Loaded Veggie Penne
with Olives and Bocconcini- Wheat
- Sulphites
- Milk
The clever addition of olive brine and roasted red pepper juice gives this pasta an extra layer of depth and flavour. Keep this hack in your back pocket for when you need to add an extra oomph to your dish!
Ingredients
170 g
Penne
(Contains: Wheat)
370 mL
Crushed Tomatoes
113 g
Baby Spinach
170 mL
Roasted Peppers
30 g
Mixed Olives
(Contains: Sulphites)
1 unit
Garlic, cloves
100 g
Bocconcini Cheese
(Contains: Milk)
7 g
Basil
¼ cup
Parmesan Cheese, shredded
(Contains: Milk)
1 tbsp
Italian Seasoning
113 g
Baby Tomatoes
Not included in your delivery
1 tbsp
Oil*
¼ tsp
Salt*
0.13 tsp
Pepper*
Nutrition Values
Utensils
Cooking Steps
Wash and dry all produce. Add 10 cups water and 2 tsp salt to a large pot (use same for 4 ppl). Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Add penne to the boiling water. Cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until tender, 10-12 min. Reserve 1/4 cup pasta water (dbl for 4 ppl), then drain.
While pasta cooks, peel, then mince or grate garlic. Halve tomatoes. Drain roasted peppers, reserving liquid from the jar, then roughly chop. Drain olives, reserving brine, then roughly chop. Roughly tear basil. Tear bocconcini into quarters.
Heat a large non-stick pan over medium heat. When hot, add 1 tbsp oil (dbl for 4 ppl), then garlic and tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until tomatoes start to soften, 2-3 min. Increase heat to medium-high. Add Italian Seasoning, roasted peppers, crushed tomatoes, olive brine and pepper liquid to the pan. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to medium. Cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened slightly, 5-7 min.
Add penne, spinach and olives to the pan. Cook, stirring often, until sauce thickens, 2-3 min.
Add bocconcini, half the basil and half the Parmesan to the pan with pasta. Stir until bocconcini starts to melt, 30 sec-1 min. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Divide pasta between bowls. Sprinkle remaining basil and Parmesan over top.
Customer reviews
Review summary
Updated on Feb 2026- Flavor: Many enjoyed the combination of flavors, especially the olives and roasted peppers, though some found it a bit bland.
- Ease of prep: Customers appreciated how quick and easy this dish was to prepare, making it great for family cooking.
- Suggestions: Consider adding more olives, cheese, and spices for extra flavor; some recommend including a protein option.
- Leftovers: The pasta kept well, with some even sharing their leftovers with others who enjoyed it.
- Texture: A few noted the sauce was watery; consider reducing liquid or simmering longer for a thicker consistency.
