Roasting veggies is the trick to tasty and fast dishes! Not only do you get great flavors and textures, but you also can get your meal ready while they are roasting. It’s the perfect way to use your kitchen time wisely.
Here’s a delicious dinner from last night—and the flavors were even better today at lunch. Enjoy!
Ingredients:
2 cups butternut squash, cut into 1-2″ chunks
2 cups Brussels sprouts, cut in quarters
1 medium zucchini, cut into small chunks
4-5 mushrooms (white button or crimini), sliced
1/2 white onion, sliced thinly
Mild Italian ground pork (with salt, garlic, paprika, spices), about 0.8 pound (I get it fresh from my local Town & Country Markets)—optional (omit for vegetarian version)
Orecchiette pasta, 1/2 box (about 0.5 pound)—can substitute farro or pearl barley
Extra-virgin olive oil
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated
Method:
- Sauté ground pork over medium heat in skillet with small amount of olive oil, cutting into small chunks while stirring frequently, cooking well (no pink!). Remove from skillet and set aside in a bowl. Wipe most of the fat/oil out of the skillet with paper towels (use tongs to avoid burning fingers).
- To prepare the squash and Brussels sprouts, put into a mixing bowl, drizzle with olive oil, mixing to roughly coat. Place on parchment paper lined aluminum sheet pan and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast uncovered for 20 minutes at 425 F.
- While veggies are roasting, start pasta water, add pasta when water is boiling and cook al dente—don’t overcook!
- While pasta water is being started, sauté onion and mushrooms in hot skillet (after pork removed) with olive oil, stir frequently, adding zucchini after 4-5 minutes.
- Add pork back into veggie skillet mixture, combining well.
- Turn down heat and add roasted veggies from the oven directly to the skillet mixture. Mix thoroughly, adding 1/4-1/3 cup of hot pasta water if too dry.
- Drain al dente pasta, add to veggie mixture, stir well.
- Plate in shallow dinner bowl, top with grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.
: : :
For other impromptu meal ideas check out The Menopause Menu & Pinterest.