Directions
Simplicity is bliss, when it comes to weeknight cooking. So is ignorance.
My girls never would have eaten this pasta if I’d told them it was a red pepper sauce. Thankfully, they were out of the kitchen as I was putting the simple sauce together, so they just assumed it was tomato based and they gobbled it up! HA! Take that, picky eaters!
This pasta was so nice and fresh, and perfectly simple to put together. We are a meat-eating family, but I like to try to throw some satisfying, meatless entrees our way at least once a week. This one’s a keeper. If you must have some meat, grilled chicken or steak would work alongside this nicely.
I started by pureeing an entire jar of roasted red peppers, along with some salt, in my food processor.
Once the peppers were nice and smooth, and beautifully red, I started my simple sauce on the stove. I sautéed some minced garlic for just a few seconds, and then poured in my pureed peppers.
Sauce done.
Really.
The sauce stayed warm on the stove while I cooked up my angel hair pasta and asparagus. First, the pasta went into the pot.
Once it was settled, I added in a pound of fresh asparagus that I’d cut into bite sized pieces.
Angel hair doesn’t take long to cook, and neither does the asparagus, so after about four minutes, I drained the pasta and veggies well, and then tossed it all with the red pepper sauce.
I sprinkled each plate with a hefty dose of parmesan cheese, and we were ready to eat!
Dinner was delicious, fresh and healthy…and my children were none the wiser.
ANGEL HAIR PASTA WITH ROASTED RED PEPPER SAUCE
Adapted from Weight Watchers: Fast & Easy
- 1 (12 oz.) jar roasted red bell peppers, drained (about 1 1/2 cups)
- 1 tsp. salt
- 2 tsp. olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 8 oz. uncooked angel hair pasta
- 1 lb. fresh asparagus, sliced into 1-inch pieces
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- Fill your pasta pot with water and start to heat it up on the stove, so it will be ready when you need it.
- Place the drained peppers in a food processor, along with the salt. Process until smooth.
- Heat the olive oil in a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the minced garlic, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the pureed peppers. Cook one minute, or until heated through. Set aside, but keep warm.
- Add your pasta and asparagus to the boiling water and cook for 3-4 minutes, until the pasta is al dente and the asparagus is no longer tough. Drain well.
- Toss the sauce and the pasta mixture together. Serve with the Parmesan cheese.
- ENJOY!
