Spending more time at home means it’s time to try out some new recipes! Here are 2 paleo pasta recipes worth trying during your time at home.

As a family of four staying home full-time during COVID-19, we have been doing a lot more cooking. Being a grain-free household, it may come to you as no surprise that we are big fans of paleo pasta recipes. Since having more time at home together as a family we have been trying out some new recipes and now we’d like to share them with you! 

Zoodles

If you have ever wondered what zoodles are and why zoodles are so incredibly healthy – keep reading. If you haven't heard about the hype, zoodles are basically just noodles made out of zucchini. Typically this vegetable is used as a side dish such as baked zucchini but I promise you if you start to incorporate it into your main dish, you and your family will not be disappointed. They are healthy, quick, and perfect for a big family meal. 

Benefits:

• Unprocessed
• Gluten-, grain-, and wheat-free
• Healthy and nutritious
• Budget-friendly and easy

How are they made?

Zoodles can be made generally two different ways and neither of them require a rolling pin! Option one is to make them with a spiraliser machine. This tool has a handle that you turn to create the zoodle ribbons. The second option is to use a handheld spiralizer. Just be extra careful as the blades on these can be extremely sharp. 

Here is a quick video to show you how to make zoodles. This can be adapted to sweet potato, yellow summer squash, and white potatoes (if you can tolerate them).

Chicken Primavera with Zoodles 

Paleo, Whole30, AIP

Here is an easy recipe to spark your new found obsession with zoodles. What I love most about this recipe was that it was super quick. In total this recipe takes about 25 minutes from start to finish, including prep and cooking time! Another added bonus, I was able to incorporate some of the canned and frozen ingredients I stocked up on my last shopping trip.

Ingredients: 

• 2 medium zucchini (spiralized)
• 3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 2 cans of organic roasted chicken breasts (cut into bite-size chunks) 
• 10 oz. bag of frozen vegetables of your choice 
• 2 tsp. dried Herbes de Provence 
• 1 tsp. sea salt
• A splash of fresh lemon juice

Directions: 

1. Place the spiralized zucchini in a large bowl or baking sheet and toss with 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil.
2. In a large skillet over medium heat, stir fry the zoodles for 3 minutes. 
3. Heat some olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and add in the chicken in one single layer and cook for 3 minutes. 
4. Flip the chicken pieces over and cook for another 3 minutes. 
5. Push the chicken to the side. 
6. Add your choice of frozen veggies, the rest of the olive oil, and Herbs de Provence. Toss to coat with herbed oil, cover pan & cook for 5 minutes. 
7. Once plated add some lemon juice, toss to blend, and enjoy! 

Sweet Potato Noodles 

While there is no denying zucchini noodles are delicious and very nutritious, we are now saying hello to sweet potato noodles! Not only are sweet potatoes packed with essential vitamins and wonderful for your gut health, but they are also a great option for picky eaters. 

What my family loves most about sweet potato noodles is that they are extra filling and the perfect solution when craving something warm. They can be stir-fried, but I personally love to make a tasty pasta bake with these from time to time. My family’s current baked sweet potato recipe favorite is A Saucy Kitchen’s Lasagna recipe. 

Paleo Baked Sweet Potato Lasagna Recipe
Paleo, Whole30 

This recipe has no cheese, no noodles, and is 100% delicious. Making this lasagna can be broken up into three parts: the meat sauce, the almond ricotta, and the basil pesto. And at first, it can seem intimidating but it’s really not too hard when you break it down! 

Ingredients: 

Meat Sauce 

• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 cup white onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 pound pork or beef
• 1 teaspoon dried fennel seeds 
• 1 tablespoon dried basil
• 1 tablespoon dried parsley
• 1 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes or 3 tablespoons tomato paste or tomato sauce 
• 1/2 cup beef stock
• 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
• 1 teaspoon each sea salt & pepper or to taste
• 2 medium or large

Almond Ricotta

• 2 cups slivered almonds
• 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2-3/4 teaspoon sea salt

Basil Pesto 

• 2 cups fresh basil leaves
• 1 clove, 1/2 teaspoon garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 tablespoons pinenuts 
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt or to taste

Directions: 

Meat Sauce & Sweet Potato 

1. Warm the olive oil in a large skillet or pan over a medium heat. When the oil is hot add the onions, garlic, and mince and cook. When the meat is browned stir in the fennel, basil, and parsley.
2. Add the crushed tomatoes, paste, stock (or water) and vinegar. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Bring the sauce to a boil and then reduce down and let simmer for 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally to thicken the sauce. 
3. Preheat the oven 375°F/190°C and lightly grease a 9x13 inch casserole dish. 
4. Peel your sweet potatoes and then slice into thin rounds using either a sharp knife or a mandolin. The slices should be fairly thin, about 1/8 inch thick.

Almond Ricotta 

1. Add all of the ricotta ingredients to a high-powered blender and process until whipped and almond entirely smooth. There should still be a few almond chunks and the mixture should resemble dairy ricotta. Taste and season with a little extra salt if needed. 
2. Transfer the ricotta to another bowl and clean out the blender to make the pesto.

Basil Pesto 

1. Add all of the pesto ingredients to the blender or food processor and blitz until smooth. Taste and season with more salt if needed. Add a tablespoon or two of water to thin out the consistency if desired. 

Assemble 

1. Spoon out about 1/3 of the meat sauce over the bottom of the casserole dish. Top with a layer of sweet potato slices, overlapping only slightly (use half the potato slices).
2. Carefully spread 1/2 of the almond ricotta over the sweet potato and then 1/2 of the basil over the ricotta. 
3. Top with the second third of the meat sauce followed by the rest of the sweet potatoes and then the remaining ricotta. Finally, top with the rest of the meat sauce. If you have any remaining bits of ricotta you can dollop it over the top of the sauce along with a few dollops of pesto. Make sure to save most of the remaining pesto to drizzle over the top at the end. 
4. Place on the middle rack in the middle of the oven and bake for 30-40 minutes until the sweet potatoes are fork-tender. 
5. Drizzle the remaining pesto over the top, let cool for about 10 minutes before slicing and serving and enjoy!

Bonus Tip: Sometimes, I like to sprinkle in a bit of brown sugar to this recipe to add in some extra flavor! 

Thoughts 

There are a lot of paleo pasta options out there. So the possibilities are really endless. Some additional options that my family enjoy include spaghetti squash, kelp noodles, and even almond flour pasta. I’d love to hear which grain-free noodles and recipes you love!

Happy pasta eating,

Zora Tabin (Founder, Mom & Healthy Snack Enthusiast)