Vegetable Spaghetti
Al dente works for your vegetables as well as your spaghetti. Vegetable spaghetti is perfect when the garden is producing in high gear.
Servings: 8
Ingredients
- 12 ounces thin spaghetti
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion chopped into ½-inch pieces, about 1 cup
- 1 large red bell pepper chopped into ½-inch pieces, about 1½ cups
- 2 cups broccoli florets cut small
- 8 ounces baby mushrooms halved (if small) or sliced ¼-inch thick
- 1 yellow crookneck squash sliced ½-inch thick and cut bite-size, about 2 cups
- 1 zucchini squash sliced ½-inch thick and cut bite-size, about 2 cups
- ½-1 teaspoon kosher salt adjust to taste
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper adjust to taste
- 1 tablespoons fresh Italian parsley chopped
- 1 pound hot sausage or ground beef, cooked and crumbled OPTIONAL
Sauce Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ¾ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes the full amount makes a very spicy sauce
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 medium cloves of garlic minced or finely chopped
- 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 15 ounce can tomato sauce
- 1 teaspoon finely minced lemon zest OPTIONAL
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to the directions on the package, adding a generous tablespoon or so of kosher salt to the water as it cooks. Drain, but do not rinse.
- While the pasta is cooking, warm the oil in a large deep-sided skillet over medium-high heat. (I like this skillet!) If a deep skillet isn't available, a dutch oven or large pot will also work.
- Add the onion to the skillet and cook for a minute before adding the peppers. Continue cooking, while stirring frequently for 2 minutes. Add the broccoli and cook 1 more minute before adding the mushrooms and both squash.
- Continue cooking and constantly tossing the vegetables for 3-4 minutes until barely softened and still crisp-tender. The skillet will be very full and stirring constantly avoids overcooking the vegetables on the bottom of the pan.
- Remove the vegetables from the heat and season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer the vegetable mixture to a bowl or plate.
- Combine the olive oil, pepper flakes, salt, and garlic in the empty skillet or pot. Stir while heating the pan over medium-high heat. Saute for about 30 seconds, just until everything is fragrant. Stir in the tomatoes and heat to a gentle simmer, this should only take a couple of minutes.
- Taste the sauce. If it needs more salt, add it now. Stir in the lemon zest (if desired and if not using meat) and taste again. Add the pasta to the sauce and toss well.
- Return the vegetable mixture to the skillet and toss to combine. (Add the cooked meat, if desired.) Sprinkle with parsley. Serve warm.
Notes
If you choose to add meat to this recipe, while the pasta is cooking, cook and crumble the meat. Transfer the meat to a bowl or plate and set aside while cooking the vegetables.
This recipe is a great one for using up leftover vegetables. You can swap in 6 cups of cooked vegetables for the list of vegetables in this recipe.
Nutrition
Calories: 280kcal · Carbohydrates: 48g · Protein: 10g · Fat: 7g · Saturated Fat: 1g · Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g · Monounsaturated Fat: 4g · Sodium: 689mg · Potassium: 925mg · Fiber: 6g · Sugar: 11g · Vitamin A: 1191IU · Vitamin C: 62mg · Calcium: 79mg · Iron: 3mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @bestvegetablerecipes or tag #bestvegetablerecipes!