Cheesy Tomato Pasta

Ingredients:

8 ounces Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese

1 pint cherry tomatoes, preferably tri-color

6 large garlic cloves, peeled and halved lengthwise

6 sprigs fresh thyme

1/4 cup olive oil

Sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Approximately 2 cups spiralized vegetable “noodles” (such as Palmini Fettucine) or 8 ounces favorite pasta

Garnishes: chopped fresh basil leaves, minced fresh thyme or rosemary leaves, or a combination

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a large oven-proof skillet with vegetable oil or rub bottom and sides with olive oil. Run a knife around the edge of carton of Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese and invert into center of skillet.

Spoon tomatoes around sides and scatter garlic over. Arrange thyme sprigs over top, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with sea salt and black pepper to taste. Bake 35 minutes. Meanwhile, rinse and drain spiralized noodles or cook, rinse, and drain pasta, according to package directions.

Carefully remove skillet from oven. Remove and discard thyme. Gently mash tomatoes and cream cheese together with back of wooden spoon, leaving plenty of soft chunks of tomato. Fold in spiralized vegetable “noodles” or cooked pasta to heat through.

Check for salt and pepper and add if necessary. Sprinkle with fresh herbs and serve immediately.

*Created exclusively for Tofutti Brands, Inc. by Betsy DiJulio of The Blooming Platter.