Healthy Balsamic Veggie Pasta
This is an easy to make dish that i often made as one of my specials when i was a line cook in an Italian restaurant. It's a fantastic and simple recipe for vegetarians or for people that are looking to eat a healthy and filling meal.
Cook Time
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Ready in: 40 min
Yields: Serves approximately 16oz of pasta and veggies
Ingredients
- 8 oz Whole grain pasta
- Half cup Balsamic Vinegar
- 1 Whole Roma tomato, Diced
- 8 oz Baby Portobello mushrooms, Thinly sliced
- 1 Half Yellow onion, Diced
- 1 Whole Zucchini, Thinly sliced
- 6 oz Cherry tomatoes, Halved
- 2 Tbsp Fresh Basil, Chopped
- 1 Half Red or orange bell pepper
- 1 Tbsp Garlic, Minced
- To taste Crushed red pepper
- To taste Sea salt
- As needed Extra virgin olive oil
- Heat an oz or two of olive oil in a medium sized sauté pan. Once the oil is hot, add the onion, mushrooms, bell pepper, tomatoes and garlic to the pan and begin to lightly brown. Don't forget to stir the pan to prevent the veggies from burning.
- As the veggies are browning, begin to bring water to a boil in a small stock pot for your pasta. (I like to add sea salt to the water that i cook my pasta in to add a little extra flavor, how much to add is up your taste.)
- Season the veggies as they brown with the sea salt and crushed red pepper to your liking. (Some people prefer white pepper in their pasta dishes, substitute to best suit your taste.) When your veggies have turned a light golden brown, add the balsamic vinegar and reduce the heat on the pan. Continue to allow the veggies and light sauce to simmer as you finish cooking your pasta.
- When the water in the stock pot reaches a boil, add the pasta and allow to cook for 5 to 7 minutes or until the pasta is firm yet tender. Don't forget to stir the pasta occasionally. (This will help the pasta from sticking together as it cooks.)
- When the pasta is cooked to your liking, remove the pot from the heat and strain the pasta in a colander.
- Once the pasta is completely drained, combine it with the the hot balsamic veggies in the pan and mix throughly. (During this step i like to add another oz or two of the extra virgin olive oil for additional flavor.)
- Now that the veggies and sauce are evenly distributed amongst the pasta, you are ready to plate and enjoy this tasty and healthy meal!
Helpful nutritional info
- Whole grain pasta is simply the best way to go. Whole wheat products are good for your heart and can reduce the risk of diseases in the body.
- Mushrooms are high in vitamin D. This vitamin is known to aid the absorption of calcium and phosphate in the intestinal track
- Tomatoes are a good source of vitamins E, B6 and A. These fruits are known to be antioxidants that help to remove toxins from the body
- Olive oil is rich in monounsaturated fats and is known to lower blood pressure and the risks of heart disease
- Sea salt contains many minerals and nutrients that are removed from table salt during the refining process. These minerals help to keep electrolytes in balance and allow the body to better absorb water.
