Ricotta cheese is my new best friend.
I have always made this combination of whole wheat pasta, tomato sauce, and broccoli as a fast and healthy dinner…But for some reason, I never really pursued a creamy tomato sauce.
Lazy much?
Tonight I was feeling inspired to make my sauce a little thicker, creamier, and more satisfying. And that’s why ricotta is my new best friend.
I’ve used half and half before to creamify my tomato sauce. Let’s just say the sound of the half and half glugging into my pasta sauce does not necessarily make me feel healthy. Not to mention, the consistency never gets quite thick enough for me.
Ricotta to the rescue! A mere 2 tablespoons adds creaminess and thickens the sauce like magic. And 45 calories… thank you very much.
So here’s my classic tomato ricotta pasta recipe, in all it’s semi-homemade glory.
Tomato Ricotta Pasta with Broccoli
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
Description
Tomato Ricotta Pasta with Broccoli – pasta with an easy sauce made healthier with added veggies.
Ingredients
- tomato sauce
- part-skim ricotta cheese
- broccoli
- whole wheat pasta
- parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Boil noodles.
- Steam broccoli.
- Drain.
- Add sauce, ricotta, and broccoli to pan.
- Top with parmesan cheese.
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Boil
- Cuisine: Italian
Keywords: tomato ricotta pasta, easy pasta recipe, ricotta pasta
Wait, was that even a recipe?
Hmm.
Do you make your own pasta sauce?
What kind of pasta sauce do you prefer: cream or tomato based? Creamy is my favorite.
Speaking of creamy, shout out to Ang and the days of dorm living when we thought cooking a gourmet meal was opening a jar of alfredo sauce and dumping it on fettucine noodles.
I guess I haven’t really come that far after all…