Our Top 10 Spaghetti Recipes

From Italian-inspired carbonara and bolognese through to oven-baked tetrazzini, spaghetti recipes are a convenient option for keeping the whole family satisfied throughout the week. Not only is spaghetti affordable and easy to store, it can also be rustled up into countless slimming-friendly, flavour-filled dishes in little time. As if things couldn’t get any easier, we’ve put together a tasty list (in no particular order) of top spaghetti recipes you can rely on time and time again. Quick, get the garlic bread in the oven! 

Looking for hints and tips on cooking spaghetti? Our guide on how to cook pasta is here.

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1. Spaghetti Carbonara

We’re starting with a classic; our healthier take on a traditional Spaghetti Carbonara. Next time you’ve got a hankering for Italian restaurant-style food, treat the whole family to this much more budget-friendly, cheesy, rich dish! The trick is adding the whisked eggs while your pasta is off the heat; this will ensure you’re left with carbonara, and not scrambled egg! Fancy freshening things up a bit? You can always add some greenery to your carbonara with a yummy helping of peas, asparagus or green beans.

2. Spaghetti Bolognese

Another slimming-friendly twist on a familiar family favourite, our Spaghetti Bolognese recipe is nothing short of delizioso! Entertaining a fussy eater or two at the table? Not a problem – we bet they won’t even notice the mushrooms, courgette, carrot, leek or onion in our rich, tomatoey sauce. We tend to make ours on the hob, but you can always let the mince, veggies and herbs simmer low and slow in the slow cooker for around 4 hours on high if you’d rather come home to an effortless evening meal.

3. Chicken Milanese with Spaghetti Pomodoro

We’ve combined crisp, breadcrumb-coated chicken breasts with spaghetti pomodoro flavours for our hugely popular Chicken Milanese with Spaghetti Pomodoro recipe. With tender chicken breast on a bed of garlicky, cherry tomato spaghetti, this dish really has a little something for everyone. Instead of using traditional deep-fried breadcrumbs or smothering our spaghetti in olive oil, we’ve created this low-calorie dinner by using a combination of fresh ingredients. Don’t forget to serve with a wedge of lemon you can squeeze over the top for a zesty kick!

4. Bovril Spaghetti

You definitely don’t want to knock this one until you’ve tried it. One of the quickest recipes you could ever make (the record for rustling this one up is currently at 11 minutes in our kitchen), our Bovril Spaghetti recipe is just as hearty and warming as a classic cup of Bovril. With only three ingredients (not counting pepper for seasoning and low-calorie cooking spray), you can throw this one together on the tightest of budgets. You can also freeze a few portions for another day, so all that’s left is to reheat and top with a sprinkling of Parmesan. How’s that for easy peasy?

5. Baked Spaghetti with Chicken

Our Baked Spaghetti with Chicken lets tender, marinated chicken thighs bubble away in a tasty broth of stock, veggies and spaghetti for this family-sized oven bake. The key is adding the spaghetti to the pot when it’s al dente – or, not quite cooked – to ensure you get the most satisfying, chewy results from your finished spaghetti bake. With a flavour-filled combination of spices, garlic and lemon juice in the sauce, we’re betting leftovers won’t be a problem! At only 351 calories per portion, perhaps you can even find room in your calorie budget to wipe your plate clean with some crusty bread?

6. Chicken Tetrazzini

New family-favourite alert! If you’ve not tried our creamy, crispy-topped Chicken Tetrazzini recipe yet, you need to get this one in the oven and start baking it by the batch (trust us, having spare portions handy in the freezer is a lifesaver on busy days!). We’ve blitzed our breadcrumb topping with a helping of cheese and mustard, so every spaghetti-filled bite comes with an irresistible crunch! This Comfort Food staple’s already packed with nutritious, veggie goodness, but you can always add a little extra with a side of fresh Greek Salad.

7. Spaghetti Bolognese Lasagne

Ready to add an Italian-inspired twist to family Fakeaway night? There’s no need to choose between the most popular dishes on the menu with our Spaghetti Bolognese Lasagne. Cheesy and oh-so-satisfying, it’s a great place to put any stray veggies you might have lying around. We’ve used courgettes, mushrooms and peppers in ours, but you can throw whatever suits your budget into this versatile dish. Layer up your spaghetti ‘sheets’ with the slimming-friendly filling until it’s packed with flavour and oven-ready. At only 393 calories per cheese-topped portion, there’s really no reason not to.

8. Smoked Salmon Spaghetti Carbonara

Who needs pancetta when smoked salmon is just as tasty for far fewer calories? Ready faster than you can say ‘if it swims, it slims’, our Smoked Salmon Spaghetti Carbonara is the perfect low-calorie quick fix for when you’re short on midweek meal inspiration. Far more creamy and indulgent than the calorie count suggests, why not try putting this one together for your next dinner party? It’ll go down a treat! You can even turn up the heat by adding chilli powder, or swap out the salmon for salty, smoked mackerel (just be sure to count any additional calories). Yum!

9. Black Pepper and Parmesan Spaghetti with Garlic and Thyme Tomatoes

The beauty of spaghetti is that there’s a dish out there for everyone, and our Black Pepper and Parmesan Spaghetti with Garlic and Thyme Tomatoes recipe is perfect if you’re catering to vegetarian diets (so long as you use a veggie-friendly Italian hard cheese). To keep the calories nice and low, we add cooked spaghetti straight to the pan and let it mingle with a tasty blend of fried onions, tomatoes, garlic, thyme and black pepper. So simple to make – the herbs and veggies do most of the work for you!

10. Vegan Spaghetti and Meatballs

Trying to eat a little less meat? Our homely Vegan Spaghetti and Meatballs recipe is so rich and tasty, most meat-lovers won’t be able to tell the difference. To keep the calories nice and light at only 396 per serving, we roll our plant-based ‘mince’ mixture into meatball alternatives and bake them in the oven until they’re just as juicy as traditional versions. 

For an added boost, give your spaghetti a spritz of low-calorie olive oil spray– it’ll bring out the best flavours without adding the calories you’d get from a drizzle of olive oil. 

What’s your favourite spaghetti recipe?

We’d love to know which spaghetti dish you love to rustle up! Join the discussion over in our Facebook group where we have almost 1 million members waiting to support you on your slimming journey.

Did you know that you can now share your hints, tips, quotes and photos in our PON Gallery too? We’d highly recommend going for a scroll through the submissions we’ve had so far if you’re looking for some inspiration for dinner tonight!