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Tahini & Roasted Red Pepper Rigatoni with Garlic-Thyme Breadcrumbs

Tahini & Roasted Red Pepper Rigatoni

A creamy seasonal pasta made with tahini and roasted red peppers, topped with a stovetop garlic and thyme breadcrumb.

Ingredients

Scale

for the tahini and roasted red pepper sauce:

  • 1/4 + 2 tbsp c tahini
  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 roasted red peppers, skins and seeds removed if roasting yourself
  • 3 cloves of garlic
  • 1 tbsp white miso paste
  • 1/4 c nutritional yeast
  • 3/4 tsp fine sea salt
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch
  • 1/2 c water

for the breadcrumbs:

  •  1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 cup panko breadcrumbs (check ingredients- some contain milk!)
  • 2 finely minced garlic cloves
  • 2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves or 1/2 tsp dried thyme

to assemble the pasta:

  • al dente cooked rigatoni (from 16 oz dry pasta)
  • 1/4 reserved pasta water
  • your prepared tahini and roasted red pepper sauce
  • your prepared breadcrumbs

Instructions

  1. Gather the ingredients for the pasta sauce and add them all to a blender or a food processor. blend until very smooth. set aside.
  2. Cook your pasta to al dente. This is important because it will cook for a couple more minutes once you’ve combined it with the sauce. Reserve 1/4 c pasta water.
  3. While the pasta is cooking, make your breadcrumbs. Take heat the oil for the breadcrumbs in a large skillet over medium-high and add the panko breadcrumbs and minced garlic. Cook for about 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until the breadcrumbs have browned and started to crisp. Turn off the heat and stir in the thyme, then transfer to a bowl and set aside.
  4. When the pasta is al-dente (about 1-2 minutes short of the cooking time on the bag), drain it and don’t rinse it (save that pasta water!). Return the pasta immediately to the pot and set the heat to low. Add the sauce and stir to incorporate. After the sauce starts to thicken (1 minute or so), decide if you need any of the reserved pasta water to help the sauce coat all the pasta well.
  5. Serve generously topped with the garlic-thyme breadcrumbs. Store leftover pasta in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days and breadcrumbs separately in a container at room temperature.