Summer Vegetable Pasta
Rethink what you know about pasta… this dish is light, full of fresh summer vegetables and has a delicious cheese sauce. A splash of lemon juice keeps the sauce fresh and light. This is a vegetarian dish. I actually prefer this dish without the chicken and I still get plenty of protein from the pasta and cheese. But you can easily add some diced cooked chicken to the dish for more protein.
Why You Should Make My Summer Vegetable Pasta
Pasta doesn’t have to be a dirty five letter word. Traditional store bought pasta is made with enriched, commercially farmed flour and it is a blood sugar, inflammation nightmare. Ever notice that after a pasta meal you feel like a lethargic, bloating, possibly gassy, whale… thank you traditional American boxed pasta… a digestive system terror.
But pasta can be a healthy, enjoyable meal. My recipe combines protein packed, fiber filled grain free pasta with fresh summer vegetables, delivering a light and healthy pasta dish. My favorite grain free pasta of all time was Cybele’s Free to Eat pasta made from lentils and vegetables like cauliflower. She no longer makes the pasta so my go to now is Chickpea Pasta or Red Lentil Pasta. Sadly chickpeas are a heavily sprayed with pesticides crop so buying an organic brand is the best idea. I love this brand for organic gluten free pasta.
What You Need To Make Summer Vegetable Pasta
Fresh Vegetables- buy organic when possible:
- Onion
- Zucchini
- Bell pepper
- Fresh corn
- Baby spinach
Other Ingredients:
- Chickpea Pasta
- Grass Fed Butter
- Gluten Free Flour
- Organic Whole Milk (crucial to get organic and whole)
- Grass Fed Cheddar Cheese
- Fresh Lemon Juice
How To Make Summer Vegetable Pasta
- Read through the entire recipe so you know how to work through the recipe correctly and efficiently. Gather all your necessary ingredients, pots and pans.
- Heat a skillet and sauté onion, then zucchini, pepper and corn.
- While the vegetables cook, cook your pasta according to the package directions
- Add spinach to veggies. Stir. Season, stir and remove to a plate.
- Make cheese sauce in the vegetable skillet. First making a roux with butter and flour, then adding your milk, cheese, lemon juice and spices as directed.
- Add cooked vegetables and pasta back to the cheese sauce and stir. Serve warm!
Summer Vegetable Pasta
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1/2 small yellow onion, diced
- 1 small zucchini, diced
- 1 orange bell pepper, diced
- 3 fresh corn, kernels removed I love this tool for removing kernels
- 4 cups chopped fresh organic spinach
- 12 oz gluten free chickpea pasta
- 3 Tbs grass fed butter
- 2 Tbs gluten free flour
- 1 cup grass fed organic whole milk
- 1 1/2 cup shredded grass fed cheddar cheese
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1 Tbs coconut or olive oil. Add onion. Sauté 3-5 minutes until tender, stirring as they cook. Add zucchini, pepper and corn. Sauté 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat a large pot of water to boiling. Cook pasta according to package directions then drain pasta.
- Add spinach to cooking vegetable mixture. Stir and cook until wilted. Sprinkle veggies with a little salt and pepper. Stir and remove cooked veggies to a plate.
- Add butter to hot skillet and melt. Add flour and whisk to combine. Cook 1 minute. Add milk. Whisk. Cook 3-4 minutes, stirring until the mixture thickens. Add cheese, salt and pepper. Stir until melted. Add lemon juice. Stir. Add cooked pasta and veggies to cheese sauce. Stir and Serve!
