Pasta, whole grain, with cream sauce, meat, and added vegetables, home recipe
Common food
Photo: Wikipedia
This is a hearty, home-style pasta dish where whole-grain noodles are tossed in a rich cream sauce with savory meat and vibrant vegetables. The whole-grain pasta provides a nutty, chewy texture and a good source of fiber, while the creamy sauce and meat add satisfying richness and protein. It's a balanced, comforting meal that delivers both flavor and nutritional substance.
Calorie split: 16% protein · 43% carbs · 41% fat
↓ Full nutrition💚 Why it's loved
People love this dish for its ultimate comfort-food appeal, combining the creamy, savory sauce with the hearty texture of whole-grain pasta and meat. It's a beloved, customizable classic that can be adapted to whatever vegetables or meats are on hand, making it a go-to for satisfying family meals.
⚠️ Watch-outs & how to enjoy it better
The cream sauce can be high in saturated fat and calories, and the dish may cause blood-sugar spikes if portions are large, despite the whole-grain pasta. To counteract this, practice portion control, load up on the non-starchy vegetables in the recipe, and consider using a lighter cream or half-and-half base. Those with gluten or dairy sensitivities should opt for gluten-free pasta and a dairy-free cream sauce alternative.
Key benefits
- Good source of dietary fiber from whole-grain pasta
- Provides a balanced mix of protein, carbs, and fats
- Contains added vegetables for extra vitamins and minerals
- Offers sustained energy from complex carbohydrates
- A versatile one-pot meal for family dinners
🍽️ Popular dishes
🌍 Where it's eaten
💡 Did you know?
The 'cream sauce' in many home recipes is often a béchamel (white sauce), which is a classic French mother sauce made from a roux of butter and flour, with milk added.
Full nutrition (USDA data · scales with serving)
| Water | 69.3 g |
| Energy | 149 kcal |
| Protein | 6.2 g |
| Total lipid (fat) | 6.9 g |
| Carbohydrate, by difference | 16.6 g |
| Fiber, total dietary | 2.2 g |
| Total Sugars | 0.95 g |
| Calcium, Ca | 30.0 mg |
| Iron, Fe | 1.2 mg |
| Magnesium, Mg | 32.0 mg |
| Phosphorus, P | 103 mg |
| Potassium, K | 117 mg |
| Sodium, Na | 202 mg |
| Zinc, Zn | 1.4 mg |
| Copper, Cu | 0.14 mg |
| Selenium, Se | 22.2 ug |
| Vitamin C, total ascorbic acid | 4.2 mg |
| Thiamin | 0.09 mg |
| Riboflavin | 0.11 mg |
| Niacin | 2.3 mg |
| Vitamin B-6 | 0.10 mg |
| Folate, total | 15.0 ug |
| Folic acid | 0.00 ug |
| Folate, food | 15.0 ug |
| Folate, DFE | 15.0 ug |
| Choline, total | 13.7 mg |
| Vitamin B-12 | 0.27 ug |
| Vitamin B-12, added | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin A, RAE | 45.0 ug |
| Retinol | 41.0 ug |
| Carotene, beta | 39.0 ug |
| Carotene, alpha | 1.0 ug |
| Cryptoxanthin, beta | 9.0 ug |
| Lycopene | 0.00 ug |
| Lutein + zeaxanthin | 96.0 ug |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 0.26 mg |
| Vitamin E, added | 0.00 mg |
| Vitamin D (D2 + D3) | 0.20 ug |
| Vitamin K (phylloquinone) | 1.2 ug |
| Alcohol, ethyl | 0.00 g |
| Caffeine | 0.00 mg |
| Theobromine | 0.00 mg |
Fat & fatty acid profile (per 100g)
| Fatty acids, total saturated | 3.3 g |
| SFA 4:0 | 0.10 g |
| SFA 6:0 | 0.08 g |
| SFA 8:0 | 0.05 g |
| SFA 10:0 | 0.11 g |
| SFA 12:0 | 0.13 g |
| SFA 14:0 | 0.46 g |
| SFA 16:0 | 1.6 g |
| SFA 18:0 | 0.60 g |
| Fatty acids, total monounsaturated | 1.7 g |
| MUFA 16:1 | 0.13 g |
| MUFA 18:1 | 1.6 g |
| MUFA 20:1 | 0.02 g |
| MUFA 22:1 | 0.00 g |
| Fatty acids, total polyunsaturated | 0.54 g |
| PUFA 18:2 | 0.43 g |
| PUFA 18:3 | 0.04 g |
| PUFA 18:4 | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 20:4 | 0.01 g |
| PUFA 20:5 n-3 (EPA) | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 22:5 n-3 (DPA) | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 22:6 n-3 (DHA) | 0.00 g |
| Cholesterol | 21.0 mg |
Amino acid profile (per 100g)
Estimated from Restaurant, Italian, chicken parmesan without pasta — USDA does not publish this profile for Pasta.
| Tryptophan | 0.20 g |
| Threonine | 0.66 g |
| Isoleucine | 0.72 g |
| Leucine | 1.3 g |
| Lysine | 1.3 g |
| Methionine | 0.41 g |
| Cystine | 0.20 g |
| Phenylalanine | 1.1 g |
| Tyrosine | 0.53 g |
| Valine | 0.81 g |
| Arginine | 0.93 g |
| Histidine | 0.50 g |
| Alanine | 0.79 g |
| Aspartic acid | 1.4 g |
| Glutamic acid | 2.8 g |
| Glycine | 0.61 g |
| Proline | 1.3 g |
| Serine | 0.70 g |
| Hydroxyproline | 0.04 g |
FAQ
Is whole-grain pasta healthier than regular pasta?
Yes, whole-grain pasta retains the bran and germ, providing more fiber, vitamins, and minerals than refined pasta, which can aid digestion and help you feel full longer.
How can I make this dish lighter?
You can use a lighter cream sauce base (like milk thickened with a little flour), reduce the amount of cheese, and increase the ratio of vegetables to pasta and meat.
What's a good meat substitute for this recipe?
For a vegetarian version, you can use plant-based ground meat, lentils, or simply add more hearty vegetables like mushrooms and bell peppers for texture and protein.
Nutrient density (calculated · NRF9.3)
Nutrient Rich Foods index: beneficial nutrients (protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals) minus saturated fat, added sugar & sodium, per 100 kcal.
NRF9.3 index — Fulgoni, Keast & Drewnowski, 2009. Computed from USDA nutrients.
Weight-loss friendliness (composite index)
Energy density 1.49 kcal/g · 17% calories from protein · 2.2 g fiber · 0.9 g sugar per 100 g.
Composite of energy density (Rolls et al., 1999), protein & fiber satiety, minus sugar. A calculated heuristic — ranks satiety-per-calorie, not a clinical measure.
Dietary load (calculated from USDA values)
Potential renal acid load. Positive = acid-forming, negative = alkaline-forming.
Sodium-to-potassium ratio: 1.73 (lower is better — aim for ≤ 1)
Sodium:potassium per WHO potassium guidance. Computed from USDA nutrients.