readers with evidence-based content to encourage informed food choices and healthy living. She is an avid CrossFitter and a passionate home cook who loves spending time with her big fit Greek family.
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