Garden Vegetable Bucatini
A fresh vegetarian pasta dish perfect for utilizing your surplus of yellow squash and zucchini. This dish can even be made vegan if you forgo the cheese, and purchase egg-free bucatini noodles!
Ingredients
- 2 Fresh Tomatoes
- 1 Can Tomato Paste
- 1 Can Crushed Tomatoes
- 1 Zucchini
- 1 Summer Squash (aka yellow squash)
- 1/2 Yellow Onion
- 1/2 Box Bucatini Pasta
- 1/4 Cup Olive Oil you can use Canola if you have to
- 2 TBS White Sugar
- 1.5 TBSP Pressed Garlic (aka 3 cloves)
- 1 TBS Balsamic Vinegar
- 2 tsp Salt
- 2 tsp Oregano
- 1 tsp Cayenne Pepper
- Fresh Basil to taste
- Parmesan Cheese (optional)
- Salt & Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prepare your vegetables: Finely chop yellow onion, cube fresh tomatoes and squash.
- In a large stock pot, heat up olive oil on medium until the pot is warm to the touch. If your oil starts to smoke, it's too hot. When the oil is hot, add the garlic and onion, stirring frequently until they become transparent.
- Next, add the squash (NOT the tomatoes) and saute together for approximately 5 minutes.
- Add in the can of tomato paste, mixing together over heat until the sauce becomes very fragrant. Then, add in the crushed tomatoes, white sugar, balsamic vinegar, salt, oregano, and cayenne pepper. Bring to a boil for 2 minutes then turn heat to low. Let simmer for 20 minutes, stirring frequently.
- While the sauce is simmering, boil a pot of water for the bucatini, cook according to instructions, then drain, keeping 1/2 cup of the pasta water, pouring it into the simmering sauce.
- When the tomato sauce has finished its 20 minutes, take it off the heat and stir in the fresh, diced tomatoes. Place the bucatini noodles in a serving dish, and coat with sauce to your preference. Top with chopped basil and parmesan cheese, serve immediately.
Notes
Frequently taste your sauce. If it's too sweet, add in another TBS of balsamic vinegar. Too sour? Add in sugar slowly until you have the flavor you want.
When cooking pasta, one should always hold onto at least 1/4 Cup of the water the pasta is cooked in. Add this to whatever sauce you're using to make it starchy. Starchy sauce will adhere to the noodles better.
Another way to add protein, nutrients, and extra flavor to this recipe is to cook your pasta in stock or bone broth. I use Bonafide Beef Bone Broth from the frozen section at Kroger stores. One bag cooks enough pasta for 4 people, with some liquid left over to add to the sauce.