It’s almost summertime and that means three things in my world: picnics, tomato season, and pasta salads. So coming up with recipes such as this Farfalle Pasta with Herbed Ricotta that includes all three is a win win…win.
Made with farfalle “bowtie” pasta, charred grape tomatoes, and an herby almond milk ricotta, this dish is great for summer picnic season. You can serve this warm, and it’s also awesome cold or room temp if you’re taking a pasta salad to a picnic or cookout.
And the best part? Even if you avoid dairy and gluten I’ve got you covered, because this recipe calls for Jovial gluten-free brown rice pasta and Kite Hill dairy-free almond milk ricotta.
Summer is the best time to make this pasta
This is also one of those recipes you can add or swap ingredients, depending on preference and what’s in season. I keep this version simple and seasonal with tomatoes and lots of fresh herbs, but you can also add any of the following:
- olives
- artichokes
- red onion
- grilled corn
- roasted asparagus
- roasted red peppers
- other herbs such as parsley, dill, chives
- cucumber (for chilled pasta salad)
- grilled shrimp or chicken (for the meat and seafood eaters in da house)
Charred grape tomatoes are super sweet
For the tomatoes I just toss a combo of heirloom grape and cherry tomatoes with a little avocado or olive oil and sea salt, then broil a few minutes until they burst. Roasting tomatoes this way makes them super sweet and even creates extra juice that acts like a sauce.
This herby ricotta is also great in lasagna
The ricotta adds a creaminess and the herbs add a freshness. The ricotta itself is great, and you can even use it in other recipes such as topping a bruschetta or crostini, stirring into a healthy barley risotto, adding to stuffed shells, and of course layering in lasagna.
Like I said, not only is this dish great to serve warm, but you can make ahead and serve it at room temp or even cold. Picnic, anyone!?
Serve this dish warm or as a chilled pasta salad
Think you’ll make this recipe? If so, please leave a comment below or tag me on Instagram. I’d love to see your creations!
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| Prep Time | 10 minutes |
| Cook Time | 10 minutes |
| Servings |
servings
|
- 8 oz uncooked pasta *see post for brand recs*
- 2 cups grape tomatoes
- 1 tsp olive or avocado oil
- 1/2 cup ricotta cheese such as Kite Hill vegan almond milk ricotta *you may not need all of the ricotta*
- 1/4 cup packed minced fresh herbs such as parsley, basil
- 1 clove garlic grated on a microplane
- 1 lemon zested
- flake salt to taste
- salt & pepper to taste
Ingredients
|
|
- cook pasta al dente in salted water, drain and reserve about 1/4 of the pasta cooking water (you may or may not need it)
- meanwhile, turn broiler on high and line a sheet pan with parchment paper
- toss tomatoes with olive oil and a generous pinch of flake salt, then broil until they burst and skins are a little charred (watching carefully!), about 5 to 7 minutes
- mix ricotta with fresh herbs, garlic and lemon zest, taste and season with salt & pepper if desired
- to serve, combine pasta with tomatoes, then dollop with ricotta (you may not need or want all the ricotta, so save the rest for another use); if desired, add a little of the pasta cooking water, garnish with fresh basil
- recipe serves 2 as a main, 4 as a side
- see blog post for notes and recipe tips
Original recipe created by Jerran Boyer
www.healthnutchefs.com