Whole Wheat Rotini Pasta with Spicy Marinara Sauce
I cannot help that I am on a health food frenzy and I have to share my Whole Wheat Rotini Pasta with Spicy Marinara Sauce. It is whole-wheat pasta, yes! The pasta type we don’t crave and try to avoid when we can. Why? May I ask? Because it does not taste like the regular pasta, we are used to.

Do I enjoy a plate of good wheat pasta? Of course! But I will not have it more than 3 or 4 times a month. As healthy it might be, I still have not gotten used to the raw taste of the wheat. I try to find ways to hide the taste as much as I can. Sometimes it works, and sometimes it does not. And that is when cheese saves the day with whole wheat pasta.
Remember when you were a kid and your mom would tell you to eat something that you did not like? After abusing all the excuses, the next tactic would be to add one ingredient you liked very much. Ketchup! Many people would say ketchup fixed every dish when they were a kid. They would be right! And just because ketchup delivered that sweet and tangy taste to the dish, it was the “king” of all ingredients. Ask me if I would add ketchup in many of my dishes? I think not. I know better now and have found many other substitutes like Merlot wine, and Rosemary leaves.
To prepare my Whole Wheat Rotini with Spicy Marinara Sauce, I need the best herbs and wine to make dinner satisfying. Merlot wine, fresh rosemary leaves, crushed red peppers, and a good marinara sauce if all I need. Not too many ingredients for this very delicious whole-wheat pasta dish,
Enjoy,
Whole Wheat Rotini Pasta with Spicy Marinara Sauce
Ingredients
- 16 oz. whole wheat Rotini pasta
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 fresh sprig Rosemary leaves
- 2 pound marinara sauce
- ¼ cup Merlot wine
- Pinch of crushed red pepper
Instructions
- Cook Rotini pasta according to packaging.
- In a large heavy bottom saucepan, add butter and rosemary sprig. Let sear for about 2 minutes on low to medium heat so the flavors of the herb are released. Slowly add the marinara sauce and bring to a boil. Once it starts to boil, add wine and red pepper crushed. Boil sauce while stirring occasionally for 4 – 5 or until thickens a bit. Transfer drained pasta to sauce and stir to mix. Continue cooking for another 2 – 3 minutes. Remove from heat and serve. Sprinkle grated cheese or chopped scallions.
Notes
Nutrition
Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on the products used.
Nutrition info is automatically generated and provided as a courtesy and as an estimate only.