HANDS-ON: 15 MIN. // TOTAL: 15 MIN. // SERVES 4
Think a homemade tomato sauce in 15 minutes is impossible? This recipe offers up a quick, flavorful sauce. I’m partial to a chickpea or other legume-based pasta for the health perks, but you can use any whole-grain pasta.
8 ounces uncooked chickpea spaghetti
3 cups cherry tomatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/3 cup chopped or torn fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup crumbled semisoft goat cheese (2 ounces)
1 Preheat the oven to 450°F.
2 Cook the pasta according to the package directions in a large Dutch oven. Drain, reserving 1/3 cup of the cooking water. Return the spaghetti to the pot; keep warm.
3 Meanwhile, combine the tomatoes, 1 tablespoon of the oil, the vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, and the pepper on a jelly-roll pan and toss well to coat. Bake for 10 minutes or until soft and lightly charred in places.
4 Add the tomatoes and any juices from the pan to the spaghetti in the Dutch oven. Add 3 tablespoons of the reserved cooking water to the jelly-roll pan, scraping to loosen any browned bits; pour the water and remaining 1 tablespoon oil into the pot. Place the Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the remaining reserved cooking water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the pasta mixture is moist, tossing frequently. Stir in the basil. Sprinkle with the cheese. Serve immediately.
(SERVING SIZE: ABOUT 11/3 CUPS): CALORIES 322; FAT 15G (SAT 4G, UNSAT 9G); PROTEIN 18G; CARB 36G; FIBER 9G; SUGARS 8G (ADDED SUGARS 0G); SODIUM 365MG; CALC 11% DV; POTASSIUM 6% DV
legume-based pastas
Whole-grain pastas provide more nutrients than refined types, but they still impact your blood sugar—sometimes not much differently than refined types. A legume-based pasta made from chickpeas or lentils has a lower glycemic effect, as well as more fiber and protein. Make sure to watch the cooking time. Legume-based pastas get gummy quickly if overcooked. Use the lower end of the cooking time range listed on the package.
PASTA TYPE (2 OUNCES DRY/APPROX. 1 CUP COOKED) |
CALORIES |
CARBS |
FIBER |
PROTEIN |
Whole wheat |
230 |
47g |
6g |
9g |
Brown rice |
190 |
42g |
4g |
4g |
Chickpea |
190 |
32g |
8g |
14g |
Green lentil |
200 |
35g |
7g |
14g |