Edamame & Mung Bean Fettuccine with Sweet & Spicy Sweet Potato Sauce
If you’ve been following this blog, you’ve seen I’ve been playing lately with some recipes featuring pasta alternatives from Explore Cuisine. This time I went with their Organic Edamame & Mung Bean Fettuccine to see what I could come up with. And the sauce may not be something you’d think of when it comes to pasta.
Typically fettuccine is associated with Alfredo sauce. A high calorie, saturated fat bomb of a sauce. And while I did create a low-cal version of Alfredo (recipe coming soon!), I decided to try something a little different with this recipe.
Sweet potatoes are all the rage these days, and while they are not nutritionally superior to their white potato cousins, you are seeing them pop up more and more these days. Just go on to Instagram, where you will see #SweetPotatoToast trending and aiming to overtake Avocado Toast’s spot at the IT breakfast these days. Sweet Potatoes are already famous for their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory properties due to the high beta-carotene and vitamin C content. And let’s face it – they’re just tasty!
I gave sweet potatoes a makeover in the form of a sauce. Inspired by Thai dishes, I created a sweet and spicy sauce thanks to coconut milk and spice in the form of red pepper flakes and ground ginger. Even though the pasta itself packs a protein punch (22g for 2 oz!), I included a little addition in the form of shrimp. Mr E is a fan of shrimp in his pasta dishes, and when introducing him to a “not really pasta” form of pasta, it’s best to introduce something familiar along with the unknown to ease into these things.
Start off with baked sweet potatoes. I baked the potatoes in advance, because I like having baked sweet potatoes around for busy weeknights. To bake, use a fork to pierce the skin all around, wrap in some foil, and bake in a 400ºF oven for an hour. Allow to cool, peel skin off, and you have sweet potatoes ready to be sauced!
Add the sweet potatoes along with light canned coconut milk to create a 
thicker consistency sauce. Canned coconut milk is thicker than what’s sold in milk cartons, so I prefer using it for most recipes. However, it’s important to get the light version when possible, as coconut milk itself is naturally high in saturated fat, so skimming a little fat off the top makes a big difference in the overall nutritional quality of the sauce. Combine along with fresh cilantro leaves, red pepper flakes, and ground ginger and pulse in a food processor for that spicy, saucy outcome. Mix along with pasta and grilled shrimp, and dinner is served.
Related Posts
Green Lentil Cheese Lasagne Roll-ups
Vegan Lasagne Roll-ups
RECOMMENDED ITEMS: A food processor, 13″ non-stick skillet, and silicon spatula.
Have you ever used sweet potatoes as a sauce? Make this sweet potato sauce recipe and tell me what you think. Share your creations on social media by using #Foodandmovement.
Edamame & Mung Bean Fettuccine with Sweet & Spicy Sweet Potato Sauce
Print Pin RateIngredients
- 1 TB olive oil
- 1 pound shrimp peeled and deveined
- 2 sweet potatoes baked with skin removed
- 1 can 15 oz light coconut milk
- 1/4 C cilantro packed
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger
- 1 box 8 oz Explore Cuisine Edamame and Mung Bean Fettuccine
- Sliced scallions for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Mix shrimp with olive oil and place on grill pan or broil for 2 minutes per side.
- Prepare fettuccini to package directions, drain, and set aside while sauce is prepared.
- Combine sweet potatoes, coconut milk, cilantro, red pepper flakes, and ground ginger into a food processor or blender.
- Blend until mixture is completely smooth. Add additional red pepper or ground ginger depending on spice preferences.
- Combine sauce, pasta and shrimp on a pan over medium heat and stir to combine until heated through, approximately 5 minutes.
- Top with scallion slices and additional red pepper flakes (optional).
Notes
Nutrition Info
1/5 recipe = 350 calories, 8g fat (5g sat fat), 29g carbs, 10g fiber, 38g protein, 169 mg sodium (Source: SELF Nutrition Data)
DISCLAIMER: All opinions are my own and are not influenced or biased by any third parties. I am not compensated for mentioning any specific brands or retailers on this blog, however I do serve as an affiliate for several retailers. I was provided with free samples of product from Explore Cuisine to experiment with recipes and blog about my opinion of their pasta.