Whole30 Penne Pasta with Marinara Sauce
Satisfy your pasta cravings with a healthy, gluten-free twist in this Whole30 Penne Pasta with Marinara Sauce recipe! Instead of traditional penne, this dish features spiralized zucchini "zoodles" sautéed to perfection, creating a light, nutritious base for a rich, homemade marinara sauce. Infused with aromatic garlic, sweet onions, and a blend of Italian herbs, the sauce is simmered with crushed tomatoes, a hint of balsamic vinegar, and a touch of heat from red pepper flakes. Perfect for those following Whole30, paleo, or low-carb diets, this recipe offers all the comforting flavors of classic pasta without the grains or dairy. Ready in just under an hour, it’s a wholesome, delicious meal that’s as vibrant in flavor as it is in color—serve with a sprinkle of fresh parsley for the perfect finishing touch!
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Recipe Information
Ingredients
- 4 medium Zucchini
- 2 tablespoons Olive oil
- 2 cloves Garlic
- 1 medium Onion
- 28 ounces Canned crushed tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons Tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon Balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon Dried basil
- 0.25 teaspoon Red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 0.5 teaspoon Black pepper
- 0.25 cup Fresh parsley
Instructions
Use a spiralizer to turn the zucchini into noodles (zoodles). If you don't have a spiralizer, you can use a julienne peeler or slice the zucchini very thinly.
Finely chop the garlic cloves and dice the onion.
In a large saucepan over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
Add the chopped garlic and diced onion to the pan and sauté until the onion becomes translucent, about 5 minutes.
Stir in the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, balsamic vinegar, dried oregano, dried basil, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper.
Bring the sauce to a simmer then reduce the heat to low. Let it cook uncovered for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
In a separate large skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat.
Add the zoodles to the skillet and sauté for about 5-7 minutes or until they reach the desired tenderness.
Once the marinara sauce has thickened, adjust the seasoning with more salt and pepper if necessary.
Serve the zoodles topped with the marinara sauce and a garnish of fresh parsley.
Nutrition Facts
Calories |
855 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
% Daily Value* |
|||
| Total Fat | 32.7 g | 42% | |
| Saturated Fat | 5.0 g | 25% | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 3.3 g | ||
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | 0% | |
| Sodium | 10848 mg | 472% | |
| Total Carbohydrate | 133.2 g | 48% | |
| Dietary Fiber | 24.4 g | 87% | |
| Total Sugars | 101.3 g | ||
| Protein | 22.5 g | 45% | |
| Vitamin D | 0.0 mcg | 0% | |
| Calcium | 425 mg | 33% | |
| Iron | 12.5 mg | 69% | |
| Potassium | 5155 mg | 110% | |
*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
