Lunchtime just got a little more delicious! By making this 5 ingredient healthy pasta for meal prep, you can now look forward to lunches or a healthy meal again!
Do you ever get bored with healthy lunch options? I know I really do! I work out in the middle of nowhere, and while there are a few options, I just don’t feel like making the trip (in the snow – or lately, rain) and eating something I’m not really wanting, or that isn’t the best for me health wise.
The only thing that really works for me is planning a little ahead and meal prepping.
This pasta is amazing. It’s so easy to make, flavorful, and filling and a healthy lunch option!
And, the beauty of this 5 ingredient recipe is that it has simple ingredients, and you can customize it based on what you have in hand.
The 5 ingredients in this healthy pasta recipe are whole wheat pasta (you can use any type of pasta), turkey sausage (or chicken sausage, or any type of sausage), swiss chard (or spinach or kale), olive oil, and parmesan cheese. Super easy to make, and when you divide it up, you have 2 ounce portions of pasta, so you’re not sitting there eating more than a serving (which I’m totally guilty of!)
I pack lunches for my husband and I almost every day. There are some occasions where I haven’t done any meal prepping, and we both can really tell and send each sad face emoji texts to each other during lunch. What I like to do is to take a few hours on Sunday to meal prep, it ensures that we have something made and ready to eat for the week. Here are some of my favorite recipes for meal prepping:
- Breakfast: 5 ingredient vegetable frittata (this one reheats really well!)
- Lunch: the recipe below for this 5 ingredient pasta, or the best shrimp cauliflower fried “rice” (I could seriously eat this every day)
- Snacks: energy bites are my go tos! I make these no bake oatmeal cookie energy bites (pictured above) all the time. I also make these coconut date energy bites (they’re consistently one of the most popular recipes on my site) and my hubby always requests these 5 ingredient peanut butter pretzel energy bites!
- Dinner: This turkey meatloaf and roasted vegetables is omg so good and perfect for meal prepping and so is this 5 ingredient slow cooker salsa chicken and quinoa for healthy meal prepping. I also love making recipes from my cookbook (because the recipes all only have 5 ingredients in them!!) like the below pictured Italian sausage parmesan rigatoni which is such a great easy meal that freezes/reheats really well.
I hope you’ve enjoyed reading about some of my favorite recipes to meal prep, among them is definitely this 5 ingredient pasta with sausage and swiss chard. Do you meal prep? I’d love to know! Tag me on Instagram, @philiakelnhofer
Other recipes you might enjoy:
- Meal Prep Breakfast: Miso Butter and Egg Toast
- Freezer Meal: Chicken Enchilada Casserole
- On the go oatmeal cups & toppings
5 Ingredient Healthy Pasta for Meal Prep Lunches
Ingredients
- 8 ounces whole wheat penne pasta - can use any type of pasta you'd like
- 4 turkey sausage links - can use any type of sausage you'd like, each link should be 2.5-3 oz, 10-12 oz total
- 1 bunch of rainbow swiss chard cleaned and chopped (about 4 cups raw) - can use kale or spinach
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup parmesan cheese shredded, divided
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to the package instructions. Drain, and divide the pasta into 4 containers (I love these).
- Meanwhile, in a large skillet over high heat add 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil and cook the sausage until brown and cooked through, about 5-7 minutes, turning every few minutes to brown. Remove the sausage from the pan and slice and divide among the 4 containers.
- Next add the remaining 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil to the pan and add in the swiss chard. Cook, stirring occasionally until the swiss chard reduces, about 5 minutes (sometimes I add in a few tablespoons of the pasta water if the pan seems to dry). Divide the chard among the 4 containers.
- Top each container with 1/4 cup of parmesan cheese.
- Put a lid on each container and shake it a couple of times to mix everything. Store in the refrigerator and enjoy within a week.
Notes
Nutrition
Ian says
Adding pesto really took this to the next level for me!
Sweetphi says
What a great idea!! Thanks for commenting!
D says
No seasonings?
Sweetphi says
You can definitely add seasonings if you’d like – I usually find the sausage and parmesan to be flavorings enough 🙂
Olga says
Phi, it’s really awesome! This will quickly become a favorite in our house!
Sweetphi says
So happy to hear that, we love this one too 🙂
Pashia says
Love this recipe!! Love it even more because it only needs 5 ingredients! Can I sub in a smoked sausage instead of using the turkey sausage links??
Sweetphi says
Thank you so much – so glad you like this recipe! And YES!!! You could definitely make that substitute, I think it would taste wonderful.
Michael stranahan says
Just made it.it was great used organic spinach but great. Thank you so much need alot of healthy foods
Sweetphi says
Thank you – that’s so nice to hear how you liked the recipe!!
Hannah Winter says
Hi.
This looks good!
Is this ok to be reheated too, to eat hot?
Sweetphi says
Yes! Definitely delicious when reheated (that’s what I do when I make this and then take it to work). Usually only needs about 2 minutes in the microwave 🙂
Brittany Shelvin says
Hi, how many calories are in this pasta?
Sweetphi says
350-400 per serving – depending on what type of sausage/pasta you use 🙂
Tori Chenault says
What would you call this ? I just made it and added a few ingredients and it’s marvelous !!
Sweetphi says
I just call it healthy pasta for lunch 🙂
Ama says
Can I use Broccoli instead or would that change the taste? A bit of berbs in it should be fine right? Thanks!
Sweetphi says
I’ve definitely used broccoli instead and it’s delicious- also herbs are always good when added 🙂
Ama says
Thanks! Excited to try it out soon. Do you have soup recipes? I am currently battling with a cold 🙁
Sweetphi says
Hope you feel better soon! I have two awesome soups I always make when I’m sick – this one or this one (both are made in the slow cooker so there’s not a lot of hands on time).
Maddie callahan says
Are all/most of your meals healthy? I’m looking for ways to stay healthy in college and meal prep!
Sweetphi says
Hi Maddie, I have a mix of recipes with a lot of healthy meal prep recipes thrown in, just have a look through my recipe index, there are over 750 recipes to browse 🙂
Megan says
Hi! Thank you so much for sharing this great meal prep for lunch. I had it today and I can’t wait to eat it again this week. I made it last night, so do you think it will stay good until Thursday lunch?
Thanks again!
Sweetphi says
So glad you liked this! And yes it will for sure last stored for a week
Emily says
Love this! Meal prepping can be such a great way to save time and money! 🙂 Your recipes look delicious!
Sweetphi says
So glad you like my recipes, hope you enjoy 🙂
Dakota says
This is so simple, yet so good! I subbed the chard for asparagus since Trader Joe’s had fresh bundles of it for $1.99. I also used Trader Joe’s chicken apple sausage. ??
Sweetphi says
Those substitutions sound absolutely amazing!!! I love how versatile this dish is, thanks for sharing the feedback 🙂
Little Cooking Tips says
Fantastic! We recently discovered some healthy -no dangerous preservatives- fresh sausages in the local butcher, and are really excited to try them in this recipe! It really makes for a yummy, filling lunch! Thank you so much dear!
xoxoxo
Sweetphi says
It’s so great when one finds healthy & non preservative laden sausages, isn’t it? I bet those would work perfectly in this recipe 🙂 Thank you so much for your comments!
Gingi Edmonds Freeman says
These look great! I do meal prep every Sunday, and this looks sooooo easy!!
Sweetphi says
I’m so glad you like the looks of this, meal prep is a total life saver, isn’t it?
Beth says
What a great idea! I’m always happy when I’ve prepped in advance and can pack a lunch for work.
Sweetphi says
Thank you so much! Lunch prep definitely helps me during the crazy busy week 🙂
Bridget says
Sounds delicious and healthy… question re sausage … whats the ‘weight’ amount of sausage? Recipe sounds adaptable but not sure if u were using breakfast sausage links? Turkey kielbasa? Etc … with a sense of the quantity I can adapt recipe to what I have on hand … thanks much!!
Sweetphi says
Thank you for the comment Bridget, I’ve updated the recipe with the weight amount. Total weight of the sausage should be 10-12 ounces. Hope you enjoy this dish
cheri says
Hi Phi, love your healthy pasta lunches, your 5 ingredient meals are the best.
Sweetphi says
Thank you so much Cheri, I appreciate that you like my 5 ingredient meals, they’re my favorite!
Karen @ Seasonal Cravings says
Isn’t meal prep the best? I love it when I’m organized and get my food together on Sundays. Love these little seasonal pasta salads and I could so eat these all week! Yum!
Sweetphi says
Meal prepping totally saves my sanity during the week!! Pasta salads are definitely among my faves!!