After a long day, the last thing you want is to spend hours in the kitchen preparing dinner. A quick, fuss-free one-pot meal that comes together with minimal effort while still packing in plenty of nutrition is always a win. The trick is to find recipes that strike the right balance between convenience, flavour and nutrients, without leaving you with a sink full of dishes.
Aathira Sethumadhavan, a certified nutritionist and chef known for creating flavour-packed, calorie-conscious recipes, has shared her take on creamy red sauce pasta. Packed with protein and tossed in a rich, roasted vegetable sauce, this satisfying one-pot meal makes for an easy dinner that balances flavour with nutrition.
In an Instagram video shared on October 13, the nutritionist describes the dish as, “20 g protein and 380 calories per serving. My version of girl dinner, but with better macros! A roasty, garlicky peri peri sauce made creamy with cashews and high-protein paneer, tossed with shirataki noodles. Light, high-protein and so satisfying.”
Check out the full recipe below!
Ingredients (serves 1)
For the roasted vegetables
- 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil (5 g)
- 4 garlic cloves (12 g)
- 1 large red bell pepper, cut into large chunks (150 g)
- 10 cherry tomatoes, halved (120 g)
- Salt, to taste
For the sauce
- 1 tsp peri-peri seasoning (3 g)
- ½ tsp chilli flakes (1 g)
- ½ tsp oregano (0.5 g)
- 8 soaked cashew nuts (10 g)
- 100 g high-protein, low-fat paneer (or firm tofu)
- ⅓ cup water (80 ml)
- Salt and a pinch of sugar (2 g), if needed
To finish
- 1 pack shirataki noodles, drained and rinsed (200 g)
- Chopped parsley and extra oregano, for garnish
Method
- Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a pan. Add the garlic, red bell pepper and cherry tomatoes, along with a little salt. Roast until the vegetables are tender and lightly charred.
- Transfer the roasted vegetables to a blender. Add the peri-peri seasoning, chilli flakes, oregano, soaked cashews, paneer and water. Blend until smooth and creamy.
- Pour the sauce back into the pan and heat gently. Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding salt and a pinch of sugar if needed.
- Add the drained and rinsed shirataki noodles to the pan. Toss well until the noodles are evenly coated in the sauce.
- Garnish with chopped parsley and extra oregano. Serve hot.
Approx. nutrition (per serving)
- Calories: 380 kcal
- Protein: 20 g
- Carbohydrates: 33 g
- Fat: 19 g
- Fibre: 10 g
Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only. It is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.
