Tastiest Meat-free, Plant-based Healthy Pasta Recipe

Healthy, Vegan, Vegetarian, Meat-free, Plant-based, etc. Choose your trend word because this healthy pasta recipe has it all.

There are some healthy pasta recipes that are way too healthy and not even worth the fewer calories. But this healthy pasta recipe will not make you miss meat, cream, and any of the other good stuff because of the flavors and satisfaction in every bite.

Almond Pepper Pasta Recipe

There are some days when you want to balance your daily meals with something a little more healthy. This is a great recipe to take a break from meat and seafood, yet still have a significant dose of protein with added fiber and nutrients from all the ingredients.

Almond pepper pasta has it all. Nutty taste and texture from almonds, natural sweetness from roasted peppers and tomatoes, and a healthy creaminess from blending in extra virgin olive oil.

With the guidance and recommendation below, you can make this recipe your own depending on what you have stored in your pantry and refrigerator.

Ingredients
Serves about 4 persons

3 Whole red pimientos (about 1 7-ounce can/jar) or 3 large red bell peppers
1/2 can whole canned tomatoes, or 2 roma tomatoes
1/2 cup roasted, salted almonds
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt (and more salt to taste)
1 lb of your preferred pasta

1. In a large pot, boil enough water for the 1 pound of dry pasta. Once boiling, add at least 1 hearty tablespoon of salt. Cook the pasta until 1 minute less than indicated on the box for a perfect al dente bite. Save 1 cup of pasta water, and drain the rest of the water in a colander. Drizzle a little bit of extra virgin olive oil onto the pasta in the colander so the noodles do not clump together. Serve in a big pasta bowl, or serve portions into individual pasta plates.

2. If you do not have canned or bottled pimientos and whole canned tomatoes, roast 3 large red bell peppers and 2 roma tomatoes in the oven at 450 F for about 20 minutes. Be sure to pre-heat the oven, drizzle the ingredients with olive oil, and season with salt. For a small quantity of roasting, quarter sheet pans are a great kitchen must-have.
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3. In a glass blender, add the peppers, tomatoes, 1/2 cup almonds (all of which you can keep the skins on for ease of cooking and to have a more rustic look), 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, 1/2 tablespoon kosher salt.

4. If you do not have fresh tomatoes, you can use 1/2 a can of whole canned tomatoes – that’s about 2 whole tomatoes in the can plus 1/2 the liquid. Have a long spoon or blunt knife on hand in case you need to dig up the ingredients a bit to encourage blender to do its thing.

5. Blend the ingredients until everything is incorporated, yet there is still a slightly coarse-ground almond texture. If the sauce becomes too thick, add 1/4 cup of pasta water at a time to thin it out. Taste the sauce each time (with a fresh spoon!) to determine if you need to add more salt.

6. If you are serving your meal on individual pasta plates, ladle a portion onto the cooked pasta of your preference. Otherwise, pour the sauce into a serving both. You can further finish the dish with a sprinkle of finishing salt and/or grated Parmigiano Reggiano.

This sauce is so versatile that it all is delicious over thicker pasta like fettuccine. For longer noodles, it is better to scoop the sauce on top with serving.

For short pasta, like rigatoni or penne, it is better to mix in a scoop of sauce into a bowl before serving. Shorter pasta is perfect for lunch or a light dinner.