Creamy Red Pepper and Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta

Ingredients

• 150 g dried pasta
• 1 jar roasted red peppers (drained; jar size not specified)
• 300 g silken tofu (approximately; drained; use silken, not firm tofu)
• 5 sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil
• 1 tsp rose harissa
• 1 tsp garlic granules
• 1 fresh basil (a good handful; for finishing)
• 20 g Parmesan (grated; optional, plus a little more to finish if desired)
• salt (to taste; season well and adjust to taste)
• black pepper (to taste; season well and adjust to taste)
• pasta water (reserve a mugful; add a splash if needed)

Steps

1. 1

   Cook the dried pasta according to the packet instructions. Before draining, reserve a mugful of the pasta water, then drain the pasta.

2. 2

   Put the drained roasted peppers, silken tofu, sun-dried tomatoes, rose harissa, and garlic granules in a blender. Add the optional grated Parmesan if using. Season well with salt and black pepper.

3. 3

   Blend until the sauce is completely smooth and creamy; no chopping is needed.

4. 4

   Pour the sauce into a large frying pan and warm it gently for a few minutes, until bubbling, so the flavors come together.

5. 5

   Add the cooked pasta to the pan and toss until coated. Add a splash of reserved pasta water if needed, until the sauce is silky and clings to the pasta.

6. 6

   Taste and adjust the seasoning. Finish with fresh basil and, if desired, a little more Parmesan. Serve; for extra protein, pair each portion with roughly 100–120 g chicken, prawns, or salmon.

Notes

Serves 2; the source states about 445 kcal and 20 g protein per portion. Use silken tofu, not firm tofu. For roughly 30 g or more protein per portion, the author suggests adding about 100–120 g chicken, prawns, or salmon per person. Jar size for the roasted peppers is unspecified.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• vegetarian
• high-protein
• quick
• easy
• stovetop
• pasta