Penne with sweet potato sauce and roasted cauliflower

Sweet potatoes in a pasta sauce?! Sounds weird but, it tastes absolutely divine and no one would believe it has sweet potatoes in them 🙂 If you are bored with the usual tomato, pesto or Alfredo sauce you should definitely give this a try. This rich creamy pasta sauce with  the goodness of sweet potatoes reminds me mac and cheese but this one is healthier! Pair it with some roasted vegetables to make it a wholesome meal. You can skip the cream in the recipe if you are calorie conscious.But then, you would be missing something awesome. But if you are still conscious about cream, go ahead and replace it with some milk. It still tastes good 🙂

Ingredients:

Serves 2

For the sauce:

• 1 sweet potato
• 1 tomato
• 1 onion finely chopped
• 3-4 garlic pods finely chopped
• 1 tsp red chilli flakes
• 2 tsp balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup cream (optional)
• 1/2 tsp fresh/dried herbs (thyme or sage)
• 1 tsp olive oil or as needed
• salt as needed

For the pasta and roasted cauliflower:

• 2 cups uncooked penne
• 1 cup cauliflower florets
• olive oil as needed
• salt and pepper as needed for seasoning
• water to boil the pasta

Method:

First cook pasta according to package instructions in boiling water and set aside.

For the roasted cauliflower, toss the florets in some oil, salt and pepper and arrange them in a single layer in a baking tray lined with foil and bake them for about 25-30 mins or until the tops are lightly browned.

Mean while, boil/steam the sweet potato until it is tender and soft.

In a blender add the sweet potato, tomato, cream and some oil and puree until it becomes a smooth sauce.

In a pan, add olive oil, chopped garlic, chilli flakes, and saute for a minute. Then add the onion, dried herbs and saute until the onion turns translucent and soft.

Now add the sauce, balsamic vinegar, and cook it for 4-5 minutes until the raw smell of tomato is gone.

Then add cream, salt, pepper and mix well.

Now add the cooked pasta to the sauce and mix well.

Adjust seasoning as necessary and serve hot with some roasted cauliflower and some parmesan sprinkled on top.