Tag Archives: pasta

Dinner at Home, Gluten-Free, Low-Sodium

Pasta with Fresh Veggies

This is a great summer meal when the fresh veggies are plentiful and the tomatoes are ripe and delicious. The only caveat is that this really isn’t a traditional “sauce”, but more of a vegetable topping for pasta, so you might want to encourage people add a little olive oil to taste at the table. Makes 2 to 4 servings.

1/2 pound cooked pasta (any variety)
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 cloves minced garlic
8 sliced mushrooms
1 tablespoon wine
1 small sliced zucchini
1 sliced summer squash
1 chopped roma tomato
1 cup fresh spinach
1/4 cup fresh chopped basil
salt, freshly ground black pepper or other spices to taste

Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic, mushrooms and wine. Sauté for 2 to 3 minutes until mushrooms start to soften.

Add zucchini and summer squash. Sauté for 3 to 5 minutes until vegetables have softened.

Add tomato, spinach, basil, salt and pepper. Add water, vegetable broth or a little more oil if it seems too dry. Cook for at least 3 to 4 minutes, but you can cook a little longer if needed.

Variations

  • Add sun dried tomatoes, kalamata olives, pine nuts and / or artichoke hearts.
  • Experiment with other vegetables, like broccoli, cauliflower and bell pepper.
  • Make a smoky version with grilled zucchini and summer squash, but reduce the sautéing step to 1 minute, since they are already cooked
  • Add 1 8 ounce can tomato paste for more tomato flavor.
  • Can be easily made low-sodium.
  • Make a gluten-free version by serving over another grain.

More information for Pasta with Fresh Veggies recipe:

  • Prep time: 15 min
  • Cook time: 15 min
  • Total time: 30 min
Dinner at Home, Gluten-Free, Low-Sodium

Pasta Marinara

This is great served with garlic bread or bruchetta. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

1 pound pasta (cooked according to package directions)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 chopped onion
4 cloves minced garlic
1/4 cup freshly chopped basil
2 teaspoons oregano
1 teaspoon thyme
2 cups chopped vegetables (broccoli, mushrooms, bell pepper, zucchini)
1 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes

Heat oil over medium heat. Add onions and sauté for 3 to 5 minutes.

Add vegetables. Sauté for 3 to 5 minutes or until tender. Add a small amount of water of vegetable broth if they get too dry.

Add crushed tomatoes and simmer for 20 minutes. Serve over pasta.

Variations

  • Experiment with different combinations of vegetables.
  • Used grilled vegetables and skip the step where you sauté the vegetables.
  • A can of fire roasted crushed tomatoes instead of regular crushed tomatoes is a great substitution.
  • Throw in a handful of sundried tomatoes.
  • Use fresh roma tomatoes or a can of low salt tomatoes for the low-sodium version.
  • Serve over gluten-free pasta or another grain for a gluten-free meal.

More information for Pasta Marinara recipe:

  • Prep time: 20 min
  • Cook time: 30 min
  • Total time: 50 min