Pasta, Risotto, and Rice (9 page)

Serves 4
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Prep time: 10 minutes
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Cooking time: 15 minutes

Bocconcini are golf ball–size balls of fresh mozzarella. Ciliegine are cherry-sized balls of fresh mozzarella. Either will work in this recipe, and if you’ve never tried them, please do for this dish. They’re widely available, and the taste of fresh mozzarella can’t be beat.

12 ounces penne

1 tablespoon olive oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups chopped plum tomatoes

12 mozzarella balls (bocconcini or ciliegine)

¼ cup chopped fresh basil

Cook the penne according to the package directions. Drain and keep warm.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes, until soft. Add the tomatoes and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until the tomatoes start to break down, stirring frequently. Stir in the cooked penne and cook for 1 minute to heat through. Remove from the heat and stir in the mozzarella balls and basil. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper before serving.

Nutrients per serving:

Calories: 473
Fat: 15g
Saturated Fat: 7g
Cholesterol: 33mg
Carbohydrate: 67g
Protein: 20g
Fiber: 4g
Sodium: 71mg

Somen Noodles in Miso–Black Bean Broth

Serves 4
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Prep time: 10 minutes
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Cooking time: 10 minutes

Pairing noodles and beans creates a hearty meal that boasts loads of protein. I love small black beans for this dish, so I don’t recommend substituting other bean varieties.

12 ounces somen noodles

1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth

1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained

¼ cup miso paste

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Cook the noodles according to the package directions. Drain and keep warm.

Meanwhile, combine the broth, beans, and miso paste in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the cooked noodles and cook for 1 to 2 minutes to heat through. Remove from the heat and stir in the cilantro. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper before serving.

Nutrients per serving:

Calories: 419
Fat: 3g
Saturated Fat: 0g
Cholesterol: 1mg
Carbohydrate: 80g
Protein: 19g
Fiber: 10g
Sodium: 1060mg

Buttered Udon Noodles with Tamari

Serves 4
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Prep time: 10 minutes
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Cooking time: 10 minutes

I love the combination of sweet buttered noodles and salty tamari sauce, a thicker, darker version of soy sauce. You can also substitute hoisin sauce or black bean sauce for the tamari sauce if desired.

12 ounces udon noodles

½ cup reduced-sodium chicken broth

¼ cup tamari sauce

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Cook the noodles according to the package directions. Drain and return the noodles to the pan. Whisk together the broth and tamari sauce and then add the mixture to the pan along with the butter. Set the pan over medium heat and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until the butter melts, stirring frequently. Remove from the heat and stir in the parsley. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper before serving.

Nutrients per serving:

Calories: 375
Fat: 8g
Saturated Fat: 4g
Cholesterol: 16mg
Carbohydrate: 60g
Protein: 15g
Fiber: 5g
Sodium: 1144mg

Spicy Soba Noodles with Sriracha

Serves 4
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Prep time: 10 minutes
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Cooking time: 10 minutes

Buckwheat-based soba noodles are hearty enough to stand up to the intense, sweet, and garlicky heat of sriracha hot sauce. Since there’s no meat in this dish, you can make it vegetarian by using vegetable broth instead of chicken broth. Or, on the flip side, you can add cooked shrimp or shredded chicken.

12 ounces soba noodles

½ cup reduced-sodium chicken broth

2 teaspoons sesame oil

2 teaspoons sriracha hot sauce, or more to taste

¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro

Cook the noodles according to the package directions. Drain and return the noodles to the pan. Add the broth, sesame oil, and sriracha sauce and set the pan over medium heat. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes to heat through. Remove from the heat and stir in the cilantro. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Nutrients per serving:

Calories: 313
Fat: 3g
Saturated Fat: 1g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Carbohydrate: 64g
Protein: 13g
Fiber: 0g
Sodium: 739mg

Somen Noodles with Soy and Pickled Ginger

Serves 4
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Prep time: 10 minutes
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Cooking time: 10 minutes

Pickled ginger is the same thing as the pink-colored ginger that Japanese restaurants serve alongside sushi and sashimi. It’s a bit milder than the fresh root but still boasts the pungent ginger flavor we know and love. Look for it with the other Asian ingredients in the grocery store.

12 ounces somen noodles

½ cup reduced-sodium chicken broth

¼ cup diced pickled ginger

3 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce

2 teaspoons sesame oil

Cook the noodles according to the package directions. Drain and return the noodles to the pan. Add the broth, ginger, soy sauce, and sesame oil and set the pan over medium heat. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes to heat through. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper before serving.

Nutrients per serving:

Calories: 355
Fat: 5g
Saturated Fat: 0g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Carbohydrate: 63g
Protein: 13g
Fiber: 6g
Sodium: 877mg

Miso-Mirin Soba Noodles with Cilantro

Serves 4
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Prep time: 10 minutes
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Cooking time: 15 minutes

Miso is a Japanese paste made with fermented soybeans. You can find it (and the soba noodles) in the international and specialty foods section of the grocery store. Soba noodles are hearty buckwheat noodles, and they’re super-filling. You can substitute whole wheat spaghetti for the soba noodles if desired.

12 ounces soba noodles

½ cup mirin (Japanese rice wine)

3 tablespoons miso paste

¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro

Cook the soba noodles according to the package directions. Drain and return the noodles to the pan. Whisk together the mirin and miso and then add the mixture to the noodles. Toss to combine. Stir in the cilantro and season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper before serving.

Nutrients per serving:

Calories: 413
Fat: 1g
Saturated Fat: 0g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Carbohydrate: 82g
Protein: 18g
Fiber: 4g
Sodium: 655mg

Penne with Seared Tuna and Capers

Serves 4
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Prep time: 10 minutes
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Cooking time: 15 minutes

Ask your fishmonger for the best tuna steaks for this dish so you can cook them only until they’re still pink in the center. This keeps the fish moist and prevents it from becoming dry or flaky.

12 ounces penne

2 tablespoons garlic-flavored olive oil

2 tuna steaks, each about 1 inch thick (about 1 pound total)

½ cup drained capers (packed in brine, not salt)

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain and keep warm.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season both sides of the tuna steaks with salt and freshly ground black pepper and add to the hot pan. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes per side, until seared but still pink in the center (or longer for fully cooked fish). Remove the tuna from the pan (reserve the oil in the pan) and cut the fish into 1-inch chunks.

Add the cooked penne to the pan with the capers and cook for 1 minute to heat through. Remove from the heat and stir in the tuna and parsley. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper before serving.

Nutrients per serving:

Calories: 482
Fat: 10g
Saturated Fat: 2g
Cholesterol: 53mg
Carbohydrate: 62g
Protein: 36g
Fiber: 3g
Sodium: 677mg

Chinese Noodles with Snap Peas and Wasabi Butter Sauce