Pasta Primavera
Pasta Primavera
Bright, colorful, and packed with fresh flavor, this Pasta Primavera is an easy way to enjoy a delicious mix of vegetables and creamy pasta. Daisy Cottage Cheese adds a rich, creamy texture and protein, making this simple pasta dish both satisfying and delicious.
Toss your favorite pasta with tender seasonal vegetables and a smooth cottage cheese for a comforting meal that comes together with minimal fuss. The mild flavor of Daisy Cottage Cheese lets the fresh vegetables shine while adding a creamy boost of protein.
Perfect for a quick weeknight dinner or a meatless meal, this easy Pasta Primavera is a fresh and flavorful recipe the whole family will love. Use whatever vegetables you have on hand to make this versatile pasta your own!
Pasta Primavera Ingredients
- Cherry Tomatoes (2 cups): Adds vibrant color and a sweet-tart pop of flavor and juicy moisture to the pasta.
- Sliced Mushrooms (1 cup): Provides a rich, savory flavor and meaty texture that balances the tomatoes.
- Garlic Cloves (6): Adds an aromatic, earthy, savory flavor that adds depth and balances the bright flavor of the other vegetables.
- Daisy Cottage Cheese (1 cup, blended): Provides a rich and creamy texture and a boost of protein.
- Olive Oil (1/4 cup): Adds subtle flavor, coats the vegetables to help them cook without overpowering their delicate flavor.
- Fresh Cracked Black Pepper (to taste): Delivers a sharp, pungent, and earthy heat.
- Italian Seasoning (2 teaspoons): Adds a savory, blend of dried herbs like oregano, basil, thyme, and rosemary that complement fresh garden vegetables.
- Red Pepper Flakes (to taste): Provides a gentle pop of heat that balances the sweet vegetables.
- Bite-Size Pasta (8 ounces): The perfect starchy canvas that accompanies the luscious vegetables. The small shape allows for the perfect bite of both pasta and veggies in a single forkful.
- Packed Baby Spinach (2 cups): With a milk flavor and vibrant color, it adds visual appeal and nutrients, vitamins, and minerals.
- Reserved Pasta Water (2 tablespoons to 1/4 cup): Used to loosen the dish if desired.
Substitutions, Variations, and Tips
- For best results, make sure to salt your pasta water and cook pasta just to al dente.
- Any type of dry bite-size pasta may be used. Feel free to use whatever you have on hand.
- Zucchini noodles or whole grains such as farro or quinoa may be used in place of pasta for a gluten-free option.
- Easily customizable, feel free to add cubed rotisserie chicken or other cooked protein to make a heartier meal.
- Feel free to add additional veggies such as fresh asparagus, peas, zucchini, squash, bell peppers, carrots, or broccoli.
- Make sure your veggies are similar in size to ensure even cooking time.
- Feel free to add a generous sprinkle of parmesan or Romano cheese for extra richness and nutty flavor.
- Try adding a quick zest of lemon for a bright burst of flavor or add some fresh herbs such as basil or rosemary for a burst of herby goodness.
How to Make Pasta Primavera
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Place tomatoes, mushrooms, garlic cloves, and blended cottage cheese into a 9×13” pan. Drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with black pepper, Italian seasoning, and optional crushed red pepper. Bake for 30 minutes, until tomatoes burst. Stir.
- Meanwhile, boil pasta in salted water until al dente. Drain and reserve 1/4 cup of pasta water.
- Add hot pasta and spinach to sauce and allow to sit 2-3 minutes before serving. If too thick, add pasta water, a tablespoon at a time.
Cheesy Pesto One-Pan Pasta
Cheesy Pesto One-Pan Pasta
No time for dinner? This quick and easy, this Cheesy Pesto One-Pan Pasta is ready in only 15 minutes and is a cinch to clean up. Made with a handful of fresh ingredients and dried pasta, this dinner comes together in mere minutes using only a blender and one pot. Just blend up the sauce, add to the hot pasta, toss, and serve.
The bite-sized pasta marries with the aromatic, bright, and herby basil, and the salty, rich, creamy cottage cheese to form a savory, rich dinner quick enough for weeknights yet elegant enough for special occasions. Light and satisfying, this pasta is easily customizable. Try adding vegetables and your favorite protein for a tasty twist.
Cheesy Pesto One-Pan Pasta Ingredients
- Water (2 ½ cups): To cook the pasta and thin the pesto sauce.
- Dry Bite-Sized Pasta (8 ounces): Found in most pantries, dried pasta is economical and great for saucy dishes. Any bite-sized pasta will work for this recipe.
- Daisy Cottage Cheese (1/2 cup): A protein powerhouse, the cottage cheese adds a creamy and slightly salty taste to this easy sauce. It’s the main source of protein in the recipe.
- Minced Garlic (1 heaping teaspoon): One of the flavors of pesto, it adds a savory bite to the sauce.
- Fresh Basil Leaves (1 cup, packed): Fresh, herby, sweet, pungent, and slightly spicy, the basil combined with the cottage cheese is the base of the pesto sauce.
- Fresh Cracked Black Pepper (1/8 teaspoon): Fruity and earthy, this classic spice adds a pinch of warm heat to the sauce.
- Extra-Virgin Olive Oil (1/3 cup): Adds a richness to the sauce with hints of spicy, pungent, peppery flavor.
Substitutions, Variations, and Tips
- Gluten-free pasta may be used in place of wheat pasta.
- Crushed red pepper flakes may be added for a punch of heat.
- A sprinkle of parmesan cheese may be added for a richer flavor and a classic finishing touch.
- Try adding your favorite toppers for a heartier meal, such as cooked protein such as chicken or shrimp, and/or add fresh veggies such as asparagus or tomatoes.
- Great for leftovers! To reheat, add a few drops of water to help revive the sauce. Cover and microwave in short intervals, stirring between intervals, until warm (about 1-2 minutes).
How To Make Cheesy Pesto One-Pan Pasta
- Add water to a medium saucepot, cover, and bring to a boil. Add pasta, stir, cover, and reduce to a simmer. Cook 12-15 minutes. Keep covered and stir occasionally.
- Place cottage cheese and garlic in food processor. Process 10 seconds. Add basil leaves and pepper. Process 1 minute. Add olive oil. Process a few seconds more until completely smooth.
- Add sauce to undrained, cooked pasta. Stir to coat evenly and serve.
Rosa Tomato Sauce with Pasta
Rosa Tomato Sauce with Pasta
This rich and creamy Rosa Tomato Sauce is bursting with flavor from the garlic, heirloom tomatoes, nutty parmesan cheese, and the creaminess of Daisy Sour Cream. This is a great pasta sauce for all types of noodles. We love it with fettuccine, spaghetti and pappardelle.
This delicious pasta with homemade sauce takes dinner to a new level, and in only 30 minutes! It’s great for both a quick, weeknight family dinner and for impressing guests when entertaining. Even your pickiest eaters will love this pasta dish.
This Rosa tomato sauce is packed with fresh flavors from the olive oil, onions, garlic, heirloom tomatoes, parmesan cheese, and Daisy Sour Cream. The seasoning can be adjusted to taste, adding spice with red pepper flakes if desired. If you like creamier sauces, you can add more Daisy Sour Cream. The sour cream and parmesan take this sauce to the next level, giving it a bit of saltiness and tang, and a whole lot of creaminess that helps the sauce cling to your pasta.
Rosa Tomato Sauce Ingredients
- Dry Fettuccine (1 pound): The canvas for the sauce.
- Olive Oil (1 tablespoon): You’ll need a good quality olive oil for sautéing the onions and garlic.
- Green Onions (4, finely chopped): Milder in flavor than other onions and quick cooking. For a stronger onion flavor, you can substitute yellow or red onions.
- Garlic (4 cloves, finely minced): A must for any great pasta sauce.
- Heirloom Tomatoes (3, chopped): Known for their thin skin and juicy interior, these tomatoes are more flavorful, sweet and colorful than hothouse tomatoes. When used for pasta sauce, they bring a perfect balance between sweetness and acidity.
- Petite Diced Tomatoes (14.5 ounce can): Packed at the peak of freshness, canned tomatoes have higher levels of vitamins A and K than fresh tomatoes.
- Dried Herbs and Spices (2-3 teaspoons): Dried herbs and spices are readily available in most spice cabinets and pack bold flavor.
- Chicken Bouillon (1 teaspoon): Adds a bit of highly concentrated flavor, perfect for sauces.
- Salt (1 teaspoon): Taste as you add it and before serving to avoid an under or overly salted dish.
- Daisy Sour Cream (1 cup): Adds a richness and creaminess to the sauce, mellowing out the acidity of the tomatoes.
- Parmesan Cheese (1 cup, finely shredded): Best when freshly shredded, it adds a nutty saltiness as a finishing touch to the sauce.
- Crushed Red Pepper Flakes (a sprinkle): As an optional ingredient, you can control the level of spice from none to mild to spicy. Season cautiously. A tiny pinch adds quite a punch.
Substitutions, Variations, and Tips
- Feel free to use all canned tomatoes if heirloom tomatoes are out of season.
- For a smoother sauce, carefully pulse with an immersion blender until smooth, taking care not to burn yourself.
- Try adding your favorite protein for a heartier meal. This sauce is delicious with the addition of grilled chicken, ground beef, or cooked lentils.
- Add some veggies. Dice those veggies and add them to the onions and garlic when building the sauce. Squash, mushrooms, and spinach add nutrients and taste great!
- Try topping with basil leaves for a burst of freshness.
How to make Rosa Tomato Sauce
- Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook for 1 to 2 minutes stirring frequently until the onions are transparent. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds; stir frequently.
- Stir in the fresh chopped tomatoes and cook, stirring frequently, for 4 to 6 minutes or until tomatoes are slightly cooked.
- Add the canned tomatoes, thyme, marjoram, cumin, bay leaves, chicken bouillon, and salt. Add the optional red pepper flakes if desired. Cook for 2 to 4 minutes more. Remove from the heat and remove the bay leaves.
- Add the sour cream to tomato sauce mix and stir constantly until heated through.
- Mix with your favorite pasta, stirring to coat well.
- Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese and serve immediately.
