Pasta with spinach and red peppers is a quick and easy meal with incredible flavor .. and it is ready in less than 30 minutes!! Loaded with juicy tomatoes, fresh red peppers, healthy spinach, basil , parmesan and flavored with fennel seeds, this fast and comforting pasta is much better than overpriced and overcooked pasta in restaurants! Make sure you don’t skip the fennel seeds as they take the flavors to the next level, which you need to taste to experience!!
We all know that spinach is very healthy! But, did you know that spinach strengthens your eyesight and immune system! It also helps our body to repel bacteria and viruses as it is rich in Vitamin A which helps our skin and mucous membranes to repel various kinds of bacteria and viruses effectively!
Red Peppers are high in Vitamin C and are packed with antioxidants. They are also a great source of magnesium and Vitamin B6. Hence, as this pasta is super quick and super healthy and amazingly delicious too, we have now enough reasons to give this pasta a go!!
Few Tips:
- Always use reserved pasta water for thickening, if the sauce appears thin.
- You can add vegetarian sausages to this pasta. Just cook them, slice in rounds and add with pasta.
Cuisine: Italian Course: Main Servings:2-3
Ingredients:
- Penne Pasta: 3 Cups
- Red onion: 1, sliced thinly
- Garlic: 4 cloves, minced
- Red Pepper: 1, sliced
- Tomatoes: 4 large, diced in small pieces
- Spinach leaves: a big handful
- Tomato puree/Crushed tomato : 1/4 cup (store bought)
- Vegetable stock: 1/2 cup or 1/2 stock cube
- Olive oil : 3 tbsp
- Fennel seeds: 2 tsp, crushed in a mortar
- Chilli flakes: 1/2 tsp (optional)
- Italian Seasoning: 1.5 tsp
- Salt and freshly cracked black pepper: as per taste
- Fresh Basil : few leaves for garnishing
- Parmesan: 3 tbsp
Method:
- Start by cooking pasta first, according to package instructions! Drain and set aside. Save 1 cup of pasta water.
- Heat olive oil in a large non stick wok or pan. When hot, add crushed fennel seeds and sliced onions. After few seconds , add chilli flakes (optional) and italian seasoning. Keep stirring.
- Next, add minced garlic and mix.
- When the onions are translucent, add red peppers, spinach and diced tomatoes. Cook until the vegetables are crisp tender, on medium high flame, approximately 4-5 minutes.
- Add tomato paste/crushed tomato. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Stir in vegetable stock or crush 1/2 stock cube with your hand in the pan and add 1/2 cup of reserved pasta water.
- Cook for 2-3 minutes until sauce is thickened a bit.
- Add pasta to the sauce and cook for few minutes, stirring gently to coat the pasta with the sauce.
- Garnish with basil and grated parmesan.
- Enjoy!!
