Thirty Minute Red Pepper Pasta

The start of autumn yanks me back to reality really fast.  Almost overnight, my leisurely dinner preparations from the summer evaporate and our evening meal has to be on the table by 5:30PM. After that, its the baby's bedtime at 6, then homework, church activities and household chores to finish up before bedtime. I keep a few quick, easy recipes around to make for these busy nights, and this one is a recent favorite.  

I use a prepared pesto, but everything else is fresh and it combines in a delightfully satisfying way! This is definitely a recipe to add to your repertoire of quick meals.  

Ingredients

• 1 onion, sliced into wheels and halved
• 1 red bell pepper*, destemmed, seeds removed and sliced into thin strips and halved
• 1 yellow bell pepper*, destemmed, seeds removed and sliced into thin strips and halved
• 2 Tbs olive oil
• 4 Tbs butter*
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 3 oz cream cheese*, softened and cut into pieces
• 1 1/2 cups whole milk*
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese*, freshly shredded
• 1/4 cup basil pesto
• 12 oz box of fusilli or penne

*Creative Green Living recommends purchasing these ingredients as organic where available to avoid GMOs, pervasive pesticides and/or questionable farming practices. 

Nutrition information is approximate and may vary based on the freshness and brand of your ingredients. Nutrition information calculated at: Calorie Count.

Directions

STEP 1 

In a large frying pan, heat the oil over medium heat, then add the onion. Sauté the onion for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, then add the bell pepper and cook for another 5 minutes, until vegetables begin to brown, and the onions are translucent.

STEP 2

While you are sautéing the vegetables, boil a medium to large pot of water.  Turn off the burner until you begin making the cheese sauce.

STEP 3

Remove the cooked veggies from the pan and set aside.  Do not clean out the frying pan. You are going to use it in just a minute.

STEP 4

Heat your water back up to a boil, if it has cooled down a bit, and once it is boiling, add your pasta.  Briefly stir.

STEP 5

To frying pan you were just using to cook the vegetables, add your butter.  Let it melt down a bit, then add the garlic, salt, and cream cheese pieces.  With a rubber spatula, smooth out the cream cheese until the lumps are gone, then slowly begin adding the milk, a little at a time.

STEP 6

Add the Parmesan cheese to the cream cheese sauce and stir until it has melted down.  Turn the heat down to low, and let the sauce sit for a minute while you drain the water from your pasta.

STEP 7

Add the pesto to your cheese sauce and give it one or two brief stirs.  You don't want the pesto completely incorporated, because the cheese sauce is really good on its own, too.

STEP 8

In a large serving bowl, lay down the pasta first, top with the sauce and then finish with the vegetables.  Serve immediately

Enjoy!

Red Pepper Pasta

Yield: 4

Author: Landen

Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 18 MinTotal time: 28 Min

I use a prepared pesto, but everything else is fresh and it combines in a delightfully satisfying way! This is definitely a recipe to add to your repertoire of quick meals.

Ingredients

• 1 onion, sliced into wheels and halved
• 1 red bell pepper, destemmed, seeds removed and sliced into thin strips and halved
• 1 yellow bell pepper, destemmed, seeds removed and sliced into thin strips and halved
• 2 Tbs olive oil
• 4 Tbs butter
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 3 oz cream cheese, softened and cut into pieces
• 1 1/2 cups whole milk
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, freshly shredded
• 1/4 cup basil pesto
• 12 oz box of fusilli or penne

Instructions

1. In a large frying pan, heat the oil over medium heat, then add the onion. Sauté the onion for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, then add the bell pepper and cook for another 5 minutes, until vegetables begin to brown, and the onions are translucent.
2. While you are sautéing the vegetables, boil a medium to large pot of water. Turn off the burner until you begin making the cheese sauce.
3. Remove the cooked veggies from the pan and set aside. Do not clean out the frying pan.
4. Heat water back up to a boil, if it has cooled down a bit, and once it is boiling, add your pasta. Briefly stir.
5. Add butter to the frying pan that has the recently cooked vegetables. Let it melt down a bit, then add the garlic, salt, and cream cheese pieces. With a rubber spatula, smooth out the cream cheese until the lumps are gone, then slowly begin adding the milk, a little at a time.
6. Add the Parmesan cheese to the cream cheese sauce and stir until it has melted down. Turn the heat down to low, and let the sauce sit for a minute while draining the water from the pasta.
7. Add the pesto to cheese sauce and give it one or two brief stirs.
8. In a large serving bowl, lay down the pasta first, top with the sauce and then finish with the vegetables. Serve immediately

Recommended Products:

Professional Stainless Skillet

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Nutrition Facts

Calories

325

Fat (grams)

29.1

Sat. Fat (grams)

14.7

Carbs (grams)

12.3

Fiber (grams)

1.7

Net carbs

10.6

Sugar (grams)

7.4

Protein (grams)

5.9

Sodium (milligrams)

475

Cholesterol (grams)

59

https://www.creativegreenliving.com/2016/11/30-minute-red-pepper-pasta-recipe.html

Copyright, 2016, Creative Green Living.

Quick meal, easy to make pasta

Main dish

American

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