This recipe was inspired by a recipe I saw on Instagram. As I made the original I realized it needed some tweaks to make it work for my family. I added a bit more liquid to the pot, more spices, more lemon, Parm and vegan sausage. It was absolutely delicious and got a huge thumbs up from the family. I love how the pasta cooked in the sauce and I didn't have to cook it separately. It made for a very easy Sunday night dinner. I served with a side of crusty bread and I was very heavy handed on the super healthy micro-greens. This made three large servings, could stretch to four smaller servings.
Enjoy!
Ingredients:
4 Tbl olive oil, divided
1 yellow onion, skins removed and diced
4 cloves of garlic, skins removed and minced
1/2 tsp chili pepper flakes
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
2 cups water or broth, divided
1 15oz can of full fat coconut milk
2 lemons, zest & juice, divided
12 oz rigatoni
Micro-greens of your choosing, I used arugula micro-greens
3-4 links of chicken or plant-based sausage (I like Beyond Sausage) cooked and sliced
Parmesan for serving
Directions:
Heat 2 Tbl of olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onions and cook for 8 minutes, stirring often. If onions stick to the pan or start to get brown, add a Tbl of water to deglaze the pan. I had to do this twice during cooking. Add garlic and cook for just one minute more, stirring the whole time. Add the pepper flakes, salt, pepper, one cup of water or broth, the whole can of coconut milk, all the lemon zest and juice from only one lemon. Add the dry pasta and give a good stir. Cook, uncovered, over medium low to medium heat until the pasta is al dente. I would say I cooked the pasta for about 15 minutes. After 7 minutes or so, add the second cup of water/broth. You want the water and coconut milk to eventually become a sauce....this dish will not be super "saucy" ....most of the liquid will absorb as the pasta cooks.
When the pasta is cooked to your liking, add the remaining 2 Tbl of olive oil and juice of the second lemon and stir. Taste pasta and add more salt and pepper if needed.
Scoop into pasta bowls and serve with Parmesan, micro-greens, and sausage/vegan sausage.
Enjoy!!!
