Creamy Tomato & Plant-Based Mince Orecchiette
with Parmesan Cheese & Cucumber Salad
Orecchiette (meaning ‘little ears’ in Italian) is the perfect pasta shape for cradling this creamy plant-based mince sauce. With a fresh apple salad to cut through the richness and a sprinkling of roasted almonds for some crunch, your favourite pasta and salad combo is back and better than ever!
Ingredients
1 packet
Roasted Almonds
1 packet
Light Cooking Cream
1 sachet
Vegetable Stock Pot
1 packet
Baby Spinach Leaves
1 packet
Orecchiette
2
Garlic
1 packet
Snacking Tomatoes
1 packet
Parmesan Cheese
1
Brown Onion
200 g
Plant-Based Mince
1 sachet
Garlic & Herb Seasoning
1 packet
Tomato Paste
1 packet
Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing
1
Cucumber
Utensils
Cooking Steps
• Boil the kettle. Fill a medium saucepan with boiling water and place over high heat. To pan, add a pinch of salt. • Cook orecchiette in the boiling water until ‘al dente’, 11 minutes. Reserve some pasta water (1/4 cup for 2 people / 1/2 cup for 4 people). Drain and return to the saucepan. TIP: 'Al dente' pasta is cooked through but still slightly firm in the centre.
• Meanwhile, finely chop garlic and brown onion (see ingredients). Thinly slice apple into wedges.
• Heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat with a drizzle of olive oil. Cook plant-base mince and onion, breaking up with a spoon, until just browned, 4-5 minutes. • Reduce heat to medium, add tomato paste, garlic & herb seasoning and garlic and cook until fragrant, 1 minute. • Stir in the vegetable stock pot, light cooking cream and reserved pasta water and simmer until slightly reduced, 1-2 minutes. • Add cooked orecchiette and half the baby spinach leaves, gently stir to combine and cook until wilted slightly.
• In a medium bowl, combine apple, the remaining spinach, roasted almonds, balsamic vinaigrette dressing and a drizzle of olive oil. Season to taste. • Divide saucy tomato plant-based mince orecchiette between bowls. Top with Parmesan cheese. • Serve with apple salad. Enjoy!
