Description
A wholesome and vibrant Quinoa Sweet Potato Noodle Bolognese featuring a hearty vegetable and tomato sauce, tender sweet potato noodles, and topped with toasted crushed almonds for a delightful crunch. This nutritious, plant-based dish is packed with flavors and textures, perfect for a healthy and satisfying meal in just 35 minutes.
Ingredients
Quinoa
- 3 tbsp dry quinoa
- 1/4 cup + 3 tbsp water
- Salt, to taste
Sauce
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tsp minced garlic
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1/4 cup chopped celery
- 1/4 cup peeled and chopped carrot
- 1/4 cup diced red onion
- 1 14-oz can diced tomatoes
- 1 tsp oregano flakes
- Pepper, to taste
- Salt, to taste
Sweet Potato Noodles
- 1.5 large sweet potatoes, peeled and spiralized (Blade C)
- Olive oil cooking spray
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- Salt, to taste
- Pepper, to taste
Toasted Almond Topping
- Handful of almonds, less than 1/4 cup
Instructions
- Cook Quinoa: Place a small saucepan over high heat and add quinoa with water and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer until the water evaporates and quinoa is fluffy. Set aside in a bowl.
- Prepare Vegetables: While quinoa cooks, pulse the chopped carrot and celery in a food processor until finely chopped with no large chunks remaining. Set aside.
- Toast Almonds: Clean the food processor and crush the almonds until chunky. Heat a small skillet over medium heat, add the crushed almonds and cook for about 3 minutes until fragrant. Set aside.
- Sauté Aromatics and Vegetables: In a large saucepan over medium heat, heat olive oil. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute, then add red pepper flakes and cook for 30 seconds. Add the celery-carrot mixture and diced red onions, cooking for 3-4 minutes until softened.
- Simmer Sauce: Add diced tomatoes, oregano, salt, and pepper to the vegetables. Crush tomatoes with the back of a fork or potato masher. Simmer for 10-15 minutes until the sauce thickens but remains juicy.
- Cook Sweet Potato Noodles: While sauce simmers, heat a large skillet over medium. Add sweet potato noodles, lightly spray with olive oil cooking spray, season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Toss frequently until noodles are wilted and softened, about 5-10 minutes.
- Combine Ingredients: Stir the cooked quinoa into the thickened sauce. Add the cooked sweet potato noodles and toss everything to combine evenly.
- Serve: Plate the combined noodles and sauce into bowls and top each serving with an even amount of toasted crushed almonds. Enjoy warm!
Notes
- Spiralizing sweet potatoes ahead of time and storing them covered in the refrigerator helps save time.
- Adjust red pepper flakes to your preferred spice level or omit for a milder dish.
- Almonds add a lovely texture contrast but can be substituted with other nuts or seeds if preferred.
- To make the dish gluten free, ensure quinoa and other ingredients are certified gluten free.
- Leftover sauce and noodles keep well refrigerated for up to 3 days.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Vegetarian
