Brenda Khan
Pasta is a staple food for many people, and it can be made in a variety of ways to suit different dietary preferences and restrictions. Veggie pasta is a tasty and nutritious option that can be easily adapted to suit vegetarian, vegan, or gluten-free diets. It is also a great way to use up leftover vegetables in your fridge, making it a versatile and cost-effective meal. The base of the dish typically includes onions, garlic, and tomato paste, with a variety of vegetables added according to preference. The type of pasta used can also be customized, with options such as spaghetti, penne, or gluten-free alternatives. This dish is simple to prepare, making it an excellent choice for a quick and satisfying meal.
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What You'll Learn
- Choose your pasta: any shape, gluten-free, or whole-grain
- Pick your vegetables: fresh or frozen, with no limits on quantity
- Prepare the sauce: sauté garlic, onions, and spices, then add vegetables
- Cook the pasta: in salted water, avoid overcooking, and reserve pasta water
- Combine and season: mix pasta with sauce, add cheese, and season to taste
Choose your pasta: any shape, gluten-free, or whole-grain
When it comes to choosing your pasta, the world is your oyster. You can use any type of pasta you like for a vegetable pasta dish. Whether you prefer long pasta like spaghetti or linguine, or short pasta like macaroni, spirals, penne, or ziti, it's entirely up to you.
If you're making a one-pot pasta, you might want to consider breaking long pasta in half before cooking. This makes it easier to stir chunky vegetables into the pasta, and prevents the issue of the vegetables getting pushed to the outside of the skillet with a clump of pasta in the centre.
You can also use gluten-free pasta or whole-grain pasta if you prefer. Gluten-free pasta is a great option for those with gluten intolerance or coeliac disease, while whole-grain pasta can offer additional nutritional benefits, such as increased fibre and nutrient content.
When cooking pasta, it's important to ensure you don't overcook it. Mushy pasta is never pleasant! You can also season the pasta cooking water with salt to boost the flavour.
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Pick your vegetables: fresh or frozen, with no limits on quantity
Picking your vegetables is the most important part of making a diet veg pasta. The best part is that you can throw in whatever veggies you have in your fridge. You can use fresh or frozen vegetables, and there is no limit to the quantity. You can use any type of vegetable, and you can even play around with the seasonings.
Some common vegetables used in vegetable pasta include zucchini, yellow squash, jarred roasted red peppers, spinach, peas, corn, cauliflower, and cabbage. You can also use onions, garlic, and tomato paste as your base flavor for the vegetable pasta sauce. If you want to add more flavor to your pasta, you can use homemade mushroom powder, which adds a rich umami taste to the sauce.
You can also experiment with different types of pasta, such as gluten-free or whole-grain options, and different shapes like spaghetti, penne, or macaroni. If you want to make your pasta more filling, you can add some protein sources like chickpeas or beans.
When choosing your vegetables, consider the cooking time. Harder vegetables like carrots will take longer to cook, so you should add them to the pan first. Softer vegetables like spinach can be added later in the cooking process.
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Prepare the sauce: sauté garlic, onions, and spices, then add vegetables
To make a delicious diet vegetable pasta, you'll want to start by preparing your sauce. First, mince or crush some garlic and dice an onion. Heat some olive oil in a pan over medium heat, then add the garlic and onion. Sauté these until the onions are soft and translucent. You can also add spices such as crushed red pepper at this stage.
Next, add your choice of vegetables. You can use any vegetables you like, but some suggestions include zucchini, yellow squash, spinach, peas, corn, cauliflower, cabbage, bell peppers, carrots, and mushrooms. Add your vegetables to the pan in order of hardness, starting with the hardest vegetables that will take the longest to cook. You can also add tomato paste at this stage for extra flavour and creaminess. Continue to sauté until all the vegetables are tender but still faintly crisp.
Once your vegetables are ready, it's time to add your canned tomatoes. Use a wooden spoon to break them into a chunky sauce. You can also add some vegetable broth at this stage if you like. Let the sauce simmer until the tomatoes begin to break down, stirring occasionally.
Finally, add your cooked pasta to the sauce and stir to combine. You can also add some reserved pasta water, hot water, or more broth if the sauce is too thick. Simmer everything together for a few minutes until the pasta has absorbed the flavours and the greens have wilted.
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Cook the pasta: in salted water, avoid overcooking, and reserve pasta water
To cook the pasta, start by bringing a large pot of water to a boil. It is important to salt the water to adequately season the pasta. The general rule is to add 1 to 1.5 tablespoons of salt per pound of pasta, with most people settling around 2 tablespoons. However, the right amount depends on your taste preferences and the type of salt used. Avoid iodized salt, which can give the pasta an off-putting taste. Instead, opt for table salt, kosher salt, or sea salt.
Add the salt to the water once it reaches a full, rolling boil. Then, add the pasta and continue to boil until tender, which usually takes about 7 minutes. Be careful not to overcook the pasta, as it can become mushy and unpleasant.
Before draining the pasta, reserve about half a cup of the starchy, salty pasta water. This reserved water can be added to the sauce to thin it out or to adjust the seasoning of the pasta dish.
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Combine and season: mix pasta with sauce, add cheese, and season to taste
Now that you have cooked your pasta and veggies, it's time to combine everything and season to taste.
First, pour the veggies into the now-empty pasta pot or a serving bowl. Then, add the drained pasta. If your pasta has overcooked a bit and turned mushy, you can add a bit of pasta water to loosen the mixture. You can also add some chicken broth, heavy cream, or butter for a creamier texture.
Next, add your cheese. You can use parmesan, feta, ricotta salata, or mozzarella, depending on your preference. If you want a healthier option, you can opt for parmesan instead of other cheese options. Add a generous amount of cheese and stir it into the pasta. You can also add some parsley and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Finally, serve the pasta with some more cheese on top. You can also add lemon zest or fresh basil leaves as a garnish. Your diet veg pasta is now ready to be served and enjoyed!
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