Roasted Garlic, Turnip & Parmesan Pasta
Roasting garlic is an easy way to add intense flavor to your meals. Here, we blend it with tender, sweet turnip and a touch of Parmesan to make a surprisingly creamy sauce – without any cream.
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Hunks of turnip add a pleasing creaminess to this seasonal pasta.
Total: $9.52
Cost per plate: $2.38
Ingredients
2 heads garlic
½ tsp olive oil
2 tbsp organic unsalted butter, divided
1 turnip, peeled and cut into small chunks
½ yellow onion, finely chopped
¼ tsp red pepper flakes
1¾ cups low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
1 2–inch Parmesan cheese rind + ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1 tsp finely grated lemon zest
¾ tsp sea salt, divided
2 cups whole-grain spirals (TRY: Hodgson Mill Organic Spirals Whole Wheat Pasta)
2½ cups fresh or frozen shelled peas
4 oz baby spinach, roughly chopped
Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Cut two 10-inch squares of foil. Slice ¼ inch off tops of garlic heads; place cut side up on separate squares of foil and drizzle with oil. Wrap tightly and place on a baking sheet. Roast until very tender, about 45 minutes. Let cool enough to handle.
2. Squeeze garlic cloves out of peel into a small bowl. Using a fork, mash garlic into a paste. (MAKE AHEAD: Prepare roasted garlic up to 1 day ahead; stir 1 tsp olive oil into garlic paste and refrigerate in an airtight container.)
3. In a large saucepan on medium, heat 1½ tbsp butter. Add turnip and onion and cook, stirring often, until onion is translucent and turnip is just tender, 5 to 6 minutes. Transfer ½ cup to a separate small bowl and set aside.
4. Add garlic and pepper flakes to saucepan with turnip mixture; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add broth and Parmesan rind; bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat; discard Parmesan rind.
5. Working in batches if necessary, transfer mixture to a blender. Remove stopper from lid and cover lid with a tea towel; blend until smooth. Return mixture to clean saucepan; stir in grated Parmesan, lemon zest and ¼ tsp salt.
6. Meanwhile, bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to package directions. About 2 minutes before pasta is cooked, add peas. Drain well. Add to saucepan with sauce; heat on low. Add remaining ½ tbsp butter, ½ tsp salt and reserved turnip mixture; stir gently to combine. Stir in spinach.
Nutrition Information
- Serving Size ¼ of recipe
- Calories 447
- Carbohydrate Content 63 g
- Cholesterol Content 25 mg
- Fat Content 11 g
- Fiber Content 11 g
- Protein Content 18 g
- Saturated Fat Content 6 g
- Sodium Content 681 mg
- Sugar Content 9 g
- Monounsaturated Fat Content 3 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat Content 1 g