Creamy Hidden Vegetable Pasta

Name: Creamy Hidden Vegetable Pasta
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 1 medium courgette (approx. 200 g), sliced; 330 g cherry or plum tomatoes; 1 medium onion (approx. 150 g), diced; 1 red bell pepper (approx. 150 g), diced; 2 garlic cloves, peeled; 1 tsp Italian mixed herbs; 10 g olive oil (or low-calorie cooking spray for roasting); 320 g dried penne pasta; 100 g light soft cheese; 100 ml vegetable stock; Salt, to taste; Water, for cooking pasta

Thermomix recipe: Creamy Hidden Vegetable Pasta. Ready in 40 minutes. Serves 4. Step-by-step Thermomix instructions on Chef Amai.

Ingredients

1 medium courgette (approx. 200 g), sliced
330 g cherry or plum tomatoes
1 medium onion (approx. 150 g), diced
1 red bell pepper (approx. 150 g), diced
2 garlic cloves, peeled
1 tsp Italian mixed herbs
10 g olive oil (or low-calorie cooking spray for roasting)
320 g dried penne pasta
100 g light soft cheese
100 ml vegetable stock
Salt, to taste
Water, for cooking pasta

Instructions

Preheat your conventional oven to 200°C.
Place the sliced courgette, cherry/plum tomatoes, diced onion, diced red bell pepper, and peeled garlic cloves into a large ovenproof dish. Drizzle with 10 g olive oil or spray with low-calorie cooking spray, then sprinkle with 1 tsp Italian mixed herbs and a pinch of salt. Toss to coat.
Roast the vegetables in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, or until tender and slightly caramelised. Once roasted, carefully remove from the oven and set aside.
While the vegetables are roasting, clean the Thermomix bowl. Add 1200 g water and 1 tsp salt to the bowl. Heat 12 min / 100°C / Speed 1, or until boiling.
Once the water is boiling, add 320 g dried penne pasta through the lid opening. Cook according to package instructions (typically 10-15 minutes) / 100°C / Reverse / Speed 1. Use the simmering basket on top of the lid instead of the measuring cup to prevent splatter and allow for evaporation. Drain the pasta using the simmering basket and reserve 50-100 ml of the pasta cooking water. Set the cooked pasta aside.
Add the roasted vegetables, 100 g light soft cheese, and 100 ml vegetable stock to the clean Thermomix bowl. Blend 30 sec / Speed 7, or until smooth. If you prefer a thinner sauce, add 50-100 ml of the reserved pasta water and blend for another 10 sec / Speed 5.
Add the cooked pasta to the bowl with the sauce. Mix 1 min / 90°C / Reverse / Speed 1-2 to combine the pasta and sauce evenly and prevent sticking. Pause and scrape down the sides of the bowl with the spatula after 30 seconds if needed.
Serve immediately, optionally with a side of garlic bread.

View this recipe on Chef Amai — convert any recipe to Thermomix format at chefamai.com.