The Weight Loss Pasta Recipe No One Talks About!

This super easy penne pasta from Dr. John McDougall is filling, comforting, and designed for weight loss — no oil, no dairy, no guilt.

It’s the kind of meal you can eat generously without blowing your progress.

After losing 70 pounds after 50, improving my blood pressure, and finally enjoying food without guilt, I learned that simple, clean meals like this make all the difference.

This pasta is:
✔️ Oil-free
✔️ High fiber
✔️ Weight-loss friendly
✔️ Perfect for busy nights or meal prep

Recipe:
Baked Penne Florentine
From The Starch Solution by Dr. John McDougall

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Rest Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes

Serves: 6–8

Ingredients
8 ounces penne pasta
1 package (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
¼ cup vegetable broth
1 onion, chopped
½ cup raw cashews
1 can (15 ounces) white beans, drained and rinsed
¼ cup chickpeas
1 tablespoon soy sauce (regular or reduced sodium)
1 tablespoon white miso paste
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
¼ teaspoon mustard powder
¼ teaspoon ground red pepper
1 cup water (for sauce) + ¾ cup water (for cashews)
½ cup whole wheat bread crumbs

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Have a covered 3-quart baking dish ready.

Cook the pasta.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the penne, stir, and cook until just tender, about 8 minutes. Drain and transfer to a large bowl.

Add the spinach.

Stir the spinach into the cooked pasta until well mixed. Set aside.

Cook the onion.

In a nonstick skillet, heat the vegetable broth and onion over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion softens, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

Make the sauce.

Place the cashews in a food processor and process until very finely ground.

Add ¾ cup water and blend until smooth.

Add the cooked onion, white beans, chickpeas, soy sauce, miso, lemon juice, mustard powder, ground red pepper, and 1 cup water.

Process until the sauce is very smooth and creamy.

Combine.

Pour the sauce over the pasta and spinach mixture. Mix well to coat evenly.

Assemble.

Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the bread crumbs evenly over the top.

Bake.

Cover and bake for 45 minutes.

Rest and serve.

Let the dish rest for 5 minutes before serving.