How to Make High Fiber Pasta

“How to Make High Fiber Pasta” was written by Grace Guthrie, MS & edited/reviewed by Aly Bouzek, MS, RDN. Grace is a dietetic intern at Kansas State University. 

From spaghetti to bucatini, there are endless possibilities when it comes to pasta. Noodles come in all shapes and sizes, and there are tons of ways to add vegetables and protein to make them into a full meal.

One nutrient that isn’t always found in pasta dishes is fiber. Fiber is a really important part of our diet, and most of us aren’t eating enough of it. So how can we make sure we’re getting enough fiber, even in our pasta dishes?

Well, high fiber pasta can be a really easy solution when you pick the right components. Let’s take a look at how choosing the right base, protein source, sauce, and toppings can increase your fiber intake in no time. 

What is fiber?

If you’ve heard that you should eat more fiber, but don’t even know exactly what it is, then keep reading! Fiber is a super underrated nutrient that can help you feel your best and reach your health goals. 

To start, there are two kinds of fiber: soluble and insoluble. Both are important for our health, but they serve two different functions.

Soluble fiber is found in foods such as oats, apples, and citrus fruits. This type of fiber helps regulate our cholesterol and blood sugar levels. 

Insoluble fiber is found in foods such as whole wheat products, beans, and potatoes. This type of fiber is more useful for keeping our digestive tract working properly. 

While we want to include both kinds of fiber in our diet, insoluble fiber is usually used when someone is struggling with constipation or diarrhea. Soluble fiber, on the other hand, offers a wide variety of health benefits, and is usually prioritized. 

Choose the Right Base for Your High Fiber Pasta

The first way to ensure you’re getting fiber with your pasta dishes is by choosing a high fiber noodle. 

½ cup of dry, refined rotini pasta has approximately 1.5 grams of fiber. While that’s better than nothing, if you’re only having regular pasta, you won’t get to your goal very quickly. Let’s look at some other noodle options that will pack a bigger punch when it comes to fiber.

Whole Wheat Pasta

One really easy swap you can try to up your fiber intake is using whole wheat pasta. 

Whole wheat and whole grain products are a readily available option that can be used in the exact same way as their refined counterparts. What makes something whole grain is the processing. 

When wheat or other crops are harvested, the grains are usually processed to remove a few key parts, including the bran and germ. These two parts of the grain are where a lot of the fiber is found, which is why refined pastas and breads are so much lower in fiber.

½ cup of dry, whole wheat rotini pasta has almost 5 grams of fiber! When you’re getting that much fiber per serving, you’ll be well on your way to your fiber goal. 

Chickpea Pasta

Another relatively new type of pasta you might have seen in stores is chickpea pasta. Just like it sounds, this pasta is made from chickpeas!

In addition to providing more fiber than refined pasta, chickpea pasta also provides a good amount of protein by itself. 

A 2 oz serving of dry chickpea pasta (approximately ½ cup) has 5 grams of fiber and 11 grams of protein. Chickpea pasta is also usually gluten-free, making it perfect for anyone with a sensitivity or allergy to gluten or wheat. 

Edamame Pasta

Chickpeas aren’t the only legume that can be made into pasta. Edamame pasta is another great option for high fiber pasta. 

Edamame is the name used for immature soybeans that are harvested when the beans are still green and soft. Many people like to steam edamame and then eat the peas straight out of the pods, but they can also be turned into pasta. 

Similar to chickpea pasta, edamame pasta is higher in protein than wheat pastas. 

A 2 oz serving of dry edamame pasta (approximately ½ cup) has 13 grams of fiber and 24 grams of protein. This one is definitely the highest protein and highest fiber pasta on the list!

Buckwheat Pasta

If you’ve ever had soba noodles, then you’ve had buckwheat pasta. Buckwheat is actually not a type of wheat, but is considered a seed. The buckwheat seeds are referred to as groats, and they can be processed into flour.

Buckwheat flour is naturally gluten-free, and packed with fiber and micronutrients. As mentioned above, soba noodles are a classic dish made from buckwheat noodles, as well as certain types of galettes in France.

A 2 oz serving of dry buckwheat pasta (approximately ½ cup) has 5 grams of fiber and 8 grams of protein. 

Fiber and Protein

Now that we’ve talked about some high fiber noodles, let’s talk about ways to bulk up the nutrients in our pasta dish. 

While fiber is an important nutrient, we also want to think about ways to add protein to our meals. While many of these pastas are good sources of both fiber and protein, a general recommendation is to aim for 20–30 grams of protein at each meal. 

So, what kind of protein sources could you add to a high fiber pasta dish? Here are some ideas:

• Grilled or roasted chicken
• Meatballs (beef, chicken, turkey, pork, etc.)
• Sliced steak
• Tuna
• Shrimp
• Scallops

All of these animal products are great sources of protein, but meat typically lacks one thing. And that’s fiber!

If you’re looking for a protein source that also provides some fiber, here are some options:

• Lentils
• Kidney beans
• Chickpeas
• Black beans

All of these legumes provide extra fiber along with their protein. 

High Fiber Pasta Sauce

The next thing we need to add to our pasta is a sauce! A sauce is a great way to add not only nutrients, but also tons of flavor. 

A few classic sauces you might be familiar with are marinara, Alfredo, and pesto. Let’s see how we could add some fiber to each of these. 

Marinara

Marinara, also called red sauce or tomato sauce, is a classic topping for spaghetti and other pasta dishes. At its base, marinara sauce is made with tomatoes, onion, garlic, olive oil, and spices.

Many people like to make their own marinara sauce, but there are plenty of store-bought options as well.

Marinara sauce contains about 2.5 grams of fiber per ½ cup serving, which is a great place to start. But we can add a little more!

One way to add fiber (and protein) to your marinara sauce is with lentils. This Red Lentil Pasta Sauce provides 16 grams of fiber in the whole recipe, or 4 grams of fiber if you split the recipe into 4 servings. 

Alfredo 

Alfredo is another classic pasta sauce that is used in many dishes. It is a great kid-friendly sauce, but doesn’t traditionally have a ton of fiber.

Adding vegetables such as cauliflower or white beans can really amp up the fiber content in your sauce. This White Bean & Cauliflower Alfredo has more protein and fiber than regular Alfredo, which will keep you full longer and help you reach your fiber goals. 

Pesto

The last sauce we want to talk about is one of our favorites – pesto! This green sauce is typically made with basil, olive oil, pine nuts, and garlic. 

A great thing about pesto is that all the ingredients are blended together to make a sauce. This is great because it’s easy, and it also gives you a great opportunity to add other ingredients. 

Tossing in a few handfuls of spinach, kale, or even broccoli (like this recipe) will give you a bump of fiber without changing the taste of the pesto much. 

High Fiber Pasta Toppings

The last thing we want to add to our high fiber pasta dish are some toppings. Toppings are a great way to add a final boost of fiber to your dish without a lot of extra prep. They are also a great way to make up some fiber if your base, protein, or sauce doesn’t have much fiber.

Here are some ideas of easy toppings that you could add to your pasta dish to make it a true high fiber pasta:

• Sliced/cubed avocado
• Shredded carrots
• Roasted broccoli 
• Artichoke hearts
• Sliced almonds
• Sunflower seeds

All of these toppings can add a little extra fiber to your dish as well as flavor and texture.

High Fiber Pasta Conclusion

So, now you’re ready to build your new favorite high fiber pasta dish! With the right building blocks, there are endless combinations for you to try. 

One final point about fiber is that introducing more fiber into your diet can take time. While too little fiber can definitely have negative health outcomes, adding fiber too quickly can also lead to uncomfortable symptoms (think constipation). 

It is also important to increase your water intake when increasing your fiber. Staying hydrated helps the fiber move through your digestive system more efficiently and more comfortably for you. 

If your diet has been low in fiber up until this point, then start by adding one new fiber source at a time. This could be switching your regular pasta for whole wheat, or trying a high fiber sauce. Once you’ve built up your tolerance, you can add more things.