Clean Eating Skillet Spaghetti Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Is it OK to cook spaghetti in cast iron? ›

Cast Iron Spaghetti is very quick and very simple to make. With a few easily accessible ingredients and a little bit of time, you can make a delicious dinner for your family and friends.

What makes a pasta dish healthy is usually down to what you have with it. Red, tomato-based sauces rather than creamy sauces are usually a healthier ready-made choice. They are likely to be lower in saturated fat and the tomatoes will also count towards your 5-a-day.

To cook pasta without oil, simply fill a large pot with water and bring it to a rolling boil. Add salt to the water and then add the pasta. Give the pasta a stir and let it cook for the recommended time, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.

Cast iron pans are popular, especially for searing, and are generally safe to use. But they can leach iron, which is a strong pro-oxidant. Those genetically at risk for iron overload should learn more about cast iron safety. For well over a thousand years, cast iron has been used as a reliable cooking surface.

If you are buying a jarred or canned sauce, choose a tomato-based (marinara) sauce rather than a creamy sauce. Creamy sauces usually have more saturated fat and calories. Eating too much saturated fat has been linked to heart disease. Tomato-based sauces also contain more nutrients like vitamin A and lycopene.

Whole-wheat pasta

Whole wheat pasta has a nuttier flavor and grainier texture than ordinary pasta, but when covered with sauce, it's just as delicious. Unlike typical pasta, whole-wheat pasta contains all three parts of the grain — the bran, endosperm and germ — which means it's less processed and more nutritious.

Tossing in strips of basil, a sprig of thyme or some oregano can take your sauce to the next level. Although fresh herbs might pop a bit more, dried herbs and spices can work just as well. Sprinkling in some red pepper flakes, a pinch of parsley and a dash of salt and pepper can liven up your jarred pasta sauce.

Benefits of adding olive oil in pasta water

The best choice is to add 1 teaspoon of Italica Olive Oil. This will keep the pasta from sticking while cooking and will also improve the flavor and texture. Pasta and oil are the perfect combination to help regulate intestinal transit.

It couldn't be easier to substitute butter for oil using a 1:1 ratio. This should work with olive, canola, vegetable, and coconut oils. Simply melt and cool the butter to room temperature, then continue with your recipe. (If the recipe calls for ½ cup oil, use ½ cup melted and cooled butter.)

What to use instead of olive oil in pasta? ›

With extra deep sides, the Always Pan can boil a whole pound of pasta — no problem!

You can sauté cherry tomatoes in cast iron, but don't try making a long-simmering tomato sauce. If you recently purchased your skillet and it still needs to be "broken in," acidic ingredients can erode the seasoning and even make foods taste metallic.

Cooking pasta in the sauce instead of in boiling water will increase the amount of time it takes to cook through. It's a good technique to use if you want to delay serving your pasta for a few minutes. Make sure to keep the sauce thinned out with pasta water as the pasta finishes cooking if you use this method.

In a 12-inch cast-iron skillet, combine spaghetti, 8 cups water, onion, garlic, and 2 teaspoons salt. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until pasta is al dente, approximately 14 minutes. Drain all but 1 cup of water from skillet.

Typically, it is black, matte-finish enamel and will not rust. It's Non-Reactive: Enameled cast iron will not react with acidic foods, such as those made with tomatoes, wine, vinegar, or citrus. I reach for enameled whenever I make things like spaghetti sauce, chili dishes, and sauces.

While an iron kadhai is a popular choice for cooking, it is not suitable for all vegetables. Avoid cooking tomatoes, tamarind, spinach, lemon, and beetroot in an iron kadhai, and opt for a non-reactive cooking pot for these vegetables. Happy cooking!

Compared with non-iron cookware, such as Teflon or glass dishes, cooking in cast iron can increase the dietary iron content of our food by up to 16%. However, how much iron actually leaches into our food depends on what we cook and how we cook it.