Lemony Rotini with Goat Cheese Sauce and Spring Vegetables
on Mar 29, 2019, Updated Apr 27, 2023
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This pasta, which is surrounded by all kinds of lovely spring vegetables, is easy on the eyes and easy to prepare.
There are so many good things happening in this easy pasta dish it’s hard to know which virtue to start extolling.
Okay, I’ll just dive in. It’s beautiful. It’s fast, it’s easy, it makes the most of the fabulous vegetables that are starting to appear in the markets now that it’s spring (pause for little bubbles of joy to rise in chest).
It’s healthy, thanks to all of those vegetables, and a light sauce. It’s vegetarian, and whether you are a vegetarian or not, a good vegetarian pasta recipe is always a terrific thing to have in the old arsenal (skip the Parmesan and this one is actually vegan!). And it’s got an amazing goat cheese sauce that is tangy and creamy and lush. The sauce really clings to the rotini, and rotini pasta is always a fun-to-eat happy shape.
Dreamfields has been making their delicious pasta for 15 years, and I’m very pleased to be working with them. When I tried their pasta for the first time, sure I was intrigued by the high plant-based protein count, 7 grams per serving, and 5 grams of fiber as well (that’s twice as much as traditional pasta).
And I liked the idea that this protein-and-fiber combo would make us all feel satisfied for longer. But frankly all of these nutritional benefits mean nothing unless the pasta was delicious, and my family wanted to eat it. All of it! And happily eat it they did, and finished off the leftovers shortly thereafter.
This pasta, which is surrounded by all kinds of lovely spring vegetables, is easy on the eyes and easy to prepare.
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So, what better time of year than spring to shine a light on eating healthily, with fresh foods, and loads of produce? That’s why I’ve partnered with Dreamfields pasta on their 21 Day Pasta Challenge. The challenge is all about simple ways to get fit, get active, and meet your weight goals while still enjoying pasta. Sounds pretty good to me! There’s even a sweepstakes! A chance to win a $1000 Visa gift card, a year’s supply of Dreamfields pasta, and a copy of one of my cookbooks. Even better, right?
As the days get longer and we all get to be out and bout more, we want to eat foods that make us feel sated, but in a lighter way. So start by trying this spring pasta, which is surrounded by all kinds of lovely vegetables, easy on the eyes, easy on the waistline, and easy to prepare.
More Vegetarian Pasta Recipes:
- Linguine with Lemon, Feta and Basil
- Pasta Salad with Tomatoes, Feta and Herbed Mayonnaise
- Spinach Goat Cheese Baked Pasta with Sunflower Seeds
- Creamy Four-Cheese Pasta
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Lemony Rotini with Goat Cheese Sauce and Spring Vegetables
Ingredients
- Kosher salt to taste
- 1 13.25 ounce package Dreamfields rotini
- 2 tablespoons olive oil plus more if needed
- 2 cups scallions thickly sliced (about ½-inch)
- 8 ounces sugar snap peas trimmed and halved crosswise
- 8 ounces string beans or haricot verts trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 cups thinly sliced Swiss chard leaves
- 4 ounces fresh goat cheese crumbled
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese plus more for passing at the table
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
- ½ cup roughly chopped fresh parsley
- Freshly ground pepper to taste
- Red pepper flakes to garnish
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and then cook the pasta according to package directions. Before draining, remove 1 cup of the cooking water.
- While the pasta is cooking, in very large, deep skillet heat the 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the scallions and sauté for 2 minutes until softened. Add the sugar snap peas and green beans, sauté for 2 more minutes, then add the chard and sauté for an additional minute until it starts to wilt. Sprinkle in the goat cheese and ½ cup Parmesan, pour in HALF of the cooking water and the broth and bring to a simmer. Stir in the zest and lemon juice, parsley, and pepper, then taste and add some salt if needed.
- Remove from the heat then return the cooked pasta to the pot and toss until the pasta is well blended with the sauce and vegetables. If it’s a bit dry add some or all of the remaining cooking water, and also another tablespoon two of the olive oil, if desired, and toss.
- Turn the pasta into a serving bowl. Finish with the red pepper flakes and maybe a final sprinkle of Parmesan. Pass a small bowl of Parmesan at the table for people to sprinkle on their pasta as they like.
