Melanie Ng A warm, hearty sauce over pasta is a family favorite that is easy to prepare on busy nights.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
- Non-stick cooking spray
- 1 (8 oz.) package baby bella mushrooms, stems trimmed, cut into ¼-inch slices
- 1 clove garlic, minced or ½ teaspoon jarred garlic, minced
- 1 (28 oz.) can crushed tomatoes, no salt added
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds (optional)
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 1 (15.5 oz.) can low sodium Great Northern or Navy beans, drained
- 12 oz. (or 4.5 cups uncooked) whole grain rotini, cooked according to instructions
- 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, shredded
Instructions
- Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat in a skillet. Add onion and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes or until soft. Remove from the pan and set aside.
- Spray skillet with 2- 1-second bursts of non-stick spray. Add mushrooms and cook over medium heat for 6 to 8 minutes or until browned and the pan is almost dry. Stir in garlic. Return pepper mixture to the pan. Add tomatoes, Italian seasoning, fennel (if using), crushed pepper, and white beans.
- Cook over medium-low heat for 10 minutes so flavors can combine. Mix in cooked whole wheat pasta in last few minutes to warm through. Sprinkle each serving with 1 teaspoon Parmesan cheese.
Notes:
- Fennel seed is often used in sausage and adds a crunchy texture and slight licorice flavor to the dish.
- Baby bella mushrooms are little portabello mushrooms. They have more flavor than button mushrooms. Instead of washing them with water (they are like little sponges and will soak up water while they are being washed!), brush them off with a kitchen brush or towel.
- Busy day? Throw everything but the pasta into a crockpot. The pasta can be added later!
- Leftover pasta is perfect for cold pasta salad dishes for easy grab-n-go lunches.
- This recipe would also be really good over polenta or grits in place of pasta.
