Marinara Pasta With Asparagus
This is a light pasta dish that the whole family will enjoy; baby pasta shells are tossed with chopped asparagus and a light marinara sauce. Quick and easy, perfect for vegetarians or meatless Mondays. If you make large batches of the marinara sauce and freeze the rest in portions you can use it for other recipes throughout the week or freeze it for a later time. This recipe requires having cooked marinara sauce on hand, so if you don’t have any, make the sauce as your first step.
Pasta Shells with Asparagus and Marinara Sauce
Ingredients
- 8 oz baby pasta shells (for gluten free use brown rice pasta)
- 1 bunch thin asparagus, tough ends removed
- 1 1/2 cups homemade marinara sauce
- 1/4 cup Pecorino Romano
- salt and fresh pepper to taste
Method
- Boil about 4 inches of water in a large pot, when boiling add asparagus and cook about 2 to 3 minutes, or until tender crisp.
- Drain and chop into small bite sized pieces.
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil (you can use the same pot from the asparagus not to dirty too many dishes). Cook pasta according to package directions for al dente.
- While pasta is cooking, in a medium saucepan
heat 1-1/2 cups marinara sauce. - Drain pasta and RESERVE a cup of the pasta water.
- Return pasta back to the pot and toss with marinara,
asparagus, grated cheese, salt and pepper and a 1/4 cup
of the pasta water or as needed to loosen the sauce. - Divide between four bowls and top with fresh pepper
and more grated cheese if desired.
Serves 4 – Serving Size: 1-1/4 cups – Nutrition Per Serving
Calories: 283, Fat: 4g, Carbohydrate: 52g, Fibre: 4, Protein: 11g
Quick Marinara Sauce
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 2-3 large cloves garlic, smashed
- 28 oz cans crushed tomatoes
- 1 small bay leaf
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh basil
- salt and fresh pepper to taste
Method
- In a medium pot, heat olive oil over medium heat.
- Add garlic and saute until golden, be careful not to burn this.
- Add crushed tomatoes, salt, pepper, oregano, and bay leaf.
- Stir and reduce heat to low. Cover and let simmer about 15 – 20 minutes, add basil just before done.
Serves 6 – Serving Size: 1/2 cup – Nutrition Per Serving
Calories: 52, Fat: less than 1g, Carbohydrate: 9g, Fibre: 1g, Protein: less than 1g
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