This summer must be a record for my family for the number of vegetarian meals we have consumed. Normally I try to aim for one, maybe two meatless meals a week, but for the past couple of months, it's been most days of the week. I haven't even been doing it intentionally. It's just that there have been so many vegetables occupying my fridge, there's no room for meat! Surprisingly, I haven't gotten any complaints from Hubby. He's actually loving it! Not that we plan on going full out vegetarian anytime soon, but all these meatless meals are likely doing our health good anyway.
Today's Whole Wheat Pasta with Fresh Tomatoes and Herbs recipe is just one example of the veggie (in fact, this one is vegan) meals I've been making. I've also been getting back in to making pasta. Not from scratch or anything, though I did try that at one point. Not a huge success. But anyway...for whatever reason, before making this pasta, I hadn't made pasta of any type for months. I have absolutely no idea why. It's often quick and easy, and it tastes good. And as long as your portions are reasonable, it can be a perfectly healthy choice, especially if it's whole wheat. Anyhow, I'm glad pasta is re-entering my kitchen.
This pasta is particularly easy to make. In fact, the only cooking you need to do is to boil the water for the pasta! You can hardly even call that cooking! The rest of the work just involves chopping a few ingredients to make the fresh tomato sauce. You will need fresh, ripe tomatoes. We're taking the ripest, juiciest tomatoes you can find. Also some fresh basil and oregano. Because this recipe is so simple, you need to use really good ingredients. So if you don't have a garden, find a friend that does, or take a trip to the Farmer's market.
Stir the sauce together and let it sit for a few minutes while the pasta boils to let the flavors meld. When the pasta is done cooking, toss it all together, and maybe season with a little Parmesan if you want. I didn't and it was still great.
Serve with a nice green salad for a perfectly easy meal that's perfect for these last days of summer.
Whole Wheat Pasta with Fresh Tomatoes and Herbs
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds fresh ripe tomatoes, cored and cut into ½" pieces
- 3 Tablespoons minced fresh basil
- 1 Tablespoon minced fresh oregano
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- ¼ cup olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- 1 pound whole wheat pasta (Use Gluten Free if you need this recipe to be Gluten Free)
Instructions
- Stir tomatoes, herbs, garlic and oil together in a medium bowl. Add salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Set aside.
- Bring water to boil in a large pot. Add 1 tablespoon salt and water. Follow directions on pasta to cook to al dente. Reserve ½ cup of the pasta cooking water. Drain pasta and return to pot. Add the tomato sauce and toss to combine. Add some of the pasta water if needed to thin sauce.
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer: I try my best to make sure the nutrition information I provide is accurate to provide you with the best information possible. However, due to ingredient discrepancies and other factors, the above nutrition information should be considered an estimation only.
Thalia @ butter and brioche
definitely making this pasta recipe tonight, looks so fresh and jam packed with flavour!