Garden Truffle Rotini

My Garden Truffle Rotini is a vegetarian comfort dish highlighting some vegetables you would find in your backyard garden or local farmers market. Crisp red onions, plump cherry tomatoes and savory herbs like fennel and truffle. This is one recipe you will want a second, or even third helping of. It also only takes 30 minutes! I am so happy to introduce this recipe to you. It has been that one recipe I can always count on when I am not sure what I want to cook. From my kitchen to yours! I hope your enjoy.

Happy Accident

Have you ever been low on time to cook, and end up placing whatever you had on hand in pan hoping for the best? That is how my Garden Truffle Rotini Pasta was born! With 30 minutes before my next camera-on conference call and a grumbling stomach;I found bits and pieces of this recipe in my fridge. A half a cup of cream, half an onion, handful of cherry tomatoes and a drawer full of my favorite spices. I was expecting “something edible”, however I was shocked at the flavor my first bite. It was fantastic.

Introduction

One bite of this pasta and you will taste the savory truffle zest and the licorice like aroma of fennel. The comforting cream pairs nicely with the sweet vegetables . It’s complex, earthy and enchanting- much like your backyard veggie garden.

All About the Ingredients

Produce and Pasta

My Garden Truffle RotiniPasta ingredients bring together a savory and slightly sweet flavor and a bowl of comfort.

• Cherry Tomatoes- Fresh from the garden, a farmers market or your grocery store they give this dish a sweet tomato flavor without overwhelming the entire dish. Please make sure to cut these in half length wise so that you do not have a hot cooked tomato that bursts in your mouth. Roma tomatoes cut into bite sized pieces would work as well.

• Purple Onion-I do a quick sauté so the onion was not super limp or caramelized. This goes against my cooking rules I was taught of using yellow onion to cook and purple onion only for salads but trust me it worked. If you have white or yellow onion on hand they would also work but the taste may be slightly off from my original recipe. I highly recommend using the purple onion. Just like jazz, some rules are meant to be bent.

• The Pasta- Rotini is great choice to soak up the creamy sauce and is what I originally used. I also think macaroni, penne and small shells would make fine choices. My top go too are whole wheat pasta or gluten free chickpea pasta like BANZA. The chickpea pasta is a nice choice if you are attempting to get additional protein in your diet.
• Cream- I prefer heavy cream, but my waistline doesn’t always agree. For regular heavy cream follow the directions in the recipe card below. I have made this with a healthy swap of half-and-half and it does not compromise on flavor. If you are using half and half you can boil it and then reduce heat when it bubbles. The half and half will turn a light brown color from the spices. I tend to remove it from heat when it looks like this.
  • If you follow a vegan lifestyle, I would suggest using dairy free creamer such as Califia Farms Heavy Whip.

Spices in Garden Truffle Rotini Pasta

• Truffle Zest- I don’t use real truffle mushrooms in this recipe. I achieve the flavor by using a spice called Truffle Zest.  In all honesty, this is the most expensive bottle in my spice drawer. The bottle is slightly larger than your average spice jar so it usually lasts up to a yea or longer. Umami spice is another less expensive option. The flavor is differentt but still has a mushroom taste at 1/4 of the cost. I was able to find bottle under $5 at both Whole Foods and Target.
• Fennel Seed- Using fennel adds a slightly licorice flavor that goes excellently with the truffle spice. You can find these in the spice section of your local grocery store.
• Garlic- I have made this with both garlic powder and freshly minced. Fresher is always best, but powdered garlic works great as a substitute. (It can also save you some time)
• Basil- I used just a bit of dried basil spice. If you do have fresh only a leaf or two will do since so as to make sure it does not outperform the Truffle spice.
• Salt/Pepper- It goes on almost everything! Lately I prefer using Himalayan pink salt but regular kosher will work too.

Cooking Tips

While the taste of this dish is sophisticated and complex, making it is rather simple. First, chop up your fresh basil, tomatoes and garlic. This is also a good time to measure your spices. I like to add mine into a small bowl for easy dumping. Next, begin boiling the noodles. If you are using the chickpea noodles, they do cook faster. After the noodles begin to boil, add your cream of choice, seasonings and onion to a separate skillet. Let it cook until it begins to bubble slightly. By then, your noodles are likely ready. I prefer to transfer my noodles with a slotted spoon rather than dumping the mixture in a colander. I lower the heat and cook until combined and top with fresh basil, salt and pepper. The cream should easily coat the noodles. What a great easy lunch.

Wrap Up

In order to make this a full meal consider adding a side salad like Arugula Pepper Side Salad and some crusty bread. I think it would even go great with a side of lemon roasted asparagus or other garden fresh vegetable.

I hope you decide to add this to your meals this week! It’s made with garden fresh ingredients, interesting spices and it’s easy to cook! I will continue to share my “happy accidents” here on Hey Little Shorty, but only the good ones. Not only do I make the most of everything in my fridge, I find it as a creative challenge. This week I challenge you to find some leftover ingredients and make your own “happy accident”! Leave a note in the comments with what you came up with and if it turned out good.

Other Recipes to Try

If you enjoyed this dish check out some of my other meals:

Grandmas Guacamole – It goes great on anything and everything. It’s also full of healthy fat.

Midwestern Chicken Noodle Soup – A great dish to keep you warm this winter.

Made with love

-J.Marie