Everyone enjoys pasta, especially when they are craving carbohydrates after a long day. While rich penne with tomato sauce has its place and season, don't be afraid to enhance your favourite pasta meal with some protein. Increasing your protein consumption is always a good idea, whether or not you made a resolution to eat a little bit better. To begin with, more protein in pasta means you won't eat as many noodles, which, while tasty, don't provide much in the way of nourishment. And let's not forget that protein is essential for everything from building and maintaining muscles to generating hormones, blood, connective tissue, antibodies, enzymes, and more.
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Throwing some meat into your go-to pasta meal is one of the simplest (and most obvious) ways to add some protein. Chicken or ground meat can be used to create some tasty meatballs. To serve with pasta on nights when you don't feel like expressing your inner Italian grandmother, feel free to shred some leftover chicken. Although the increase in protein isn't as remarkable as the other options, it's still a boost!
Add Veggies
Do you want a Meatless Monday meal that you can prepare in under minutes? Fresh corn, cherry tomatoes, broccoli and zucchini are among the summer vegetables that are abundant in market. Add to your pasta and make it high in protein. Another minor (but excellent!) protein boost is provided by the goat cheese topping on this dish.
Add Eggs
One of the quickest and simplest methods to ensure you're taking a little bit more of the food that helps build muscles is to add one egg to a bowl of pasta. One egg has six g of protein. Alternatively, try the slightly more conventional pasta. This scrambled pasta combines eggs with an Italian frying pepper, scallions, and fiery red pepper flakes. Egg yolks are used in this traditional Italian dish to make the thick sauce, which goes great with a bowl of pasta.
Add Pesto
You could use pesto from a jar, which is actually useful for more than just pizza and pasta, but if the protein is what you're after, it's best to make your own pesto. In this manner, you may precisely decide what ingredients go into the savoury green sauce. Making a pesto with lots of pine nuts and Parmesan—two reliable protein sources—is your best choice for a protein-rich pasta topping. Try a superfood pesto made with hemp and sunflower seeds for a healthier alternative that still packs a powerful protein punch.
Add Beans
You probably have one or two cans of beans sitting in the back of your pantry. Consider using these legumes and including them in your dish of pasta the next time you prepare pasta. Include chickpeas together with roasted almonds, grated Parmesan cheese, and bread crumbs, all of which are good sources of protein, as opposed to other recipes.
