Tahini Fettuccine & Sautéed Veggies
Today I’ll be sharing one of my favorite pasta recipes. It’s flavorful, satisfying, and really healthy too. Unlike other pasta dishes covered in cheese, alfredo, or prepacked sauces, the recipe incorporates fiber, fat, and protein with nuts, seeds, and tons of fresh veggies! I hope you love this Tahini Fettuccine & Sautéed Veggies as much as we do and add it to your regular recipe repertoire.
Notes on the Pasta
Ever since getting a pasta maker, I’ve been making all my pasta from scratch. It’s a bit messy, but very easy and totally worth the effort–especially for this Tahini Fettuccine & Sautéed Veggies. It’s a common misconception that homemade pasta requires eggs, but that’s not true at all. The only ingredients I use are semolina flour, tipo 00 flour, salt, and water. Semolina is also called durum wheat and is the traditional base flour for pasta. I use Bob’s Red Mill. Tipo 00 is a special ultra-refined Italian flour that is used in authentic pizza and pasta. Is is extremely soft and will take your Italian cooking to the next level. That being said, most grocery stores don’t carry it, so all-purpose flour would work just fine instead. The brand I use is Anna’s Napolentana which I found at a local food co-op.
If making homemade pasta isn’t your thing or you just need a quick, throw-together meal, boxed pasta will work just fine. I’d recommend using red lentil or chickpea pasta to increase the protein content and decrease the glycemic load of the recipe.
Veggies
There is a variety of vegetables used to make Tahini Fettuccine & Sautéed Veggies. Usually, I use brussels sprouts, carrots, and sweet potato or squash. These are especially great to use in the fall when they are in season. But the best part about this recipe is the adaptability. Feel free to experiment with more seasonal veggies or ones you like better. Broccoli, zucchini, and bell peppers would all be good options to try.
To prepare the veggies, I start by melting butter in a skillet and letting it cook on medium-low heat until it starts to brown. (To make this a vegan recipe, use olive oil instead and skip the browning part.) Then, add the diced onion and continue cooking until it begins to caramelize. Add the minced garlic and stir for 30 seconds. Then mix the rest of the chopped veggies to the skillet and cook for about ten minutes or until they start to soften. Pour in the white wine and salt and pepper to taste. Cook a few minutes more until veggies start turning golden brown.
Meanwhile, cook the pasta, drain it, and when the veggies are ready, mix it into the skillet. If needed, add a little extra butter or olive oil.
Tahini Dressing
To top it all off, I go with a homemade tahini dressing. It’s nutty, rich and super easy to make. Simply add tahini, water, lemon juice, white wine, and a touch of salt and pepper to a blender and mix for a few seconds until smooth. If you have a sesame allergy and dairy isn’t a problem, skip the tahini dressing and top the pasta with freshly grated Parmesan. It will take the dish in a different direction flavor-wise, but is a very delicious alternative.
For a garnish the Tahini Fettuccine & Sautéed Veggies, try some freshly toasted pecans. Pour about a cup into a frying pan, add a little salt, and cook on medium low until they start to brown and become fragrant. Be careful to wang jangle the pan often so they don’t burn! For a nut allergy alternative, either omit the nuts or try toasted seeds such as pumpkin or sunflower.
1 thought on “Tahini Fettuccine & Sautéed Veggies”