Herb Cream Penne (Printable Version)
Think cheerful penne with loads of fresh veggies, wrapped up in cozy cream and herbs—great for busy evenings.
# What You'll Need:
→ Sauce
01 -
1 pinch red pepper flakes
02 -
0.75 teaspoon mustard powder
03 -
0.75 teaspoon dried oregano
04 -
0.75 teaspoon dried basil
05 -
0.75 teaspoon dried parsley
06 -
1 teaspoon hot sauce
07 -
1 teaspoon soy sauce
08 -
0.5 chicken bouillon cube
09 -
300 ml half and half
10 -
300 ml chicken broth
→ Vegetables and Pasta
11 -
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
12 -
225 g ziti pasta
13 -
100 g freshly grated Parmesan cheese
14 -
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
15 -
3 cloves garlic, minced
16 -
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
17 -
Salt and black pepper to taste
18 -
150 g cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered
19 -
80 g frozen green peas
20 -
100 g zucchini, cut into chunks
21 -
150 g red bell pepper, sliced
22 -
80 g red onion, sliced
23 -
120 g carrots, julienned
24 -
2 cups broccoli florets, cut into bite-sized pieces
25 -
2 tablespoons olive oil
# Step-by-Step Guide:
01 -
Take the pan off the heat. Dish it up right away. If you like, top it all off with a squeeze of lemon and a sprinkle of fresh black pepper.
02 -
Put the cooked pasta into the sauce and give it a really good stir. Toss the veggies back in and stir so everything is hot and covered with sauce.
03 -
Turn the burner way down. Stir in the Parmesan a bit at a time so it melts, then squeeze in the lemon juice and mix well.
04 -
Boil the pasta in the salted water you kept ready. Follow the instructions on the box and cook it just until it's chewy, not mushy. Drain all the water out.
05 -
Slowly whisk the sauce mix you made into the pan with the roux, a splash or two at a time. Let it come up to a slow bubble, then lower the heat and keep it barely simmering.
06 -
With the pan on medium, melt the butter. Drop in the garlic and let it sizzle for about half a minute. Shake the flour over that, stirring non-stop, and cook for a couple minutes until it looks a bit foamy but hasn't turned brown.
07 -
Pop in the zucchini, peas, and cherry tomatoes with the other veggies. Sprinkle on salt and pepper. Give it a quick cook—2 or 3 minutes—and then dump all the veggies out of the pan and set aside for now.
08 -
Let the olive oil warm up in a big skillet on medium-high. Toss in the broccoli, onions, carrots, and red peppers. Stir them every so often for about 3 minutes.
09 -
Get a big pot of water rolling. Once it's bubbling, toss in about half a tablespoon of salt. Keep it hot so it's ready when you need to cook the pasta.
10 -
Grab a measuring jug and mix together your chicken broth, half and half, bouillon, soy and hot sauces, those dried herbs, mustard powder, and a spicy pinch of pepper flakes. Set that aside for later.
# Additional Notes:
01 -
If you want the sauce extra smooth, always use Parmesan you just shredded yourself. The pre-shredded kind just doesn't melt as nicely.
02 -
This amount of sauce works well with all sorts of pasta, and you could stretch it for up to 340 grams of dried pasta if you like it less saucy.
03 -
Need it meat-free? Swap out the chicken broth for veggie broth instead and you're all set.
04 -
Using a double boiler to reheat will help your cream sauce stay nice and thick if you have leftovers.
05 -
Other veggies you can toss in: green beans, spinach, squash, cauliflower, mushrooms, eggplant, corn, or asparagus.