Quick Pasta’s
Who doesn’t LOVE pasta right? And even better a quick pasta!
These pasta meals are super quick and have minimal ingredients. You can add meat (or other proteins) to them if you like, however they are also packed full of goodness with a variety of vegetables to help you get as many vitamins and minerals as possible. You can also get creative and add some extra vegetables.
Cherry tomato pasta
This recipe is great! I found it over summer when googling what to make with my excess of cherry tomatoes. Luckily, I also had basil in the garden and I even added some chopped spinach for extra nutrients. Everyone loved it, you might too!
500g pasta of your choice
1 tsp salt
½ cup olive oil
2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
500g cherry tomatoes
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
Pinch of sugar
1 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil
Freshly grated Parmesan
Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling water, stirring occasionally, until al dente; drain pasta and transfer to a large bowl.
Meanwhile, heat oil in a large frying pan or saucepan over medium-high. Add garlic, then tomatoes, pepper, sugar, and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes burst and release their juices to form a sauce, approximately 6–8 minutes.
Toss pasta with tomato sauce and basil. Serve topped with grated parmesan.
Mushroom stroganoff pasta
Mushrooms are packed full of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, so this pasta is a winner based on that! You could add some spinach to this pasta too, as it’s always good to get in as many vegetables as you can.
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
500g mushrooms quartered
½ tsp English mustard
1 tsp paprika
250ml vegetable stock, made with a stock cube or powder
200ml sour cream
½ bunch parsley, chopped
Heat the oil in a frying pan on medium heat. When the oil is hot, add onion and sauté for about 5 minutes until the onion is soft and translucent. Add the garlic cloves and continue to cook for another 2 minutes.
Add the chopped mushrooms to the pan and sauté for another 5-6 minutes until the mushrooms are soft and golden.
Add the paprika and mustard to the pan and stir, making sure that the mushrooms are coated. Pour the stock into the pan and stir. Simmer gently for about 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the sour cream.
Mix in the chopped parsley and serve over egg noodles.
Pork ragu with penne
This quick pasta ragu has a few more ingredients, but the blender/food processor does the hard work for you. Quick and easy and full of vegetables and why not add a zucchini or small eggplant to the vegetable mix. I am guessing if you like this it will become a regular weeknight dinner.
3 large spring onions
2 large carrots
3 large celery sticks
1/2 red chilli, deseeded (type of chili up to you)
2 tbsp olive oil
500g pork mince
1 tbsp fennel seeds
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp dried oregano
500g pasta of your choice
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 can diced tomatoes
1 cup water
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
Grated Parmesan (optional)
Fresh herbs, like basil or oregano (optional)
Roughly chop spring onions, carrots and celery sticks. Add to a high-powered blender or food processor along with the deseeded chili. Blitz it until it becomes a chunky paste.
Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the chunky vegetable paste and cook for 2-3 minutes until fragrant.
In a mixing bowl add the pork, salt, fennel and oregano and mix until thoroughly combined.
Add the pork mixture to the frying pan with the vegetable paste. Brown the meat over a medium heat, about 5 minutes.
Add in the vinegar, garlic, black pepper, diced tomatoes and water and let simmer for 10 minutes on a medium-low heat until the sauce has thickened.
While the sauce is simmering, cook pasta in a large saucepan of boiling water, according to packet instructions. Cook until al dente (springy and chewy, not mushy). Drain and set aside until needed.
Once the sauce has reduced enough, turn off the stove and remove the pan from the heat. Add the drained pasta to the pan and mix well to ensure your fully coat the pasta.
Taste and season with additional salt and pepper. Add optional toppings if you want and serve.
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Images and recipes source:
www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/pasta-with-15-minute-burst-cherry-tomato-sauce-56390060
savvybites.co.uk/rich-creamy-mushroom-stroganoff/
