Penne From Heaven

A fresh tomato sauce loaded with broccoli, zucchini, sugar snap peas, and julienned carrots, spooned over penne and finished with Parmesan. This is the kind of vegetarian pasta that doesn’t feel like it’s missing anything.

The sauce starts simple: onion and garlic softened in olive oil, then chopped Roma tomatoes cooked down with water, salt, and a pinch of sugar for 10 minutes. That sugar isn’t sweetening anything. It balances the acidity of fresh tomatoes, which can be tart depending on the season. The vegetables go in after the sauce has reduced slightly, and they cook just until tender-crisp. You want crunch and color, not mushy greens.

Stirring the Parmesan directly into the vegetable sauce before spooning it over the pasta creates a light, savory coating that clings to every tube.

Kitchen Tips

• Use Roma tomatoes. They’re meatier and less watery than other varieties, which gives you a thicker sauce in just 10 minutes of cooking. Beefsteak or vine tomatoes release too much liquid.
• Cut all vegetables to similar sizes so they cook evenly. The broccoli and zucchini should be bite-sized, the sugar snaps halved, and the carrots julienned thin.
• Don’t overcook the vegetables. They should still have a snap when bitten. Overcooked broccoli turns grey-green and bitter. Add everything at the same time and stir for just a few minutes.

Variations

• Add protein: Toss in grilled chicken slices or sauteed shrimp for a heartier non-vegetarian version.
• Spicy arrabbiata twist: Add ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes with the garlic for a kick of heat in the tomato base.