Red Sauce Pasta With Vegetables (Red Pasta)
This lovely Red Sauce Pasta is a delicious recipe of pasta and mixed vegetables in a lovely homemade tangy and bright tomato sauce. You can even make this Red Pasta without the veggies.
- Prep time
- 20 min
- Cook time
- 20 min
- Yield
- 4 servings
- Difficulty
- HARD
Ingredients
- 1 cup pasta ((macaroni) - 100 grams, use any pasta)
- 2.5 cup water
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp oil
- 1 cup mixed vegetables (- chopped, like carrots, cauliflower, broccoli, green beans etc)
- 1/3 cup corn kernels (- boiled steamed or swap with steamed/boiled green peas)
- 1.25 cup white button mushrooms (- chopped)
- 1/3 cup capsicum (- chopped (green bell pepper))
- 2 tbsp olive oil (- can use butter or any other neutral tasting oil instead)
- 1 tej patta (- small to medium-sized or 1 small bay leaf)
- 4 garlic cloves (- small to medium, peeled and finely chopped )
- 1/3 cup onions (- finely chopped - 60 grams or 1 medium-sized)
- 2 cup tomatoes (- chopped - 220 grams or 2 large tomatoes or 1 cup tomato puree)
- 1/2 tsp sugar (or add as required)
- 1/8 tsp nutmeg powder ((ground nutmeg) or grated nutmeg)
- 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon black pepper powder ((ground black pepper) or add as required)
- salt ( as required)
- 1 tbsp red wine (or white wine, optional)
- 2 to 3 basil leaves (- chopped)
- 1/4 cup cheddar cheese (- grated, for garnish or add preferred cheese, optional)
Instructions
- 1
Firstly steam or cook 1 cup of the mixed chopped vegetables till they are softened and fork tender. They should not be over cooked. You can steam or cook them in a pressure cooker for 1 whistle or steam in a steamer pan adding water as needed.
- 2
For the veggies I have used a mix of cauliflower florets, carrots and potatoes. I have also added some sweet corn (⅓ cup). You can also add some green peas instead of sweet corn or a mix of both.
- 3
Heat 2.5 cups water, ¼ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon oil in a pan till the water comes to a boil.
- 4
Then add the macaroni pasta or your preferred pasta variety.
- 5
On a medium to high heat cook till the pasta are al dente or you can opt to cook them more until they are soft, but do not overcook them.
- 6
Then in a colander or strainer, strain the pasta and set aside.
- 7
In a food chopper, food processor or in a mixer or blender, crush 2 large tomatoes (220 grams) to a fine puree. Keep aside. There is no need to blanch the tomatoes before pureeing them.
- 8
Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a pan or wok or frying pan or sauté pan. Add the bay leaf or tej patta and finely chopped or minced garlic.
- 9
Sauté for some seconds till the raw aroma of garlic goes away. No need to brown the garlic.
- 10
Add ⅓ cup finely chopped onions and begin to sauté the onions on a low to medium heat.
- 11
Sauté till the onions turn translucent and are softened.
- 12
Then add the prepared tomato puree. If using ready store brought tomato puree, then add 1 cup of it.
- 13
Mix very well and begin to sauté the red sauce mixture.
- 14
Stir at intervals and sauté till you see the oil leaving the sides and the sauce has thickened a bit. This means that the tomato puree has cooked.
- 15
Then add the chopped button mushrooms.
- 16
Mix very well and saute for 6 to 7 minutes on a low to medium heat.
- 17
Next add the chopped capsicum. Mix well.
- 18
Sauté the capsicum for 4 to 5 minutes on a low to medium heat. By now the capsicum will be half cooked and the mushrooms will be cooked.
- 19
Add ½ teaspoon sugar or as required.
- 20
Then add ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg powder & ¼ to ½ teaspoon black pepper powder.
- 21
Next add salt as per taste. Mix very well. If using white or red wine, then you can add at this step. So thus add 1 tablespoon white or red wine.
- 22
Add the steamed veggies and ⅓ cup boiled sweet corn kernels.
- 23
Then add the cooked pasta.
- 24
Gently toss and mix everything very well, so that the red sauce coats the pasta as well as the veggies. At this step you can also opt to add some grated cheese or cream and mix.
- 25
Lastly turn off the heat. Add 1 teaspoon chopped fresh basil leaves. Mix well.
- 26
Serve red sauce pasta hot or warm or cold. This pasta tastes good even when served at room temperature. You can garnish it with some grated cheddar cheese while serving.