Cheesy Tomato and Chipotle Bowtie Pasta

Don’t you just love one-pot meals?  Even better when they require no meat, am I right?  It’s good to cut back on the meat intake every now and then if you’re used to having it more than twice a week.  Studies have shown that meat takes longer to digest when compared to a vegetarian diet.  It also forces us to get more creative in the kitchen, which happens to be something I LOVE to do often.  This week I’m serving up a meal that is easy to make, and can be done in just 30 minutes.

Bowtie pasta with cheddar and parmesan cheese, made with a traditional tomato sauce simmered in a chipotle chile sofrito base.

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In a large pot, bring salted and oiled water to a boil. I typically add about 1 or 2 tablespoons to the water before it starts boiling.  Once you see it begin to boil, add the pasta. Cook the pasta until slightly past al dente.  Remove from the water by draining the pasta and water through a strainer, reserving 1 cup of the pasta water.  Set that aside for now.

In the same pot, on medium heat, add the olive oil, shallot, garlic, and cook until soft and it begins to brown (about one minute).

Add 3/4 cup of the pasta water and scrape the bottom of the pan to loosen any stuck onion or garlic pieces.

Add the minced chipotle.

Simmer on medium low until the pasta water has reduced to half the amount.

Add the whole can of chopped olive and the pasta sauce.

Use the remaining pasta water to rinse out any remaining sauce in the jar. Pour that into the pot as well.

Add the garlic salt, stir well.

Simmer covered on medium low for 15 minutes.

Turn off heat, add the cooked pasta, mix together well.

Add the cheddar cheese, mix well again. Serve with slices of parmesan cheese.

Enjoy!

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Cheesy Tomato and Chipotle Pasta

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Servings 4 -5

Author Stephanie Chavez

Ingredients

• 1 pound bowtie pasta
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons shallot, minced
• 1 cup pasta water
• 1 chipotle in adobo sauce, seeds removed, minced
• 1 4.25 ounce can chopped black olives
• 1 24 ounce jar tomato pasta sauce
• 1 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1 - 1 1/2 cups mild cheddar cheese, shredded
• Thin Parmesan cheese slices

Instructions

1. In a large pot, bring salted and oiled water to a boil. Add pasta, cook slightly past al dente. Drain, reserve 1 cup of the pasta water, set aside.
2. In the same pot, on medium heat, add the olive oil, shallot, garlic, and cook until soft and it begins to brown (about one minute). Add 3/4 cup of the pasta water and scrape the bottom of the pan to loosen any stuck onion or garlic pieces. Add the minced chipotle, simmer till the pasta water has reduced to half the amount.
3. Add the chopped olive and pasta sauce. Use the remaining pasta water to rinse out any remaining sauce in the jar. Pour that into the pot as well and add the garlic salt. Simmer covered on medium low for 15 minutes.
4. Turn off heat, add the cooked pasta, mix together well. Add the cheddar cheese (amount depends on how cheesy you want it), mix well again. Serve with slices of parmesan cheese.

See what my fellow bloggers  have come up with this week for Lent!