Pasta Dinners by the Numbers

Claudia Gallo
Updated

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A healthy pasta dinner isn't an oxymoron. A plate of pasta can be a good-for-you option; it all depends on what you top it with. Here’s how the nutrition profile of a cup of spaghetti and one-half cup of the highest-scoring sauce in our recent tests (The Silver Palate Low Sodium Marinara) changes depending on which ingredients you add or subtract.

Spaghetti and
Sauce

  • Calories:    280

  • Fat:    4.5 g

  • Sat. Fat:     0 g

  • Carbs:    49 g

  • Fiber:     4 g

  • Sugars:    7 g

  • Protein:    9 g

  • Sodium:    120 mg

Sprinkle With 1 Tbsp.
Parmesan

  • Calories:    300

  • Fat:    6 g

  • Sat. Fat:     1 g

  • Carbs:    50 g

  • Fiber:     4 g

  • Sugars:    7 g

  • Protein:    11 g

  • Sodium:    210 mg

Top With a 2-Ounce
Meatball

  • Calories:    440

  • Fat:    17 g

  • Sat. Fat:     4.5 g

  • Carbs:    54 g

  • Fiber:     4 g

  • Sugars:    8 g

  • Protein:    17 g

  • Sodium:    490 mg

Add 2 Ounces Italian
Sausage

  • Calories:    480

  • Fat:    20 g

  • Sat. Fat:     5 g

  • Carbs:    52 g

  • Fiber:     4 g

  • Sugars:    8 g

  • Protein:    20 g

  • Sodium:    540 mg

Replace half the pasta with
zucchini noodles

  • Calories:    190

  • Fat:    4 g

  • Sat. Fat:     0 g

  • Carbs:    30 g

  • Fiber:     4 g

  • Sugars:    7 g

  • Protein:    6 g

  • Sodium:    120 mg

Editor's Note: This article also appeared in the January 2019 issue of Consumer Reports magazine.

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