This weekend dish is a small indulgence: it’s not whole-grain pasta, but the pleasantly chewy, toasted pearl-like texture of fregola Sarda makes it worth the treat. The pasta is the highlight, so use whatever fresh vegetables you have on hand to personalize the dish.
Fregola Sarda is a toasted, breadcrumb-like pasta from the island of Sardinia. It’s traditionally made by rubbing coarse semolina with water to form small crumbs, then toasting them to develop a deep, earthy flavor. It cooks more like rice, using a generous amount of water that is allowed to evaporate as it cooks.
5 from 1 vote
Fregola Sarda with Seasonal Vegetables and Sun-Dried Tomatoes
By: Andrew Wilder
This recipe is a small indulgence: not whole-grain pasta, but the toasted pearls of fregola have an irresistible, chewy texture.
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 30 minutes
Total: 45 minutes
Servings: 2 servings
Pin Recipe
Rate Recipe
Print Recipe
Rate Recipe
Print Recipe
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup Fregola Sarda pasta, pre-cooked measure
- 1/2 bunch about 10 stalks Broccolini
- 1 Yellow Squash, diced
- 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
- 2 cloves Garlic, chopped
- 1/4 Yellow Onion, diced
- 1 Purple Bell Pepper, sliced*
- 1 cup Cherry Tomatoes, sliced in half
- 1/4 cup Sun-Dried Tomatoes, packed in Oil
- 1 Tablespoon Organic Tomato Paste
- 5 leaves fresh Basil, chopped
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly-ground Black Pepper
Instructions
-
Cook the fregola according to package directions, allowing extra time if needed — in this case it took about 25 minutes rather than the 15–17 minutes listed. Use plenty of water because the pasta expands as it cooks.
-
While the pasta cooks, steam the broccolini and diced yellow squash until tender. In a separate skillet, heat the olive oil and sauté the chopped garlic, diced onion, and sliced bell pepper until the onion softens.
-
Lower the heat and add the halved cherry tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, and tomato paste. Stir in the chopped basil and let the flavors meld for a few minutes. Add the steamed vegetables and combine, seasoning with freshly ground black pepper to taste.
-
Toss the cooked fregola with the vegetable and tomato mixture. When serving, arrange the broccolini on top so it stands out on the plate.
-
If you can’t find fregola Sarda, good substitutes include Israeli (pearl) couscous or orzo.
Notes
*A purple bell pepper was used here because it was on hand and added visual contrast, but red bell pepper is an excellent alternative.
Nutrition
Calories: 388kcal, Carbohydrates: 66 g, Protein: 14 g, Fat: 8 g, Saturated Fat: 1 g, Sodium: 126 mg, Potassium: 1242 mg, Fiber: 7 g, Sugar: 15 g, Vitamin A: 3480 IU, Vitamin C: 157.7 mg, Calcium: 85 mg, Iron: 3.7 mg
Like this recipe? Rate and comment below!