This healthy vegetarian casserole is a standout on any table. Crushed red pepper provides a little kick to this creamy main dish. We love the ease of jarred roasted red peppers, but if you have time, feel free to roast them yourself.
Ingredients:
12 ounces whole-wheat penne
1 (16 ounce) jar roasted red peppers, drained and chopped
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes with basil, drained
3 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup chopped oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
5 ounces spinach, chopped
1 cup roughly chopped fresh basil
½ cup half-and-half
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
⅛ teaspoon ground pepper
1 ⅓ cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly coat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add pasta and cook according to package directions. Reserve 1/2 cup cooking water; drain and keep warm.
Add roasted red peppers, tomatoes and garlic to a blender or food processor; puree until smooth. Pour the mixture into a large, deep-sided skillet or large pot; cook over medium-low heat until heated through and bubbling, about 5 minutes. Stir in the reserved pasta water, sun-dried tomatoes and spinach; cook, stirring frequently, until the spinach is just wilted, about 3 minutes. Add basil, half-and-half, crushed red pepper, salt and pepper; stir to combine. Add the pasta and toss to coat. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish and top with mozzarella.
Bake until bubbling on the edges, about 30 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.
