Hearty and healthy are two of our favorite features of a proper dinner, and this Roasted Tomato Garlic Pasta with Farmer Cheese is a prime example. Add a punch of protein to your next healthy pasta recipe with Lifeway Farmer Cheese, and experience the digestive-friendly benefits with a nice dose of protein to keep you full.
Since our farmer cheese is made with live and active cultures, it’s lower in lactose (up to 99% lactose-free!) and is easier to digest. These live and active cultures (probiotics) help your body assimilate the nutrients easier, and they allow you enjoy cheese without worry by aiding in digestion and supporting overall better gut health.
Plus, our cultured cheese is creamy right out of the package, so it’s easy to use and ready to go. It’s no lightweight in the nutrition department either; it’s packed with protein containing 15 grams per serving and is a great source of calcium. It makes an excellent replacement to ricotta and other soft cheese varieties used in pasta and Italian recipes like lasagna, manicotti, and similar style dishes. You can also mix it with other cheese varieties, if you prefer. It has a mild, slighty tangy flavor that can be used in just about any way you can think of.
Here, we roasted some garlic and tomatoes to create a savory, ultra-satisfying sauce that’s used to top pasta with a hefty dose of our farmer cheese on top before adding some garnishes. In less than 30 minutes, this dish can be ready to enjoy on your dinner table. Grab a fork, a container of our farmer cheese, and dig in!
The Benefits of Cultured Dairy for Better Health:
Research continues to show the importance of eating healthy foods, including cultured dairy such as kefir, for optimal digestion and gut health, a strong immune system, and to support the microbiome. Fermented foods like kefir hold important value in this line of research due to the link between the gut-brain axis and overall health. Specifically, kefir has been shown to help diversify the microbiome, improve digestion, reduce inflammation, support healthier blood sugar levels, and improve satiety since the bioavailable protein it contains triggers the release of GLP-1.
Lifeway Kefir is packed with a variety of vital nutrients important for overall health, including bone and muscle health; these include vitamin D3, K, calcium, and vitamin B12. Along with our probiotic-rich kefir, Lifeway also offers artisan-made Farmer Cheese,a creamy, high-protein cheese made with live and active cultures to support healthy muscles and a healthy microbiome. Lifeway Farmer Cheese is easy to spread, free of gums and thickeners, and contains no added salt or sugar for optimal health benefits.
Prep Time: 25 minutes Servings: 4-6Ingredients
For the Pasta and Sauce:
- 1 cup peeled tomatoes
- 1 cup fresh mushrooms, washed and chopped (if they aren't already)
- 2-3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
- 1 tsp. red chilli flakes
- salt/pepper to taste
- 1 tbsp. Italian seasoning
- 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
- 1 (12-ounce) box of tagliatelle or linguine noodles
- Extra-virgin olive oil
For the Topping:
- 1/2 cup Farmer Cheese
- 3-4 leaves of fresh basil and 2-3 tbsp. fresh oregano for topping
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese for topping
Directions
- Place foil on a baking sheet, and preheat the oven to 400 degrees, Fahrenheit. Place the peeled tomatoes, mushrooms, and chopped garlic cloves on the prepared pan, then sprinkle with chili flakes, Italian seasoning, salt/pepper and a drizzle of olive oil. Roast for 15 minutes until the tops of the garlic and tomatoes have slightly charred. Don't overcook. Remove when done.
- While those ingredients are roasting, cook the pasta on the stovetop in a large pot covered with water according to the package directions (usually 10-12 minutes for most styles).
- Once the pasta is done, drain, and place in a bowl, then set aside.
- Take the roasted ingredients from step 1, place in a food processor or small blender with the can of tomato paste, and process until thick and creamy, but don't over-blend. You want a little bit of texture in the sauce.
- Place the noodles in 4-6 serving bowls, add the sauce, and stir to slightly combine. Then top each with fresh basil and oregano, Lifeway Farmer Cheese, extra salt and pepper, and freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
