An Ode to Simplicity: Part 3

Here’s the final recipe in my “Ode to Simplicity” series: Dinner.

This recipe might not seem simple at first glance, but it truly is. When scrambling to find something to make for dinner, my go to is always pasta. Whether using a sauce from a jar or making your own from scratch, it’s easy, fun, and always delicious.

This idea was inspired by a few different posts on Pinterest on vegetable spaghetti. I had never thought of it before, but it’s so easy to incorporate lots of veggies into a spaghetti dish! So that’s exactly what I did.

The beauty of this is that you can add a variety of vegetables. I’ve never made this dish the same way – I always just use up whatever I have in my fridge! Here’s my take on the..

Veggie Spaghetti

Ingredients:

1/2 bag of Pasta (I used Brown Rice Fusilli Pasta but any pasta will do)
1 Tablespoon Butter
2 Medium Sweet Onions, chopped
Veggies! (I used cherry tomatoes, baby portobello mushrooms, mini sweet peppers, and 1 large carrot. I also often use zucchini or spinach if I have it.)
2-3 cloves garlic
1 25oz jar of your favorite tomato sauce

To taste:

Sugar
Italian Seasoning (Margoram, Thyme, Rosemary, Savory, Sage, Oregano, Basil)
Olive Oil
Salt + Pepper
Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese (to garnish)

Like all of my recipes shared so far, nothing is too specific because it is meant to be made to your likes and tastes! When making this recipe, I planned to make a dinner for two with leftovers for lunch. It’s not an exact science but I would say this is about 4 servings.

Steps:

1. Heat a medium sized pan on medium high heat. Once warm, add butter then chopped onions.

2. While the onions are softening, put a large pot of water on high heat.

3. Once onions become translucent, add chopped mini peppers. One thing Elliot taught me is that tomato sauces needs sweetness. These peppers help (as will the sugar later).

4. Add salt, pepper, and the italian seasoning. It’s important to make sure the spices are incorporated before adding the sauce.

5. Add the remaining veggies: in my case, carrots, cherry tomatoes, and mushrooms. Also add the chopped garlic.

6. During this time, the water should come to a boil. Cook pasta according to directions. Don’t forget to add salt!

7. Once the vegetables are soft, turn heat down to medium and add your tomato sauce. I add the whole jar and put any remaining sauce back in the jar for future meals.

Tip: If your sauce is too thick, add some of the pasta water. This will help thin it out without compromising taste. (Thanks food network!)

8. TASTE your sauce. At this point, I add salt, pepper, sugar, and any addition seasonings. Allow to cook for a few more minutes.

Tip 2: Keep pasta and sauce separate to avoid the pasta soaking up all the sauce.

9. Serve with freshly grated parmesan cheese and Enjoy!

Thanks so much for joining me on my simple food recipes. For this one in particular, I’m always looking for ways to incorporate more veggies into my meals. How do you sneak in extra veggies? Comment below!