Megan graduated from middle school this month – congrats to all the graduates everywhere who had the quarantine graduation experience! Her special request to celebrate at home was this graduation pasta dish – a medley of pasta, garlicky tomato sauce, beans, chick peas, pepperoni, peas, basil, and plant-based parmesan. So delicious – I’m glad she requested it. 🙂
Ingredients
2 tbsp olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 pack plant-based pepperoni, diced
1 x 28 oz can crushed tomatoes, blended
1 can pinto or kidney beans (or 1 1/2 cups cooked from dry)
1 can garbanzo beans (or 1 1/2 cups cooked from dry)
1 package mixed pasta
1 cup frozen peas
7-8 leaves fresh basil, torn up
Optional: plant-based cheese or nutritional yeast to your taste
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add in the garlic and pepperoni and cook for 2-3 minutes until the garlic starts to turn golden brown, then add in the blended tomatoes, followed by the kidney and garbanzo beans. Let it start to bubble, then stir and turn it down to medium low to simmer while you cook the pasta.
In a separate large pot filled 3/4 with water, bring it to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions. Chop your basil and prepare your optional toppings.
Finally, add the peas to the sauce and stir well. Drain the pasta and mix in one or two scoops of sauce to prevent the pasta from all sticking together. Call people to the kitchen and let everyone serve and decorate their own graduation pasta bowls!
Leave a Reply