Meatless Monday: Whole Grain Penne with Mixed Vegetable Marinara Sauce and Soysage

Whole Grain Penne with Mixed Vegetable Marinara Sauce and Soysage

Making a vegetable marinara sauce is a great way to use up any extra vegetables you have in the fridge. You can use almost any vegetable you'd like, just remember when you're cooking them to add them in order of hardness/how long they take to cook so everything is tender when the sauce is finished.

1/2 box whole grain penne, cooked according to box directions (you may want to reserve some pasta water)

1 can (about 14.5 oz) diced tomatoes and their juice (the kind I used also had roasted garlic which added a nice flavor)

1/4 - 1/2 cup red wine

2-3 carrots, chopped

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

1 small onion, diced

1/2 cup frozen peas

2-3 handfuls kale, spinach, or your favorite similar green

1-2 handfuls green beans, cut in half

1 link Italian soy sausage chopped into rounds or chunks (I used Trader Joe's brand)  

3-4 tbs. tomato paste

2-3 tbs. olive oil

2-3 tsp. red pepper flakes (optional)

Salt and sugar to taste

Parmesan or your favorite Parmesan Blend for topping

In a pot, heat 2 tbs. olive oil over medium heat and add the carrots (they will take the longest to cook so do them first). Cook for 1-2 minutes, then add onions and a pinch of salt. When the onions just begin to get tender, add the garlic, kale (if you are using spinach, it won't take as long to cook so you can hold off for a bit) and green beans. Cook vegetables until they begin to soften, then add the tomatoes and juice. Cook the tomatoes and vegetables for a few minutes, then add the wine and tomato paste. Stir well to combine and season with a bit of salt and sugar and add the red pepper flakes if you want some spice. You can add additional tomato paste for a thicker sauce or a touch of pasta water for a thinner sauce. Add frozen peas. Put a lid on the pot, reduce heat and let simmer until the peas are cooked through - you can cook the sausage while you wait.

In a pan, heat 1 tbs. olive oil over medium-high heat and add soy sausage. Saute until lightly browned, then add to the sauce.

Pour sauce over cooked pasta and top with cheese before serving.