Pasta Primavera

Pasta sauce made with fresh tomatoes is subtle and less acidic than sauce made with canned tomatoes. For this Pasta Primavera, I call for cherry tomatoes because they’re tasty year-round. But in the summer, use the best tomatoes you can find.

This recipe was developed by Kate Sherwood, The Healthy Cook. Have a comment, question, or idea? Email Kate at healthycook@cspinet.org.

Time: 20 minutes
Serves: 2

Ingredients

3 oz. dry (about 1 cup) whole wheat short pasta, like fusilli or penne
1 Tbs. + 1 Tbs. olive oil
2 cups broccoli florets, halved
2 cups chopped bell peppers (any color)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup cherry tomatoes, puréed in a blender or food processor
½ tsp. kosher salt

Instructions

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to the package instructions.
In a large nonstick sauté pan over medium-high heat, heat 1 Tbs. olive oil until shimmering. Sauté the broccoli until bright green and lightly browned in spots, 2–3 minutes. Remove from the pan with tongs, leaving as much oil in the pan as possible.
Sauté the peppers until browned in spots but still crisp, 1–2 minutes. Remove from the pan.
Reduce the heat to medium. Add the remaining 1 Tbs. olive oil and the garlic to the pan. Sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Stir in the tomato purée and salt. Simmer until the sauce thickens slightly, 1–3 minutes.
Toss the cooked pasta in the sauce, then toss with the broccoli and peppers. Heat through, about 1 minute.