This Copycat Noodles and Company Pasta Fresca Recipe will make your belly very happy.

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Noodles and Company has been one of my favorite restaurants since the first time we went in Madison when I was in high school.

My best friend and I used to drive up there after school just to eat at Noodles!

Even though I’m a big fan of most things on their menu, my husband and I usually pick the Pasta Fresca.

They have removed it from the menu, but there’s still ways to order it.

Anyways, when they removed it from the menu and we didn’t know we could still order it, my husband and I got busy trying to make something at home like it.

It’s a pretty simple dish, so I knew we could crack the code if we really tried.

It actually took us awhile.

I thought there was basil in it and it took me forever to figure out that the basil was making it not taste like the real thing.

There were also a couple of times when I added too much garlic or too much oil, but eventually we perfected our Copycat Noodles and Company Pasta Fresca Recipe.

It was fun eating all the mistakes in between.

This is dish is so great for a bunch of reasons.

First of all, it’s a pretty clean dish.

The ingredients are fresh and simple.

It’s easy.

It’s simply tasty.

By simply tasty I mean that the flavors aren’t overpowering but it does have a nice flavor.

The trick to getting this to taste a lot like the original is to sauté your noodles until they are almost charred.

You want them to get a little crispy and pick up some of that flavor from sautéing the vegetables.

This dish doesn’t take a lot of time but is definitely a crowd pleaser and one of the most popular dishes at Noodles and Company (I know, I know, then why did they change it????)

You start this dish by cooking the noodles.

While the noodles are cooking, you stir up the sauce.

Then you chop the vegetables.

When the pasta is almost done boiling, you start to saute the garlic and onions.

Then you add the pasta and crisp that up in the pan as well.

Once it’s crisp, you throw in the sauce and the tomatoes and spinach.

When the spinach starts to wilt, you’re done!

Top with a little feta cheese or parmesan and you’ve got yourself a filling, low point, delicious meal for 8 people.

Let me know how you like it, and if you’ve been craving some type of restaurant food but are worried about the points, let me know and I’ll try to crack that code and make it healthier for you!

Ingredients:

1/4 Cup Olive Oil
4 tablespoons of this (click here) (less if you prefer)
2 tablespoons cooking white wine
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
Pinch of black pepper
3 cloves of garlic – minced
1 cup red onions – sliced into thin strips
12 ounces whole wheat penne pasta
1 cup baby spinach
3 Roma tomatoes, halved and thick sliced
1 tablespoon feta cheese for garnish (optional)

Directions:

Cook pasta according to package directions to al dente. Drain and rinse with cold water once done. Set aside.

While pasta is cooking, prepare the onions, spinach, parsley, and tomatoes.

Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil into a sauté pan, bring to medium heat.

Add garlic and onions, sauté for about three minutes.

While the garlic and onions are cooking, make the sauce.

Mix the remaining olive oil, the parsley, cooking wine, balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper into a bowl and whisk well. Set aside.

Add pasta to sauté pan and mix with garlic and onions. Cook until pasta starts to get brown, kind of like grill marks.

Add sauce, tomatoes, and spinach. Mix well and cook a few minutes or until spinach starts to wilt.

Serve immediately.

Add 1 teaspoon reduced fat feta or parmesan cheese to the top of each serving for 0 points.

I hope you enjoy this Easy Copycat Noodles and Company Pasta Fresca Recipe!

Please let me know how you like it and what other yummy things you add to it! (Sometimes I add baby bella mushrooms!)

Yield: 8

Copycat Noodles and Company Pasta Fresca Recipe

This low point, delicious, recipe will blow you away with the light, fresh flavors.

Ingredients

1/4 Cup Olive Oil
4 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons cooking white wine
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
Pinch of black pepper
3 cloves of garlic - minced
1 cup red onions - sliced into thin strips
12 ounces whole wheat penne pasta
1 cup baby spinach
3 Roma tomatoes, halved and thick sliced
1 tablespoon feta cheese for garnish (optional)

Instructions

Cook pasta according to package directions to al dente. Drain and rinse with cold water once done. Set aside.

While pasta is cooking, prepare the onions, spinach, parsley, and tomatoes.

Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil into a sauté pan, bring to medium heat.

Add garlic and onions, sauté for about three minutes.

While the garlic and onions are cooking, make the sauce.

Mix the remaining olive oil, the parsley, cooking wine, balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper into a bowl and whisk well. Set aside.

Add pasta to sauté pan and mix with garlic and onions. Cook until pasta starts to get brown, kind of like grill marks.

Add sauce, tomatoes, and spinach. Mix well and cook a few minutes or until spinach starts to wilt.

Serve immediately.

Add 1 teaspoon reduced fat feta or parmesan cheese to the top of each serving for 0 points.

I hope you enjoy this Easy Copycat Noodles and Company Pasta Fresca Recipe!

Please let me know how you like it and what other yummy things you add to it! (Sometimes I add baby bella mushrooms!)

Nutrition Information

Yield

Serving Size

1
Amount Per Serving Calories 174Total Fat 8gSaturated Fat 1gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 6gCholesterol 1mgSodium 87mgCarbohydrates 22gFiber 3gSugar 2gProtein 4g

SERVING SIZE = 1 CUP

MAKES 8 SERVINGS

WW PERSONAL POINTS™ PLAN = 6 POINTS PER SERVING

*** For the most accurate points count, enter this recipe into the W.W. app recipe builder. WW Personal Points™ is tailored to each individual, so your points values may be different. ***

PURPLE PLAN = 3 POINTS PER SERVING

BLUE PLAN = 6 POINTS PER SERVING

GREEN PLAN = 6 POINTS PER SERVING

If you’re looking for a delicious dessert, check out the Best Weight Watchers Banana Bread Recipe here!