Cheesy Pasta
You won't believe that you can enjoy this Easy Cheesy Pasta when counting calories or following a diet plan like Weight Watchers!
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NutritionPer Serving
- Calories331
- Carbs59g
- Protein6g
- Fat2g
- Saturates1g
- Sugars3g
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For the full list of ingredients and comprehensive instructions, please see the recipe card at the end of this post. Before you scroll, there’s important stuff to know in the blurb!
Lasagne, cheesy pasta bakes, macaroni cheese… cheese and pasta really are a match made in heaven, but unfortunately it’s not exactly a slimming friendly combination!
We’ve used a light cheese spread in our Cheesy Pasta, so that you can enjoy all that delicious, cheesy gooeyness and none of the guilt.
Our Cheesy Pasta also uses fresh tomatoes with basil, but you can use a tin of tomatoes instead if you prefer! Feel free to add a bit more salt, or even some balsamic vinegar to enhance the tomatoes further.
What diets is this Cheesy Pasta suitable for?
This Cheesy Pasta recipe is suitable for people following a vegetarian diet.
It can be made gluten free as long as you swap out the following ingredients for gluten free versions;
- Pasta
Please make sure to double or triple check all of your ingredients if you’re cooking for people with allergies.
Do you need any special ingredients to make this Cheesy Pasta?
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You don’t need anything special to make this dish, but if you haven’t tried one yet, then multicookers are great for cooking your pasta. They’re also ideal for steaming, which is perfect for cooking vegetables. You can pick one up on Amazon.
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‘Such a simple & beautifully balanced tasting meal. I roasted the tomatoes to get that extra sweetness from them & the basil completes the whole dish.’
How many calories are in this Cheesy Pasta?
There are 331 calories per portion in this Cheesy Pasta, which means it falls into our Everyday Light category.
This Cheesy Pasta is perfect if you’re following a calorie controlled diet, and it fits well with any one of the major diet plans such as Weight Watchers.
As a guide, an average man needs around 2,500kcal (10,500kJ) a day to maintain a healthy body weight. For an average woman, that figure is around 2,000kcal (8,400kJ) a day. Obviously, if your goal is to lose weight then you might want to adjust these slightly! You can read more about these recommendations on the NHS website.
Step 1
Preheat oven to 200°C. Make the pasta up as per instructions on the pack, then drain and place in a bowl.
Step 2
Mist a frying pan with low calorie cooking spray and cook the onion until brown.
Step 3
Add the onion to the cooked pasta along with the Primula and stir well.
Step 4
Transfer to an oven proof dish, sprinkle the cheese on top and bake for about 15-20 minutes until golden brown.
Step 5
Cook the tomatoes, basil and salt until the tomatoes start to ooze.
Step 6
Plate up the pasta and serve the tomatoes on the side!
Complete your Cheesy Pasta with any of these accompaniments:
How do you know when this Cheesy Pasta is cooked?
The pasta should be cooked as per the package instructions.
You should cook this Cheesy Pasta until the cheese is golden and bubbling. This should take around 15-20 minutes.
Standard advice here in the UK is to cook food until it has reached 70°C and stayed at that temperature for 2 minutes. This is to keep your family safe.
How long can you keep Cheesy Pasta in the fridge?
Once you’ve put it out, ideally you should eat it within 4 hours.
If you allow any leftovers to cool, make sure to refrigerate in a container with a lid and chill. You can keep leftovers of Cheesy Pasta in the fridge for approximately 3 days or so.
Can I freeze Cheesy Pasta?
We would not recommend freezing this recipe – fresh is best for this one!
How do I reheat Cheesy Pasta?
From chilled: Place in a microwave proof container with a loosely fitting lid and heat for 4-7 minutes until piping hot.
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Cheesy Pasta
You won’t believe that you can enjoy this Easy Cheesy Pasta when counting calories or following a diet plan like Weight Watchers!
-
Prep Time
10 MINS
-
Cook Time
15 MINS
- KCals 331
- Carbs 59G
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 200°C. Make the pasta up as per instructions on the pack, then drain and place in a bowl
- Mist a frying pan with low calorie cooking spray and cook the onion until brown
- Add the onion to the cooked pasta along with the Primula and stir well
- Transfer to an oven proof dish, sprinkle the cheese on top and bake for about 15-20 minutes until golden brown
- Cook the tomatoes, basil and salt until the tomatoes start to ooze
- Plate up the pasta and serve the tomatoes on the side!
Looking for Slimming World Syns or Weight Watchers (WW) Points?
With ever-changing plans and point calculations, we have made the decision to remove WW Points from the website - referring to your individual plan or advice from your consultant is always going to give the most accurate results.
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16 comments
See what others have to say
JacquesSunday 27th December 2020
Could you use broccoli instead of tomato’s as I’m allergic to fresh ones x
LisaMonday 28th December 2020
Hi Jacques
The tomatoes are a side garnish that are cooked separately from the main pasta dish. Just follow the pasta recipe and serve it with whatever veg you fancy. Hope this helps.
Christine LancasterTuesday 17th September 2019
Im assuming the tomatoes are to be done in a sauceapan? Im making this tonight, but adding bacon medallions to mine as i have 2 hungry boys to feed as well lol
Emma TThursday 19th September 2019
Hi Christing,
Sounds delish! Yes, the tomatoes can be cooked in a saucepan or frying pan ????
OliviaThursday 2nd May 2019
Not sure what I did wrong but mine was really dry. Any advice?
Emma TMonday 3rd June 2019
Hi Olivia,
You could add some of the water used to cook the pasta to give it a bit of extra sauce – sometimes pasta absorbs loads of moisture and can make sauces dry out a bit!
AnitaMonday 21st January 2019
Sorry to ask but could quark be used instead of primula?
charlotte mckinnonSunday 24th June 2018
I think this is a favourite of mine!! I’m such a fussy eater but to make this extra yummy! I add Tuna chunks in brine (free) plus sweetcorn before putting in the oven. Soooo yummy and extra filling. If you like tuna give it a go guys you can thank me later 😛
Caitlin AtkinsonThursday 21st June 2018
Hi is the pasta cooked or uncooked please ??
SarahFriday 15th June 2018
Hi, When I try to print this, I get a message from Windows Defender that the website has been reported as unsafe and maybe containing phishing threats. Is this right?
KerryWednesday 17th January 2018
Can you reheat it after cooking once – i.e. for the next days lunch?
Paul WhiteheadFriday 3rd November 2017
hi ya,
the ingredients list says 1/2 bag of pasta, how big is the bag ?
I ask as I tend to by really big bags of pasta to keep costs down.
Cheers Paul
Louise BannermanTuesday 19th September 2017
Do you think this would freeze okay? I’ve done it with actual Mac and cheese, but not sure about the primula.
NicWednesday 10th May 2017
Could I use Low Low cheese instead of primula?
DebWednesday 22nd February 2017
a drizzle of Balsamic vinegar on the tomatoes before cooking gives them a lovely new flavour ….xx
KateThursday 23rd February 2017
Hi Deb
Great tip!
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