Sweet potato pasta recipe

This sweet potato pasta makes a delicious lunchtime option and also keeps the calories low.

Sweet potatoes are dense with nutrients and lower in calories and carbohydrates than regular potatoes. They're a great source of vitamin A which is important for a healthy immune system. However, as with regular potatoes, it's easy to make them unhealthy in the way they are cooked (frying in oil, for instance). In this recipe we've simply boiled the sweet potatoes, adding no fat during the cooking process. The result is soft chunks of gooey sweetness, contrasted by salty parmesan and bright green peas. This is a great lunchtime option - it takes less than 30 minutes from start to finish and is one of our favourite cheap family meals.

Ingredients

• 300g sweet potato, peeled and cut into small cubes
• 300g pasta shapes
• 100g frozen peas
• 2 tbsp semi-skimmed milk
• 150g low-fat natural yoghurt
• 40g reduced-fat Parmesan or mature cheese, finely grated
• Ground black pepper

Method

1. Cook the sweet potato chunks in simmering water for 12-15 minutes, until tender. Drain well.
2. Meanwhile, cook the pasta shapes in a large saucepan for 6-8 minutes, or according to pack instructions, until tender. Drain well then return to the saucepan.
3. Stir the sweet potato chunks and frozen peas through the pasta. Add the milk and yogurt and heat gently for 1-2 minutes. Serve, sprinkled with the cheese and a little ground black pepper.

Top tips for making sweet potato pasta

Swap the sweet potato for any root vegetable or squash you have to hand - butternut squash, swede, carrots or parsnips. This recipe is not vegetarian because it contains Parmesan cheese (which contains animal rennet), but you could swap this for a vegetarian Italian-style hard cheese instead.

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