PASTA WITH ROASTED RED PEPPER SAUCE
I had a jar of roasted red bell peppers that expired months before so decided I had better use it! This sauce is one of the easiest I have ever made and it surprised me by being so delicious. The recipe is from Alexandra Caspero, the Registered Dietitian and Plant-Based Chef with “Delish Knowledge” and only takes about 20 minutes to prepare. I only modified it slightly including removing the oil.
There are 2 main colors of sesame seeds: white and black. In the United States, white is most common. Sesame seeds can come with their hulls (outermost part) intact or removed. Tahini is paste made from ground sesame seeds. Most tahini is made from hulled, toasted white sesame seeds. Listen here to know how to pronounce “tahini.”
Even though Dr. Greger’s brief video is about salad dressings, it does explain how healthy fats from nuts and seeds help you absorb fat-soluble vitamins and other nutrients: Forgo Fat-Free Dressings?
PASTA WITH ROASTED RED PEPPER SAUCE
Ingredients
1 (12 ounce) jar roasted red pepper, drained
3/4 cup unsweetened soy milk (I added another 1/4 cup at the end instead of water to thin the sauce a bit)
3/4 teaspoon salt (I reduced to 1/4 teaspoon)
4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
2 Tablespoons tahini
2 Tablespoons nutritional yeast
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
12 ounces penne, whole-wheat or other whole grain pasta
Instructions
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over medium heat.
Place the drained roasted red peppers, soy milk, salt, garlic, tahini, red pepper flakes and nutritional yeast in a blender and puree until creamy. Season to taste as needed with salt/pepper and add to a large skillet. Simmer over medium heat while you make the pasta.
Place the pasta in the water and cook until under al-dente, about 1-2 minutes before the recommended time on the package. The pasta should be still pretty toothy, but not hard. Drain the pasta and reserve 1 cup pasta water.
Add the pasta to the sauce on the stove and cook, adding a splash of pasta water (I used soy milk) at a time to loosen the sauce as needed as you toss the sauce with the pasta to finish cooking. Divide into 4 bowls and eat.
