By Amy Hopkins; Photography by James Garaghty, Chandara Tubchand/Freepik
They totally solve the mid-week meal conundrum.
Sometimes there’s nothing better than a steamy bowl of pasta – super versatile, quick to make for a weeknight meal and the solution to any ‘rungry’ episode, these recipes also provide a whack of nutrients!
Dairy-Free Alfredo
Ingredients
— 1 Clove garlic
— 1 Punnet brown mushrooms, sliced
— 2 Tbsp Olive oil
— 2 Chicken breasts
— 5 – 6 Large courgettes
— 2 Tbsp coconut cream
— Dried chilli flakes
— Salt and pepper
Method
1/ Heat a large pan until very hot, then add the garlic, mushrooms and 1 tbsp olive oil. Sauté until slightly golden.
2/ Slice and sauté the chicken breasts in the rest of the olive oil.
3/ Using a spiraliser, make courgette pasta (you can also buy courgette spaghetti from Woolworths).
4/ In a bowl, mix the mushrooms, chicken, coconut cream, chilli flakes and salt and pepper together. Toss with the courgette spirals
READ MORE: 10-Minute Baby Marrow, Pesto And Feta Pasta Dish
Meat-Free Monday Tomato
Ingredients
— 2 Cloves garlic
— 1 Red chilli
— 1 Red onion
— 1 Tbsp Olive oil
— 2 Tins chopped tomatoes
— 2 Tbsp fresh oregano
— Salt and pepper
— Gluten-free pasta
Method
1/ In a large pan, sauté the garlic, chilli and onion in the olive oil.
2/ Add the tomato, oregano and seasoning. Cook to reduce for about 15 minutes.
3/ Using a handheld blender, blitz the sauce until smooth, then mix in some just-cooked gluten-free pasta. Simmer together for five minutes, then serve.
READ MORE: Why You Can Eat All The Pasta You Want
Puttanesca
Ingredients
— 1 Clove garlic
— 1 Red chilli
— 1 Tbsp olive oil
— 5-6 Anchovies, chopped
— 3 tsp Small caper berries
— 1 Tin tomato
— Gluten-free spaghetti
— 15 Olives, chopped
— Salt and pepper
Method
1/ In a large pan, sauté the garlic and chilli in the olive oil.
2/ Add the anchovies and caper berries and cook for another minute.
3/ Add the tomatoes and cook for a further 10 minutes until slightly thickened and reduced. In the meantime cook your pasta.
4/ Toss in the olives, seasoning and some of the pasta water to loosen. Add in the spaghetti and stir until well-combined. Serve immediately.
READ MORE: Trust Us, You Need To Try This 15-Minute Garlic, Rocket And Lemon Pasta
Avo Pasta Salad
Ingredients
— 12 Plum tomatoes, quartered
— Handful olives, chopped
— 1 Avocado, sliced
— 1 Cup gently steamed baby spinach
— Chilli flakes
— Salt and pepper
— Freshly squeezed lemon juice
— 2 Tbsp olive oil
— Gluten-free pasta
— Fresh basil leaves
Method
1/ Place the tomatoes, olives, avo, spinach and chilli in a large bowl. Add the seasoning, lemon juice and olive oil. Add the cooked pasta and toss together until coated.
2/ Serve with fresh basil leaves.
Vegan Pesto Pasta
Ingredients
— 1 Clove garlic
— 1 Red Chilli
— 2 Tbsp Olive oil
— 3 Big handfuls fresh basil
— 50g Macadamia nuts, boiled for 30 minutes or soaked overnight
— 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
— 1 Handful olives, chopped
— Gluten-free pasta
— Salt and pepper
Method
1/ Place the first six ingredients in a Nutribullet and blend until a pesto forms.
2/ Toss the pesto with the olives and cooked pasta, season and serve hot or at room temperature, like a salad.
Ostrich Spag-Bol
Ingredients
— 2 Cloves garlic
— 1 red chilli
— 1 Red onion, chopped
— 1 Tbsp olive oil
— 500g Ostrich mince
— 2 Tins tomato
— Salt and pepper
— Gluten-free pasta
— 1 Handful fresh basil
Method
1/ In a large pan, sauté the garlic, chilli and onion in the olive oil.
2/ Add the ostrich mince (you could also use extra-lean beef) and stir until browned.
3/ Add the tins of tomato and seasoning and allow to simmer for about 30 minutes. In the meantime, cook the spaghetti.
4/ Tear in the basil leaves and mix in the spaghetti. Serve hot.
