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Zucchini Ziti with Romesco Sauce


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  • Author: Alison Marras
  • Total Time: 60 minutes
  • Yield: Serves 4
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Description

Spiralized zucchini tossed in a vibrant romesco sauce, topped with creamy cashew cheese. A hearty, flavorful vegetarian main course.


Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 1 cups (237 ml) cashews
  • Boiling hot water
  • 1 Tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 Tbsp nutritional yeast
  • Pinch sea salt
  • 1 large egg
  • 4 Tribelli Divine Flavor Sweet Peppers red
  • 1 garlic clove minced
  • 1/2 cup chopped almonds
  • 1/4 cup tomato puree
  • 2 Tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
  • 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • Sea salt
  • Pepper
  • 3 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 lbs (454 g) ground meat
  • 1 Tbsp Italian seasoning
  • 1 Tbsp dried oregano
  • 1 medium yellow onion
  • 2-3 large zucchini spiralized

Instructions

  1. Boil water and add it over cashews to completely cover; let sit for 30 minutes.
  2. Make the romesco meat sauce.
  3. Using tongs, carefully and lightly roast each sweet pepper over an open flame on your stove top. Rotate the pepper for a couple of minutes per pepper until lightly blistered.
  4. Set aside to cool for a few minutes.
  5. Once cool enough to handle, roughly chop the peppers (discarding the insides and seeds).
  6. Toss the peppers in a food processor with the remaining ingredients and pulse until well blended into a sauce.
  7. Set aside.
  8. In a skillet, add olive oil and chopped onions over medium heat and lightly cook until translucent.
  9. Add in the ground meat, breaking it up with a spoon.
  10. Cook, mixing well and adding seasonings, until the meat is cooked (no red/raw meat remaining).
  11. Add romesco sauce to the meat; reduce heat to low until well coated and slightly bubbling.
  12. Roughly chop spiralized zucchini noodles into bite-sized pieces.
  13. Add zucchini noodles to the pan and, using tongs, coat them completely in the romesco meat sauce.
  14. Turn off the heat.
  15. Drain the cashews and add them to a blender or food processor with lemon, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, salt, and egg.
  16. Mix until well blended; it’s okay if it’s very loose, as it will stiffen in the oven.
  17. Add a layer of the romesco meat sauce with coated zucchini noodles to the bottom of an 8-inch baking dish.
  18. Pour in a layer of the cashew cheese.
  19. Repeat layering, ending with cashew cheese on top.
  20. Bake at 400°F (204°C) for 20–30 minutes.
  21. Optionally, add more nutritional yeast midway and broil for 1–2 minutes for more color; watch carefully.
  22. Serve.

Notes

  • For a richer cashew cheese, soak the cashews in warm water for at least 2 hours, or preferably overnight.
  • If you don’t have a food processor, you can finely chop the roasted peppers and blend the romesco sauce with an immersion blender.
  • Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and reheated gently on the stovetop or in the microwave.
  • Prep Time: 30 minutes
  • Cook Time: 30 minutes
  • Category: Main Course
  • Method: Roasting
  • Cuisine: Mediterranean

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1.5 cups
  • Calories: 450
  • Sugar: 5
  • Sodium: 400
  • Fat: 25
  • Saturated Fat: 5
  • Unsaturated Fat: 18
  • Carbohydrates: 40
  • Fiber: 8
  • Protein: 15
  • Cholesterol: 50