Welcome to the first of many meals together! To kick off the Letsmakeameal.today blog, here is an easy dish to put together any night of the week.
By this time of year in New Mexico, I have all but shunned my oven. It is just too hot! Instead of the oven, I turn to cooking things on the stovetop or grilling outside.
This recipe can stand on its own for a simple dinner, or with only a few additions, it can be made into a great meal from beginning to end. I love a meal that comes together quickly. Even better when it tastes delicious, healthy and doesn’t require an oven!
Peas are now in season, but you could make this a staple all year by using frozen peas. This recipe also makes great use of the oil that the sun-dried tomatoes are packed in.
I chose the petit pois peas because they are a little sweeter than your average pea and they go well with the sweetness of the sun-dried tomatoes. Added to the sweet is just a taste of salt dancing on your tongue from the parmesan cheese. Mmmm.
*See links below to see how to build on this fresh and fast pasta dish.
Tips:
- If your oil packed sun-dried tomatoes are whole, chop them up as part of your prep.
- Keep the jar with sun-dried tomatoes on hand while cooking in case you need a little more oil.
- I add my minced garlic toward the end because it doesn’t need a lot of time to get warm and release its flavor AND it can burn quickly. Be sure to watch your heat level.
- If your pot isn’t large enough to mix everything together, you could cook ingredients separately and then add to one large bowl to mix together if needed. This is a forgiving recipe in regards to timing if you are using separate pots and pans. If the pasta is cooked, but has to sit a while as you cook the other part of the dish, no problem. It will warm up as you mix everything together. If you’re ahead of your pasta being done with the sun-dried tomatoes and peas, just take off heat and reheat for a couple of minutes when the pasta is ready.
Notes:
- I often use gemelli or fusilli pasta for this recipe, but penne or even spaghetti noodles will work.
- Sometimes I buy sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, sometimes I buy them dried in a packet. I save the oil from the jar so I have that flavorful oil to use when I want, but the dried sun-dried tomatoes (I get them at Trader Joe’s) are already cut and also offer the convenience of NOT having to drain the oil off for some recipes.
Tools needed for this recipe:
- 1 large pot for cooking the pasta (at least 5 quarts)
- 1 large spoon for stirring
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Chef’s knife and cutting board
- Garlic press
- Cheese grater or microplane
Make it a meal!
- Add yummy, crunchy pita chips.
- And don’t forget dessert! This Watermelon-Cucumber Granita is sweet, cool and refreshing on a hot summer day.
- Want to know how to make this a whole meal?
Like this recipe? Pin it for later! Have questions? Leave a comment below.
Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomatoes & Peas
A super simple pasta dish that makes for an easy, healthy weeknight dinner!
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 20
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 6
Ingredients
16 oz gemelli pasta
2 tbsp oil from jar of sun-dried tomatoes (+ more if needed)
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, chopped (no need to drain)
1 ¼ cup fresh or frozen petit pois peas
1 tsp Italian seasoning
3 medium sized cloves of garlic, minced (If you like garlic, you might use 4 cloves, if you are not a fan you might use 1 or 2 or none. The flavor will change a little, of course.)
⅛ tsp salt
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Cook the pasta in a large pot according to package directions.
- If you haven’t already, prep and measure your ingredients while the pasta cooks.
- Drain the pasta in a colander, give it a quick rinse with cold water and set aside.
- Under the same pot you used for the pasta (which will still be warm), set heat at medium high and add in 1/2 cup of sun-dried tomatoes and 2 tablespoons of oil (from the jar of sun-dried tomatoes).
- Next add in 1 1/4 cup peas, ⅛ tsp of salt and 1 tsp of Italian seasoning and stir to combine. Cook until peas are warmed through, about 3-5 minutes. (Frozen peas will need the 5 minutes.)
- Add in minced garlic (1-4 cloves) and stir again, cooking for 1 minute.
- Turn heat to a low temperature and mix in the pasta, until well combined. If the mixture needs more moisture, you can add a little more oil from sun-dried tomatoes.
- Turn off heat and add in ½ cup of the grated parmesan cheese and mix again. Add the remainder of cheese and stir again until evenly distributed. (Optional: If some guests don’t want cheese, serve it on the side.)
- Serve warm. If you’re not ready to eat yet, turn heat off and cover to keep warm.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1.25 cups
- Calories: 474
- Sugar: 3.5 g
- Sodium: 447mg
- Fat: 14.9 g
- Saturated Fat: 6.4 g
- Carbohydrates: 65 g
- Fiber: 4.9 g
- Protein: 24 g
- Cholesterol: 27 mg
Keywords: easy, dinner, lunch, vegetarian, pasta, quick, summer
